Transfering large files make W7 Slow Down to a Crawl?

[doomie22]

My main HDD is comfigured into two partitions, C: for W7 and D: for data/downloads/etc. Whenever I copying a large file from Partition D: to Partition C: and vise versa, the transfer slows down to a crawl and the HDD activity light on my case stops blinking.

Anyone else have an issue with W7 slowing down to a crawl when transferring a large file from one partition to another partition?

 

[Lordbob75]

Doomie, does this happen with any other files? Or just that one file?

~Lordbob

 

[doomie22]

It happens with other files too but here is the odd thing. I tried another large file and the transfer never stopped.

 

[Night Hawk]

Welcome to the Se7enforums! doomie22

Seeing slowdowns when transferring large files between two partitions or even two separate drives is not limited to 7 alone. I've been seeing that over the last several years between XP and Vista as well working on video projects or copying a large volume of files stored in a collection of sub folders under one main folder being backed up.

That will tend to place a load on cpu time where things will start to crawl if you are running programs at the same time as the transfers are taking place. Yet moving files and folders between partitions on the same drive is instantaneous most of the time.

 

[Lordbob75]

It happens with other files too but here is the odd thing. I tried another large file and the transfer never stopped.

If it is just that file, then I would recommend moving it another way, or moving it in parts.

~Lordbob

 

[Antman]

... Yet moving files and folders between partitions on the same drive is instantaneous most of the time.

That is a logical function. The files themselves do not move, their "addresses" are modified.

 

[doomie22]

Thanks for the welcome!

Could it be maybe that there are errors on the partition and running scandisk might help? I know that the files are located on a partition that is heavily fragmented. Would defragging the partition help?

This is the first time I've encountered this issue. I never had this issue with XP either.

I am using the W7 default HDD controller drivers and I was wondering if using the HDD controller drivers that came with my motherboard would help?

I was starting to like W7 and now I'm not too sure.

 

[Antman]

Is Media Sharing enabled on the target machine? If the target folder is being indexed during the transfer, you would get this slowdown.

And yes, defrag the files would be appropriate.

 

[Night Hawk]

If you are finding a heavy level of fragmentation that would be the first step to take to see how far you can bring that down. Vista and 7 both see an improved SuperFetch over XP's PreFetch memory manager where the defrag tool is loaded at a minimum background level running quietly there keeping the fragmentation down to 0% in most cases.

With XP however a regular checkup and periodic defrag was often needed if you saw the levels climb. Any heavily fragmented files, folders, even an entire volume will slow everything to a crawl. I think you found the solution to your own problems!

 

[EarlZ]

Whats your complete systems specs?

 

[doomie22]

Indexing Service if disabled.

Where do I look to see if Media Sharing is enabled? Sorry if this seems like an easy question but W7 is new to me and I've never used Vista.

 

[Antman]

My bad - target drive. Media Sharing would be managed through WiMP if I am not mistaken. And should only apply to specific folders.

 

[doomie22]

Ok, so I read about TeraCopy from another thread and installed it; a file that I know will stop during mid-transfer now transfer without any issues when using TeraCopy v2.06 beta.

I'm confused

Network File and Folder sharing is disable.

 

[Lordbob75]

Ok, so I read about TeraCopy from another thread and installed it; a file that I know will stop during mid-transfer now transfer without any issues when using TeraCopy v2.06 beta.

I'm confused

Network File and Folder sharing is disable.

So explorer is having issues. Have you restarted and tried again?

~Lordbob

 

[slithernet]

When I test hard drives i get this prob. When a bad hard drive is connected to my pc explorer hangs and transfers slow. Sometimes the transfer will go after a long time, sometimes it hangs 4 ever. Maybe you should test your drive.

 

[doomie22]

Yeah I restarted a couple times.

At first when I saw this issue I thought W7 froze so I would always press the reset button on my case. Later I found out that if I canceled the transfer the desktop would eventually recover without needing to reset the system.

When the transfer stops the desktop becomes frozen; I can't click on anything Alt-Tab doesn't work, I can't even access the Task Manager however I can still move the mouse cursor and the lights (num lock etc.) on my keyboard can be turned on and off.

Its weird that TeraCopy works though.

------------------

When I test hard drives i get this prob. When a bad hard drive is connected to my pc explorer hangs and transfers slow. Sometimes the transfer will go after a long time, sometimes it hangs 4 ever. Maybe you should test your drive.

I think I'll do that just in case. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Lordbob75]

When I test hard drives i get this prob. When a bad hard drive is connected to my pc explorer hangs and transfers slow. Sometimes the transfer will go after a long time, sometimes it hangs 4 ever. Maybe you should test your drive.

What do you use to test them? This is something I should run as well....

~Lordbob

 

[Night Hawk]

You can run the free version of HD Tune 2.55 for a quick scan for bad sectors while the best tools are generally the drive diagnostics provided by the manufacturer itself. HD Tune website

Sometimes the model of drive by the particular manufacturer is the problem rather then any actual faults being seen. When first going to test the 7 betas I found myself needing an extra drive to test various configurations as well as preserving the initial quadruple boot setup of both 7 flavors along with the existing XP and Vista dual boot.

The WD Green Power drive was removed out of the external usb housing for internal use and would soon start seeing Windows problems with each clean install over the last several months. The next time someone asks about installing 7 on an external drive the term "meant for storage only" certainly does apply there!

Fortunately all that time the second Host drive installed as a stand alone as well as added into the other BCD store always remains stable! It formerly held XP and the 32bit beta.

 

[slithernet]

I usually test them with the manufacturers tools, whats the brand of the hard drive?

 

[Lordbob75]

I usually test them with the manufacturers tools, whats the brand of the hard drive?

Samsung.

~Lordbob