XP Mode slow copying to host

[newuser]

Okay i copied a 100mb file from xp mode virtual hdd to a drive on the host and it took over 3 miuntes, 600mb of files took over 25 minutes. I don't see why copying from the virtual machine to the host is half as slow as it takes me to actually download them lol.

 

[huisinro]

So the speed is around 560kbps, this is typical for a network transfer speed.

To the best of my knowledge, Microsoft XP Mode's file sharing are all based on RDP protocol, so even if your vm is on same PC as your host, it will still go through all TCP/IP traffic between the vm and the host. Even the display itself is through RDP, this is why XP Mode is slow.

 

[Kari]

So the speed is around 560kbps, this is typical for a network transfer speed.

To the best of my knowledge, Microsoft XP Mode's file sharing are all based on RDP protocol, so even if your vm is on same PC as your host, it will still go through all TCP/IP traffic between the vm and the host. Even the display itself is through RDP, this is why XP Mode is slow.

Exactly. XP Mode acts like any other computer on your network, it is not directly connected to host. You can make copying a little bit faster by attaching an external hd temporarily to XP (XP Mode > USB Menu) and copying the file there.

Kari

 

[huisinro]

I think even USB is redirected through RDP.

The fastest way is to mount the image file (base .vhd + snapshot) as virtual disk to the host while the VM is offline. You can then copy large files between vm and host.

We (www.vmlite.com) will provide such free disk tools. Microsoft has a tool called VhdMount, too. However, I am not sure whether it handles snapshots. XP Mode VM consists of a base image, plus a snapshot (the diff file), you will need to mount them as a whole to get the files.

 

[Kari]

I think even USB is redirected through RDP.

I don't think so. When you mount an external device, it is no longer available to host. It is really installed as a new device directly, and is thereafter seen as an internal drive, not network drive, thus making copying and moving faster. This image tells it better:



Kari

 

[huisinro]

I know the USB devices acts as builtin devices, but that still could use tcp/ip as underlying transfer protocol, just like some orher remote USB devices.

Of course, if you check the transfer speed, if it is much faster than network (e.g., a few Mbps), then you are right, and they must be tunnelling through direct vm/host ports.

 

[jeffdb27]

I know this thread has been inactive a long time, but I am having the same problem. And I am having much, much slower speeds than the OP. Much slower than just network speeds. In my case, I am copying from the host to the virtual machine. I was thinking it may have had something to do with the hard disk of the vm being of dynamic size and having to grow all the time. But I created a fixed second disk, and it was no better. Plus, copying internally from between the to disks is fine. It is taking me 12 minutes for me to copy 25 Mb of data!

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
Your best bet for this type of stuff is to actually FORGET XP mode -- use vmware player or vbox -- and attach the USB device directly to the GUEST as a "Shared" device"

This way you should get full USB speed access in the Guest VM so copying data to a Virtual disk ON THE VM should be nearly as fast as on the Native HOST. If using VBOX / VMWARE logon to the vm first of course.

(It might work like that too in XP mode -- No idea on that however)

The Host will be able to access it too -- best bet is to use "Host only" Networking -- then the Virtual Network adapter can run as much as 1 GB/s -- much much better than XP mode.

IF you HAVE to use XP mode then I think you are limited to ITS virtual network adapter speed which is as SLOW as Molasses it really does run at "Glacial speed".

I know for some people XP mode is the only option --free copy of XP too but the implementation unfortunately while a great idea leaves a LOT to be desired especially when compared with full featured Virtualisation products from vmware and vbox.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[jeffdb27]

Thanks for your reply. I found the answer shortly after I posted on here. I found a post about disabling task offloading in the registry, but I just disabled TCP and UDP Checksum Offloading on the host's NIC and things sped right up.

We do use VMware here a lot, but I figured for the ease of installation (and just to see what it was like) I would try XP mode. It's the first time I've looked at it. Seems OK once the disk access speed issue was cleared up.

Jeff

 

[bww]

I just disabled TCP and UDP Checksum Offloading on the host's NIC and things sped right up.
Jeff

I too have the same slowness you spoke of and would like to fix it. I am not familiar with the procedure you mention. I am running Windows 7 and xp mode and my question to you is:
1. Where do I turn these two off?
2. What could be the consequences for the rest of my computer?

Thanks very much

 

[jeffdb27]

First I found this, which seemed to work: (the registry change should be done on the host (Win7) machine, not the XP machine)
Workaround for Windows VPC networking slowness between host and guest

Then a coworker showed me how to disable this without the registry edit:
Start->Control Panel->Network and Sharing Center->Chagne Adapter Settings->Dbl-click 'Local Area Connection'->
Properties->Configure->Advanced-> Disable TCP Checksum Offload and UDP Checksum Offload (one each for IPv4 and IPv6)

This worked for me. I hope it helps you.

Jeff

 

[bww]

Jeff,
Thanks I will try that. Do you happen to know if it affects anything in Windows 7??
I am not really sure what I am doing when I disable those settings.

 

[jeffdb27]

You know, it must effect something. But my coworker says they set it all the time in certain situations. I haven't noticed any ill effects since I made the change. I googled a bit trying to find what it really does and only found others asking the same question!

 

[bww]

Thanks, actually I was told by someone who knows a lot more than I do that the setting if disabled will have the cpu do the checksums instead of the nic card. He said in his opinion it would only make a difference in very very large data transfers.

So thanks I am going to do it and I can always change it back if I see any problems.