WinxpSP1 Pro: Very slow network browsing.

  • Thread starter Thread starter sams
  • Start date Start date
S

sams

Hello :)

I've been haunted by this problem for a while now. Browsing network drives
is very slow using WinxpSP1pro on a 100mbit lan setup with a 100mbit switch,
it's extremely annoying. Coming from Win98se , it browsed network drives
almost as fast as the local drive.

I've tried the suggestion mentioned here but it doesn't seem to speed up the
process
http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/913/

Another suggestion I would like to try needs me to setup something in the
"Active Directory Users and Computers" config, but I do not see such an icon
in the "Administrative Tools"

Now would it help if I download the Administration Tools Pack?
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...15-c8f4-47ef-a1e4-a8dcbacff8e3&displaylang=en

The download is very slow, I guess Microsoft's servers are swamped at the
moment. Any other way to get accesss to the Active Directory Users and
Computers" config?

Or perhaps someone can suggest a fix they tried that worked for them?

Thanks!
 
-----Original Message-----
Hello :)

I've been haunted by this problem for a while now. Browsing network drives
is very slow using WinxpSP1pro on a 100mbit lan setup with a 100mbit switch,
it's extremely annoying. Coming from Win98se , it browsed network drives
almost as fast as the local drive.

I've tried the suggestion mentioned here but it doesn't seem to speed up the
process
http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/913/

Another suggestion I would like to try needs me to setup something in the
"Active Directory Users and Computers" config, but I do not see such an icon
in the "Administrative Tools"

Now would it help if I download the Administration Tools Pack?
FamilyID=c16ae515-c8f4-47ef-a1e4-
a8dcbacff8e3&displaylang=en

The download is very slow, I guess Microsoft's servers are swamped at the
moment. Any other way to get accesss to the Active Directory Users and
Computers" config?

Or perhaps someone can suggest a fix they tried that worked for them?

Thanks!


.
Click to expand...

The reason you don't have the Active Directory Users and
Computers is because your computer is not a domain
controller. Windows 2000 and 2003 (although I am not sure
about 2003) have something called Active Directory,
commercial units use AD to manage their networks users,
printers, and computers. There is a tech note that can be
found on the MS KB regarding network slowness using XP
because it is searching for Scheduled Tasks. I would take
a look at that as it may assist you in your problem.
 
The reason you don't have the Active Directory Users and
Computers is because your computer is not a domain
controller. Windows 2000 and 2003 (although I am not sure
about 2003) have something called Active Directory,
commercial units use AD to manage their networks users,
printers, and computers.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply. When you said:
"Windows 2000 and 2003 (although I am not sure about 2003) "

You did mean "Windows 2000 and XP (although I am not sure about 2003)"?
If so, how can I make my pc the domain controller? is that possible?
There is a tech note that can be
found on the MS KB regarding network slowness using XP
because it is searching for Scheduled Tasks. I would take
a look at that as it may assist you in your problem.
Click to expand...
Yes m8. I did try that. I mentioned this link my first post
http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/913

Instead of deleting those keys, I just renamed them. I don't think that's
why it didn't work.
 
We have the same problem here. We have a mix of Win98
machines and some XP Pro, with Server 2003. We have DNS
set up correctly, and our logons are very quick. We are
seeing a significant speed difference opening folders with
large numbers of files between our XP machines and our 98
machines. Using Windows Explorer on our 98 machines
causes virtually no delay between clicking on a folder
that has 1600+ files in it, yet the XP machines take 10+
seconds to open it.

We had similar results between our first XP machine and
our former NT Server 4.0. In fact, we upgraded our server
hardware and software to 2003 to try to fix the problem.
It is not fixed!

As a test, I copied the folder to a Win2kPro computer
(from the Server 2003) and we still had the same slow
response. I copied it to two different XP Pro machines,
same slow response. I even copied it to a FAT32 partition
on the W2kPro machines to see if NTFS was the problem -
same slow response. In all cases, the response on the
Win98 machines was still immediate (well, maybe 0.25 to
0.5 seconds).

I then copied the folder to a Win98 machine. All machines
then had immediate responses! There is obviously
something up with network communications between all
versions of Windows that are NT based.

