Slow File Copy Performance Between XP Clients & 2003 Server

Hi,



We're having a small problem with our new 2003 server. We've noticed there
is very slow network performance when copying files either from our XP
clients to the 2003 server, or from the 2003 server to the XP clients, this
happens whether its a mapped drive, or a UNC path. However copying from XP
client to XP client (or other OSs on the network) are fairly quick. This is
also causing problems in the morning when people logon, it can take up to
half an hour for a workstation (P4, 256mb ram) to apply the security policy,
and then login and run any scripts.



I've read a few articles on Microsoft's site i.e. kb 885189 "Slow
performance when you use a mapped drive to copy files to a remote server
from a Windows Server 2003-based computer" and kb 321169 "Slow SMB
performance when you copy files from Windows XP to a Windows 2000 domain
controller".

However neither of these are exactly the same problem as we're having (as
its not a 2000 DC, and not just on mapped drives). But could it still be a
problem with SMB?



I've run netmon when copying a few large files from my PC to the server, and
although there are a few entries for "SMB C NT transact - Notify Change" &
"SMB R NT transact" I wouldn't say it was excessive, maybe a few at the
start of a file copy, and a few at the end.



Can anyone think of a cause (and hopefully solution) to this problem?



Best regards



Ben

I just read a similar post on the 17th March from Andrew Perry, and I've
tried a few of the suggestions supplied by Todd Heron.

1. Disable SMB signing on the server
2. Make sure both the server and clients are running 100mb full duplex
3. Check DNS & IP settings
4. Disabled NAV
5. Upgraded the NIC drivers with the latest from Intel.

However this has made no difference, its still takes about 20 minutes to
copy 20mb of files. Any other ideas would be much appreciated.

Ben


"Ben" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
>
>
> We're having a small problem with our new 2003 server. We've noticed there
> is very slow network performance when copying files either from our XP
> clients to the 2003 server, or from the 2003 server to the XP clients,
> this happens whether its a mapped drive, or a UNC path. However copying
> from XP client to XP client (or other OSs on the network) are fairly
> quick. This is also causing problems in the morning when people logon, it
> can take up to half an hour for a workstation (P4, 256mb ram) to apply the
> security policy, and then login and run any scripts.
>
>
>
> I've read a few articles on Microsoft's site i.e. kb 885189 "Slow
> performance when you use a mapped drive to copy files to a remote server
> from a Windows Server 2003-based computer" and kb 321169 "Slow SMB
> performance when you copy files from Windows XP to a Windows 2000 domain
> controller".
>
> However neither of these are exactly the same problem as we're having (as
> its not a 2000 DC, and not just on mapped drives). But could it still be a
> problem with SMB?
>
>
>
> I've run netmon when copying a few large files from my PC to the server,
> and although there are a few entries for "SMB C NT transact - Notify
> Change" & "SMB R NT transact" I wouldn't say it was excessive, maybe a few
> at the start of a file copy, and a few at the end.
>
>
>
> Can anyone think of a cause (and hopefully solution) to this problem?
>
>
>
> Best regards
>
>
>
> Ben
>
>

"Ben" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> We're having a small problem with our new 2003 server. We've noticed there
> is very slow network performance when copying files either from our XP
> clients to the 2003 server, or from the 2003 server to the XP clients,
> this happens whether its a mapped drive, or a UNC path. However copying
> from XP client to XP client (or other OSs on the network) are fairly
> quick. This is also causing problems in the morning when people logon, it
> can take up to half an hour for a workstation (P4, 256mb ram) to apply the
> security policy, and then login and run any scripts.
>

What network card is in the server?

Kerry

"Kerry Brown" <(E-Mail Removed)*o*m> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>
> What network card is in the server?
>
> Kerry
>
>

Intel Pro 1000 MT

"Ben Blackmore" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Kerry Brown" <(E-Mail Removed)*o*m> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>>
>> What network card is in the server?
>>
>> Kerry
>>
>>
>
> Intel Pro 1000 MT
>
>

Desktop or server version? Either one shouldn't be the cause of your problem
though. I have seen cheap desktop cards in servers cause similar problems.

Kerry

Server. Its a Dell PowerEdge 1600SC. I've tried the following with no luck.

1. Disable SMB signing on the server
2. Make sure both the server and clients are running 100mb full duplex
3. Check DNS & IP settings
4. Disabled NAV
5. Upgraded the NIC drivers with the latest from Intel.

Tomorrow I'm going to set both server & workstation to automatic speed
detection and see what that does, as setting both to 100mb/full duplex did
nothing. I'm also going to try a registry modification that I read about on
MS's site, where you chance the TCP ACK setting. However I don't expect it
to work. I've set up a 2nd server and I will see if this has the same
problem, I should be able to work out if its a software or hardware problem.

Ben

"Kerry Brown" <(E-Mail Removed)*o*m> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Ben Blackmore" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > "Kerry Brown" <(E-Mail Removed)*o*m> wrote in message
> > news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> >>
> >>
> >> What network card is in the server?
> >>
> >> Kerry
> >>
> >>
> >
> > Intel Pro 1000 MT
> >
> >
>
> Desktop or server version? Either one shouldn't be the cause of your
problem
> though. I have seen cheap desktop cards in servers cause similar problems.
>
> Kerry
>
>

As a simple test, can you run a x-over cable between a client and the server
just to eliminate any switch/bridge problems?

Bob S.


