Copying files over Win 7 network keeps stalling?

[probedb]

Hi folks,

I already posted about slow network copying speeds but have discovered that's not the issue.

The actual issue is that copying keeps stalling. It'll copy files for 5-10 seconds at a good speed and then it just stops for maybe 30s - 1m? It repeatedly does this which makes it look like the network is slow.

Any thoughts on settings in my cards (Intel and Atheros gigabits cards, Netgear gigabit switch) I can change or something in Windows?

Cheers!
Paul.

 

[Victorwol]

I'm seeing the same, and it does not happening if I use fastcopy, have you tried? Still want the regular copy to work, but seems to be just bad.....

 

[probedb]

I was going to try TeraCopy again but that should be like fastcopy

 

[chev65]

Are you by any chance trying to drag and drop those files using Homegroups?

 

[probedb]

Are you by any chance trying to drag and drop those files using Homegroups?

No I am not.

 

[Victorwol]

Things changed for me after changing to a new switch that supports Jumbo frames and enable the card to use it, also after enable all the "offloads" of the cards, the system was less affected by these slowdowns, using windows Copy, because using fastcopy always was faster, but now is even faster.

You can use an IP capture tool to see if you start dropping packages when windows is stalling, Wireshark is very good

 

[chev65]

I think I mentioned in the other post that hardware upgrades were a possible fix so I'm not too surprized that using a new switch improved the copy problem.

 

[Victorwol]

yes, improves it using windows copy..... using fastcopy is the same. Fastcopy always gave me the full speed, even before the change of hardware. Still think windows copy is flawless when other copy utilities can do it faster, even over a not so good switch?

The amount of dropped IP packets using windows copy is a lot higher than fastcopy.

 

[chev65]

Thanks for giving me credit for causing you to change over your hardware, now try using a router with GB LAN and WAN like I'm using and don't forget to update the firmware.

If you are dropping packets then you have an underlying problem of some sort, I never get any dropped packets and have never had a stalled copy problem so I'm not sure what is causing that but there must be an underlying problem.

 

[Victorwol]

you are missing the picture here... we are talking about a problem of windows copy having problems with certain hardware when other apps do not have the problem, and you in a very arrogant way jumped to us saying that windows is flawless when we are trying to find what the problem is.

the dropped packets where in direct connection between two machines, and with windows copy, not with fastcopy, no switch in the middle. And actually what I did was to activate the jumbo frames, the switch already had the option but I did not know about it. And Fastcopy was giving me full speed even with that option turned off.

 

[chev65]

You already proved that for me when you updated your switch and said that it improved your connection.

I know all about the jumbo frames trick, it's been discussed many times here, but it only compensates for problems else where in the network. Usually a driver or firmware problem is to blame.

The fact that myself and many others never have a dropped packet or stalled file transfer kinda proves you wrong.

As for your accusation of being arrogent for making a the insane statement like "Windows 7 file transfers works flawlessly provided that you have the correct drivers and hardware", wow I really went out on a limb with that one LOL. Outrageous statement by me that was. I suggest you curb your attitude if you want to keep posting here. Name calling is against the rules in case you weren't aware.

I could care less about what fast copy does or doesn't do.

 

[Victorwol]

You could not care less, may be other people do. We where just trying to find out if there is a way to make windows copy work correctly with the hardware we actually have, since there are other applications that can do it correctly, it gives me the hint that something is quite not correct with windows copy over certain hardware configurations, where may be, other apps are more forgiving about certain hardware problems.

Not everyone can go out and buy a new switch like if it was cheap as candy.

And sorry for mention that you sound arrogant, as other people did already told you, when instead of try to give an tip or an idea to what to test, you immediately sent us to buy new hardware, there are millions of possibilities of things go wrong, sothe fact that work fine there it does not mean that will do everywhere.

I repeat myself, Microsoft itself have articles about this problem and many situations where they recommended to use robocopy for example.