Maybe you think that 10 seconds to open a folder is not
that bad. It is, and the reason I say that is that it
creates even slower responses when some applications try
to open a file open dialog. Word, for example, takes over
20 seconds to open that folder. Our CRAL software takes
almost 80!

Nice to know that others have the same problems. When is
Microsoft going to acknowledge it and fix it?

Bruce
 
Hi, I have the exact same problem with XP. We have a
mixed network with Server 2003, 1 or 2 Win95, about 10 Win
98 and 3 WinXp Pro. The XP Pro machines are slug slow at
opening large folders on the network. As a test I set up
a folder with 3600+ files in it. All client machines
maped that folder as their D: drive. The Win 9x machines
open the folder in less than a second. The XP machines
take 10 seconds. The main niche application that we use
that accesses folders like this takes 80 seconds to open
it!

I then added IPX/NetBIOS to the Server 2003 and to the XP
machines. No improvement. I then DISABLED (unchecked)
tcp/ip and browsed the test folder. Instant response!

I then reneabled (checked) the tcp/ip and response was
still fine! However, on a reboot, or even after a day or
two, the response slows to a crawl again. If I uncheck
tcpip, open anything on the server, then recheck tcp/ip,
speed is back. It seems that NetBIOS becomes
the "default" protocol (like in Win9x) for a while and we
have joy. Once tcp/ip becomes the "default" protocol
there is no joy. This was on a brand new machine that I
did the testing, nothing but Win XP Pro on it. I have
confirmed the results on two other XP machines.

We also had this same slow XP response with our NT 4
server before we went to 2003, so it is not a 2003 issue.

No answers, but at least a workaround. Uncheck TCP/IP -
access the server - renable TCP/IP. Joy.

True joy would be Microsoft acknowleging this problem and
fixing it. I have seen far too many messages in this
group about the slow network response to think that it is
not a big issue.

Hope that helps a little.

Bruce W
 
We had very similar experiences - slug slow network response under Windows
XP. I have found a solution that works for us, but first some history:

Prior to last summer we had a mix of Windows 95 and 98 clients accessing a
Win NT 4 Server. All was well with the world. Then we added our first XP
client and noticed that its access times were MUCH slower than 9x.
Example, one folder on the server with 3600+ files took less than 1 second
for the 9x clients to open, but XP was taking almost 15 seconds.

Thinking that our Pentium 100 (yes 100) with 96 meg of ram might be the
cause, I decided to upgrade the hardware to AMD 2600+ and 512 Meg ram. Of
course, NT 4 did not like the transplant so I had to reinstall it. Then I
discovered that we had an Upgrade disc and the 3.5 disc cannot be found.
Rats! Bite the bullet and purchase Server 2003. No difference - 9x could
still thumb its nose at XP.

I tried all sorts of combinations and permutations to test it all, and the
final conclusion is only one: XP TCP/IP is slug slow! Since the problem
happened under both NT4 and 2003, and ONLY to XP, the server and its
software was not the problem.


I tried adding the NWLINK/NETBIOS combination and it sometimes worked.
That is, it seemed that as long as netbios was the "default" things were
fine, but inevitably, after a couple of days, or a reboot, TCP/IP took over
and performance was down the drain again. I could fix it temporarily by
unclicking TCP/IP in the connection properties, try to access the server,
and then rechecking TCP/IP. This seemed to make NWLINK/NETBIOS the
"default" again for a while, but only for a while.

THE SOLUTION!

Add NETBEUI to all XP clients, and Server 2003, and make it the "default".

1) from the XP cd from \valueadd\msft\net\netbeui copy nbf.sys to
%systemroot%\system32\drivers and copy netnbf.inf to %systemroot\inf (you
will not find these files on the 2003 disc, use the files from the XP disc
instead).

2) open my network places/view network connections, and open properties on
your network connection. Use Install to add the NETBEUI protocol that now
appears. Click OK to close the properties dialog.

3) On the top menu, click on Advanced and Advanced Settings. NETBEUI
should be the top (first) protocol listed. If it isn't click on it and use
the up arrow (to the right) to move it to the top, in both locations.

