File copy slow when large number of files

[Ollie G]

On windows 2000 I have a single directory which stores
approximately 20 - 30'000 files, all of which are very
small (less than 2k). When using explorer to view the
directory it takes ages to actually view the directory and
the server seems to grind to a halt during this. The
server is highly specced and the files have to reside in
one directory. When copying these files with robocopy it
also takes ages. Any ideas

 

[Alan Vowles]

On windows 2000 I have a single directory which stores
approximately 20 - 30'000 files, all of which are very
small (less than 2k). When using explorer to view the
directory it takes ages to actually view the directory and
the server seems to grind to a halt during this. The
server is highly specced and the files have to reside in
one directory. When copying these files with robocopy it
also takes ages. Any ideas

Ollie, sorry no ideas but I do have exactly the same problem when my
XP Pro clients attempts to browse a large folder that contains approx.
14,000 very small files. Browsing the same folder with W95 and W98
clients returns all the filenames immediately. Have tried posting in
MS forums but nobody is responding with an answer. Annoying isn't it?

 

[Lee]

Hi,

Just curious - why _required_ to be in the same directory ?

Having read that ntfs is slowed by having over 10K files in same
directory - would expect major slowing with 30K.

Lee

 

[Mark Zbikowski \(MSFT\)]

NTFS really isn't slowed by 10K or even 1M files in a directory.

What is slow is the apps who believe they must enumerate
ALL files in the directory, perhaps even retrieving information
from each of them (explorer, for one) before doing what you
asked for.

Explorer reads all sorts of info from each file. Doing that 10 times
isn't much of a burden. Doing it 10K is way worse.

I bet Robocopy does a complete tree walk before doing
things..