And... I didn't change my switch, it jus happen to be a new one with a feature I didn't know about, I just turned ON a feature on the network card, which you apparently knew about but just chose to send us to buy new hardware....

My last comment on the subject.

Thanks for your help anyway. (so you have the credit)

 

[chev65]

Yes both of you seem to be having this file transfer problem yet most of us here do not have that particular complaint, doesn't that tell you something?

First you blame the OP system then you jump on the hardware problem bandwagon which I got you on in the first place. Msoft has a million articles about a million things, that proves absolutely nothing.

You are solving your own problem by listening to my advice as evidenced by the fact that you upgraded your switch and made adjustments, I never told you to purchase anything, I mentioned updating the routers firmware or trying another driver, and yes sometimes it's required to update hardware as painful as that might be, yet you accuse me of not being helpful?

Considering that the first thing you did was to follow my advice I find your statements rather strange.

Now try updating your router or the firmware, maybe even find a better driver , or is that asking too much?

As I already mentioned, blaming the OP system won't get you anywhere because Msoft isn't about to make any changes on your behalf.

 

[Victorwol]

your advise was "get a new piece of hardware" What I did was to change a setting on the network card to use jumbo frames, and use the offload capabilities of the card, where in this world that looks like your advise???

May be I expressed my self incorrectly, I didn't put a new piece of hardware there. I turned ON a feature that I didn't know existed in there and was new to me. With my current hardware.

I'm not blaming the OP for blaming it, for the fun of doing it. I'm just curious about who is the culprit, and why, it is in part hardware, and part software. I like to know why things happen. It is totally possible that Windows copy have some issues with certain hardware, and a change of settings can fix it, like it did this time, while other utilities does not have it.

For example, on my Terrablock, I can't go past 150 MB/s with windows,while using their transfer utility I get about 500 MB/s. But is annoying to have to use another software and would be awesome to discover if there is any parameter that can fix this and make it work better and not have to use another program to do it.

The reason why this company release another utility to copy, is because, per their speech, using an unbuffered copy, you acchieve better speeds.

Still.. only windows had problem with it, ergo, windows copy could use some help from Microsoft to work better. I bet they know that already.

Now.. I must go back to work.

Thanks for your help.

 

[chev65]

It really has more to do with the Msoft completely changing the network stack for Windows 7. It was required to make networking work better with less chance of crashing and also function correctly with the gigabyte connections that most are using now.

Unfortunately this required nearly all drivers to be updated or recreated from scratch, most routers required firmware updates, in some cases the support for a particular router ended and so it can't be updated to Windows 7 specs therefore requiring a new router, not to mention many eithernet adaptors becoming outdated or obsolete. "not my fault only passing the facts along here" and I do understand your frustration.

I even had a problem when I updated from Vista where I saw crashing during file transfers such as you described, only these were BSOD during the transfer. To fix the problem I had to make adjustments to my bios, to be stable I had to bump up the NB voltage one notch 1.4-1.45v which instantly made my file transfers work again, it was like hitting a light switch, transfers don't work "click one adjustment" transfers work perfectly. I havn't had a problem since.

My only point was that blaming the Op system won't fix anything and your efforts would be better spent on other points of failure. If that is arrogant then so be it but it's also a fact.

If Msoft puts out any updates they will usually have to do with changes to a particular driver rather than changing the Op system because wholesale changes to the OP system would effect everyone.

In your case it's acting like a driver or compatiblity problem with your hardware, perhaps with your 24GB of memory you could use a bios voltage adjustment yourself? I would also keep watch over the Windows updates to see if any updates pertaining to your particualar system come along.

 

[probedb]

Right, we get closer to the problem.....

Copying files from PC 1 (Win 7 x64) over to PC 2 (Win 7 x64) where the drive on PC 2 is not the system drive results in super speedy copying with no delays.

Copying files from PC 2 to PC 1 where the files are on a shared drive on PC 2's system partition results in jamming and slow copying.

System drive in PC 2 is a new SATA drive so shouldn't have problems.

As i expected it doesn't seem to be the network that's to blame.