Download speed of XP Updates is slow after reinstall

[John Latter]

Hi,

I've just changed my hard drive & reinstalled XP (I did SP2 seperately
before connecting to the internet).

I'm on broadband but when I try and download updates the spped is that
of a dialup connection.

Are there any settings I can change?

 

[Chelsea]

Hello,
I have broadband also and even though its a 2Mb/s link, I have found the
Windows update site pretty slow, not quite as slow as dial up at around
11KB/sec. Contrast that with a download of Windows Server SP1 which averaged
140KB/s. Over a Wi-FI link from a router. I suggest Microsoft might have
bandwidth throttling in IIS 6 switched on so the servers can handle the high
traffic rates Microsoft upate must experience. If you want a benchmark for
your broadband connection try http://www.computers4sure.com/speed.asp? My
benchmark is about 1200Kb/s

Chelsea

 

[Alan Smith]

Remember that you aren't the only person downloading from MS. They have to
share fairly- you have no more right to a share of the available bandwidth
than anyone else- however they may connect. Be happy you have a share, or
try at other times. Try when the Americans are sleeping, perhaps that may be
better. But remember you are one user out of very many connected- be happy
you have a share and don't deprive other usres of an equal right to get
their share of the bandwidth.

 

[Alan Smith]

Sorry- I assumed this was only from MS- are other sites d/l speeds slow too?

 

[John Latter]

Hi,

I've just changed my hard drive & reinstalled XP (I did SP2 seperately
before connecting to the internet).

I'm on broadband but when I try and download updates the spped is that
of a dialup connection.

Are there any settings I can change?

Thanks Chelsea & Alan!

I did a 12MB download & found the download speed increased as time
went on!

 

[John Barnett MVP]

I download XP Pro 64bit yesterday and noticed a slight slowing down (i'm on
512k broadband). However, not as slow as dialup. The 600MB had a recommended
download time of 4 hours. As it progressed it rose to 7 hours.
Now i'm in the UK and i was downloading at 8pm GMT. This is approximately 12
noon in the Redmond (or there abouts) so a lot of US citizens where also
logging onto Microsofts websites.
As the download site i was using has a download manager i suspended the
download and then went back to it at 1am GMT the download speed had more
than doubled at that time and i was able to complete the remaining download
in 2.5 hours.
The moral of the story is think of your local time and what time it is in
redmond. If everyone is online in the US downloads are going to be slow. If
you live outside of the US then log on when the US are asleep.

 

[John Latter]

I download XP Pro 64bit yesterday and noticed a slight slowing down (i'm on
512k broadband). However, not as slow as dialup. The 600MB had a recommended
download time of 4 hours. As it progressed it rose to 7 hours.
Now i'm in the UK and i was downloading at 8pm GMT. This is approximately 12
noon in the Redmond (or there abouts) so a lot of US citizens where also
logging onto Microsofts websites.
As the download site i was using has a download manager i suspended the
download and then went back to it at 1am GMT the download speed had more
than doubled at that time and i was able to complete the remaining download
in 2.5 hours.
The moral of the story is think of your local time and what time it is in
redmond. If everyone is online in the US downloads are going to be slow. If
you live outside of the US then log on when the US are asleep.

Tks John - hadn't a clue where Microsoft were!