Strange Explorer problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter V Green
  • Start date Start date
V

V Green

Recently changed my small home network from
fixed IP's to DHCP via router.

Since then, I have a strange situation when browsing
to network shares from Explorer.

Most times (not every time), when I expand a directory
tree on a remote disk share, the default arrow cursor
starts alternating between arrow and hourglass at the
rate of once per sec. This impacts Explorer performance
and makes it kinda hard to select files/folders on the share.

This activity generates 1 sec spikes in Task Manager CPU
graphs as well.

This NEVER happened in the many years I ran fixed IP's
on these very same machines.

Other than this, everything else works the same as before
I switched.

I would rather not go back to fixed IP's for various reasons.

Thanks for any insight. XP SP1 in use.
 
Recently changed my small home network from
fixed IP's to DHCP via router.

Since then, I have a strange situation when browsing
to network shares from Explorer.

Most times (not every time), when I expand a directory
tree on a remote disk share, the default arrow cursor
starts alternating between arrow and hourglass at the
rate of once per sec. This impacts Explorer performance
and makes it kinda hard to select files/folders on the share.

This activity generates 1 sec spikes in Task Manager CPU
graphs as well.

This NEVER happened in the many years I ran fixed IP's
on these very same machines.

Other than this, everything else works the same as before
I switched.

I would rather not go back to fixed IP's for various reasons.

Thanks for any insight. XP SP1 in use.
Click to expand...

See if this Microsoft article is of any use:
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816375>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816375
 
Good info. Will look into it. I'm not running any
mapped drives, though. Just viewing them
as \\server\sharename under Network Places in Explorer.
All peer-to-peer - no "server" per se.
 
Good info. Will look into it. I'm not running any
mapped drives, though. Just viewing them
as \\server\sharename under Network Places in Explorer.
All peer-to-peer - no "server" per se.
Click to expand...

Well, I didn't experience the symptoms myself on a server either - my remote
drives were peer-peer shares too. I don't remember if they were all mapped as
opposed to UNC ("\\server\sharename") either.

Did you catch this note:
Note Excessive flickering can also be caused by antivirus software or some other
rogue third-party software constantly updating the folder or directory tree on
the server that clients are connected to.
 
Chuck said:
Chuck said:
Well, I didn't experience the symptoms myself on a server either - my remote
drives were peer-peer shares too. I don't remember if they were all mapped as
opposed to UNC ("\\server\sharename") either.

Did you catch this note:
Note Excessive flickering can also be caused by antivirus software or some other
rogue third-party software constantly updating the folder or directory tree on
the server that clients are connected to.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I did...

everything's clean, and I'm using the same AV
(eTrust) as I was before the change.

No software changes, AFAIK.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Chuck said:
Yeah, I did...

everything's clean, and I'm using the same AV
(eTrust) as I was before the change.

No software changes, AFAIK.
Click to expand...

Well, if you're seeing spikes in the CPU graphs, find out what the spikes are
from. Get Filemon and Process Explorer (both free) from SysInternals.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/essential-tools-for-desktop-and.html#Filemon>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/essential-tools-for-desktop-and.html#Filemon
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/essential-tools-for-desktop-and.html#ProcessExplorer>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/essential-tools-for-desktop-and.html#ProcessExplorer

Diagnose the problem.
# Close all applications.
# Start Filemon.
# Start Process Explorer.
# Note whether you're seeing the spikes. PE will show you way more than Task
Manager.
# Start Windows Explorer, and open a UNC connection to a distant share.
# Look at Filemon, and see what files, and what processes, it shows on a 1
second cycle.
# Use PE to look at the processes identified by FM.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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