"Ben" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
>
>
> We're having a small problem with our new 2003 server. We've noticed there
> is very slow network performance when copying files either from our XP
> clients to the 2003 server, or from the 2003 server to the XP clients,
this
> happens whether its a mapped drive, or a UNC path. However copying from XP
> client to XP client (or other OSs on the network) are fairly quick. This
is
> also causing problems in the morning when people logon, it can take up to
> half an hour for a workstation (P4, 256mb ram) to apply the security
policy,
> and then login and run any scripts.
>
>
>
> I've read a few articles on Microsoft's site i.e. kb 885189 "Slow
> performance when you use a mapped drive to copy files to a remote server
> from a Windows Server 2003-based computer" and kb 321169 "Slow SMB
> performance when you copy files from Windows XP to a Windows 2000 domain
> controller".
>
> However neither of these are exactly the same problem as we're having (as
> its not a 2000 DC, and not just on mapped drives). But could it still be a
> problem with SMB?
>
>
>
> I've run netmon when copying a few large files from my PC to the server,
and
> although there are a few entries for "SMB C NT transact - Notify Change" &
> "SMB R NT transact" I wouldn't say it was excessive, maybe a few at the
> start of a file copy, and a few at the end.
>
>
>
> Can anyone think of a cause (and hopefully solution) to this problem?
>
>
>
> Best regards
>
>
>
> Ben
>
>

I'll give it a try tomorrow morning, (if we have any cross over cables lying
around).

Ben

"Bob S." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> As a simple test, can you run a x-over cable between a client and the
server
> just to eliminate any switch/bridge problems?
>
> Bob S.
>
>
> "Ben" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hi,
> >
> >
> >
> > We're having a small problem with our new 2003 server. We've noticed
there
> > is very slow network performance when copying files either from our XP
> > clients to the 2003 server, or from the 2003 server to the XP clients,
> this
> > happens whether its a mapped drive, or a UNC path. However copying from
XP
> > client to XP client (or other OSs on the network) are fairly quick. This
> is
> > also causing problems in the morning when people logon, it can take up
to
> > half an hour for a workstation (P4, 256mb ram) to apply the security
> policy,
> > and then login and run any scripts.
> >
> >
> >
> > I've read a few articles on Microsoft's site i.e. kb 885189 "Slow
> > performance when you use a mapped drive to copy files to a remote server
> > from a Windows Server 2003-based computer" and kb 321169 "Slow SMB
> > performance when you copy files from Windows XP to a Windows 2000 domain
> > controller".
> >
> > However neither of these are exactly the same problem as we're having
(as
> > its not a 2000 DC, and not just on mapped drives). But could it still be
a
> > problem with SMB?
> >
> >
> >
> > I've run netmon when copying a few large files from my PC to the server,
> and
> > although there are a few entries for "SMB C NT transact - Notify Change"
&
> > "SMB R NT transact" I wouldn't say it was excessive, maybe a few at the
> > start of a file copy, and a few at the end.
> >
> >
> >
> > Can anyone think of a cause (and hopefully solution) to this problem?
> >
> >
> >
> > Best regards
> >
> >
> >
> > Ben
> >
> >
>
>

And it was so simple, I'm kicking myself.

All it was, was the server had its network card forced to 100mb/full duplex.
I set it to auto detect and it chose 1gb/full duplex. I copied 20mb across
and it took about 5 seconds. Vast improvement over 15minutes.

Should have been one of the 1st things I tried yesterday, did eveything
else, forced all the other workstations to 100mb full duplex, but not the
otherway around! Grrr

Anyway, for future referance, if anyone else has this problem....try setting
the servers NIC to auto detect.

Ben


"Ben" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
>
>
> We're having a small problem with our new 2003 server. We've noticed there
> is very slow network performance when copying files either from our XP
> clients to the 2003 server, or from the 2003 server to the XP clients,
> this happens whether its a mapped drive, or a UNC path. However copying
> from XP client to XP client (or other OSs on the network) are fairly
> quick. This is also causing problems in the morning when people logon, it
> can take up to half an hour for a workstation (P4, 256mb ram) to apply the
> security policy, and then login and run any scripts.
>
>
>
> I've read a few articles on Microsoft's site i.e. kb 885189 "Slow
> performance when you use a mapped drive to copy files to a remote server
> from a Windows Server 2003-based computer" and kb 321169 "Slow SMB
> performance when you copy files from Windows XP to a Windows 2000 domain
> controller".
>
> However neither of these are exactly the same problem as we're having (as
> its not a 2000 DC, and not just on mapped drives). But could it still be a
> problem with SMB?
>
>
>
> I've run netmon when copying a few large files from my PC to the server,
> and although there are a few entries for "SMB C NT transact - Notify
> Change" & "SMB R NT transact" I wouldn't say it was excessive, maybe a few
> at the start of a file copy, and a few at the end.
>
>
>
> Can anyone think of a cause (and hopefully solution) to this problem?
>
>
>
> Best regards
>
>
>
> Ben
>
>

"Ben" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> And it was so simple, I'm kicking myself.
>
> All it was, was the server had its network card forced to 100mb/full
> duplex. I set it to auto detect and it chose 1gb/full duplex. I copied
> 20mb across and it took about 5 seconds. Vast improvement over 15minutes.
>
> Should have been one of the 1st things I tried yesterday, did eveything
> else, forced all the other workstations to 100mb full duplex, but not the
> otherway around! Grrr
>
> Anyway, for future referance, if anyone else has this problem....try
> setting the servers NIC to auto detect.
>
> Ben
>
>

Glad you got it working. Thanks for updating us.

Kerry