File load slowly when 2nd Networked computer is off.

[ANDYA]

I have 2 computers networked through a router. I have Windows XP SP2
on the #1 computer. Windows 98 on the #2 computer. When I left click
on any file on computer #1 (PDF JPG Word WP etc.) the program
associated with the file may take up to a 30-60 secs to load the
program and open the file. This occurs when computer #2 is turned off.

When computer #2 is turned on and forms the second computer on the
network (visible in MY Network Places) the same files on Computer #1
load within a few seconds. If I turn Computer#2 off again the loading
of files again slows down.

Note: If Computer#2 is off and I load a program on computer#1(Adobe
Acrobat Word Wordperfect or a picture viewing program) the program
loads very quickly (2 or 3 seconds). And if I open a file from within
a program the file loads quickly again with a couple of seconds.

My guess is that when I click on a file on Computer#1 Windows is trying
to access the Computer#2, even though it is shut off and not on the
network, thus slowing down the program loading process.

Does anyone have any knowledge on how to correct this problem?

Thanks
AndyA.

 

[LVTravel]

This is a known problem. If there is a network mapped drive that is
unavailable (especially using a Office 2003 or later program) the computer
will seem to hang for 30-60 seconds while the file system attempts to go to
the mapped drive(s) (apparently to verify its state.) The only solution is
to have a batch file that you run on bootup of the shared machine to "load"
the network mapped drives and another to disable the mapped drives when the
other machine is offline.

It really is APITA but there is really nothing that can be done other than
the above and Microsoft doesn't seem to care about it. There should be a
relatively easy patch for IE to fix the problem but we have been fighting
this for 3 or more years now.

I have two laptops that travel between three different networks with various
shares. I have to reboot the machines from scratch at each new network and
load that network's batch file to get the proper mapped drives instead of
simply hibernating the system.

 

[ANDYA]

Thanks LVTravel
Can you send to me a sample of the batch file that will load and
disable the network mapped drives?
Thanks
AndyA
(e-mail address removed)

 

[LVTravel]

Glad you asked about the batch files. Made me do a little more research and
I found one answer to my problem of removing the mapped drives.

You will do better creating the batch files in NOTEPAD.EXE but when you save
it you must change the .txt extension to .bat before the save. Save to the
desktop so they are readily available.

The one for loading the network shares is:

@ Echo off (Turns off the echo of the batch file)

NET USE X: \\COMPUTER_NAME\SHARE_NAME /PERSISTENT:NO
(replacing the X with the drive letter you want to assign, computer
name with the shared computer's name and the share name with the share name
on that computer Persistent:no keeps it from coming back automatically
after a reboot.)

To be able to get the computer name and share name in XP is easy if you have
already established shares. Make sure both computers are on. With Windows
Explorer open, click Tools, Map Network Drive. Click the box to the left of
Browse. A list of all shares that have been done will appear. Scroll down
the list to the one you want to work with. Click on it and it will be
placed in the Folder box. Press and hold Ctrl key while pressing the C key.
Go to the batch file and place the cursor where you want it the share
information to go. Press and hold the Ctrl key and tap the V key. The
share info will go into the batch file.

If the share doesn't show up in the search, click the Browse button, find
the share and then get it into the Folder box and then do the Ctrl+C / V as
above. (haven't fooled with 98 in a long time but I think it is just as
easy.)

Create a new line for each share that you want mapped.



The one to get rid of the map is just as easy:

NET USE X: /DELETE

and repeat for each mapped share you want to remove.

Hope this helps.