Folders with a large quantity of files take a long time to open

[Guest]

We have a Windows 2000 Advanced Server w/ SP4 that is attached to a SAN. The
primary function of this server is to store documents and images (normally in
PDF or TIF format). Some folders contain as many as 50,000+ files. When we
attempt to open one of these folders, either on the server itself or from a
PC via share, it can take up to 15 or 20 minutes for the contents of the
folder to load. I assume this is due to server reading through the contents
of the directory.

Is there any way to reduce the amount of time it takes for the server to
load the folder contents outside of better/newer/greater hardware? Are there
any registry tweaks or folder options that can help improve this performance?

Thanks much,

 

[Jon Phipps]

pare down the number of files in the folders?

 

[Guest]

Unfortunately these files have to remain where they are- but I agree that
would be the best option.

 

[Cameron Dorrough]

Do you have Indexing enabled??

 

[Brian Cryer]

We have a Windows 2000 Advanced Server w/ SP4 that is attached to a SAN. The
primary function of this server is to store documents and images (normally in
PDF or TIF format). Some folders contain as many as 50,000+ files. When we
attempt to open one of these folders, either on the server itself or from a
PC via share, it can take up to 15 or 20 minutes for the contents of the
folder to load. I assume this is due to server reading through the contents
of the directory.

Is there any way to reduce the amount of time it takes for the server to
load the folder contents outside of better/newer/greater hardware? Are there
any registry tweaks or folder options that can help improve this performance?

Thanks much,

I experienced a similar problem on NT4. Unfortunatly I didn't find any
solution at the time other than to reduce the number of files in the folder.

I did encounter a similar problem on another newsgroup something like a year
ago. I gathered from that discussion that Unix/Linux doesn't suffer from
this problem, but no other suggestions on how to resolve it.

Sorry, I know that isn't much help.

 

[Mike B.]

Unfortunately, this started occurring when MS changed the way Windows
Explorer displayed the information. Since they switched to a web based
explorer model, Windows Explorer is very, very slow with a large number of
files. And yes, the indexer service does speed things up a little, but
nothing like it used to be. The web based explorer does give a more robust
view at files, however, at a speed and RAM cost. As well, Explorer now
leaks more RAM then ever before, especially with Thumbnail views. As a
developer, I can also state that the file systems (FAT, FAT32, NTFS, etc.)
have not been designed to handle that many files. However, poorly designed
applications, and storage designs, are in use by many companies and
individuals that require all the data to be stored in individual files in a
single folder(directory) instead of more robust thought out
folder(directory) structure and/or database(RDBMS). Best solution, use a
different application to manage your files. If you are limited to Windows
Explorer then use details view. Disable as much of the web stuff as
possible, and even possibly modifying your own web script with just the
basic minimums.

HTH,

Mike B.
I.D.M. Technologies
Milwaukee, WI, USA