DONE! Our performance is now sparkling and stable. Of course, NETBEUI is
no longer supported by Microsloth, so we will have to wait until they
acknowledge this TCP/IP speed problem and fix it. Until then, at least my
users can get a days' work in almost 1 day.


Please, all who try this, let me know how it worked for you.

Bruce Waldie, P.Ag.
PhotoComp Systems Inc.
 
We have the same problem here we did all the tests and tweaks in the registry that Microsoft and other sites recommend. The only short term working solution that we found was to use the Netbeui protocol as you did. The problem with Netbeui is that it generates a lot of broadcasting on the network and when you have a lot of computers on a network, you cannot use Netbeui everywhere

We found an alternative solution but only for our laptops! The solution is to use the PCMCIA card D-Link DFE-650 with the TCP/IP protocol. We have been using this solution for a while on two laptops (with TCPIP only), one running W2000 and the other one XP. We have not found a card working well for our desktops and we are still looking for one. We think that the chipset is different from the other D-Link cards that we have because this is the only fast one

To open a folder with 10 000 files it takes only 6 seconds with the laptops compare to 42 seconds with another card

If somebody find a PCI card working well with TCPIP please let me know

Stephane Casse
 
Did you try moving "Microsoft Windows Network" to the top of the provider
order?

--

Ken Wickes [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


Stephane Casse said:
We have the same problem here we did all the tests and tweaks in the
Click to expand...
registry that Microsoft and other sites recommend. The only short term
working solution that we found was to use the Netbeui protocol as you did.
The problem with Netbeui is that it generates a lot of broadcasting on the
network and when you have a lot of computers on a network, you cannot use
Netbeui everywhere.
We found an alternative solution but only for our laptops! The solution
Click to expand...
is to use the PCMCIA card D-Link DFE-650 with the TCP/IP protocol. We have
been using this solution for a while on two laptops (with TCPIP only), one
running W2000 and the other one XP. We have not found a card working well
for our desktops and we are still looking for one. We think that the chipset
is different from the other D-Link cards that we have because this is the
only fast one.
To open a folder with 10 000 files it takes only 6 seconds with the
Click to expand...
laptops compare to 42 seconds with another card.
 
In the Window "Local Connection Properties" of my card I always put first "Client for Microsoft Networks" if it is what you mean
I don't understand why with the old D-Link card DFE-650 that works but not with other cards

Stephane Casse
 
I'm referring to the provider order tab in the advanced settings options on
the advanced menu.

--

Ken Wickes [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


Stephane Casse said:
In the Window "Local Connection Properties" of my card I always put first
Click to expand...
"Client for Microsoft Networks" if it is what you mean.
 
Even when "Microsoft Windows Network" is moved to the top of the provider prder it does not improve the speed over the network. Do you have any other idea that I could try

Thank

Stephan
 
I have the same problem, and a little part solution, too. I deleted all the
drive mappings and created connections in My Network Places. The browsing is
still slow when going through these, but at least I can access files on my
own machine without waiting an eternity.




Ken Wickes said:
I'm referring to the provider order tab in the advanced settings options on
the advanced menu.

--

Ken Wickes [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


Stephane Casse said:
In the Window "Local Connection Properties" of my card I always put
Click to expand...
first
"Client for Microsoft Networks" if it is what you mean.
I don't understand why with the old D-Link card DFE-650 that works but
Click to expand...
not
with other cards.
Stephane Casse
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I have been having a similar problem with slow browsing. I have been monitoring this forum for the last several weeks trying to find an answer. I found that we used a Single Level Domain Name to Identify our root domain, Microsoft does not recommend the use if single level domain names in Active Directory, however they did publish an article on what to do to make it work.
What I did find is if you set up Active Directory with a single level domain name (like the way Windows NT used to have their domains) the Windows XP boxes don't play well. The Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 300684 explains what you need to do in the regestry to make things work

Most of the posts I reviewed seemed to have the same problem as I did (the single level domain name). By following the recomendations in the Knowledge Base Article we did speed up our network browsing from 28 seconds to open a network share to about 9 seconds of lag time.

Hope this helps

Larry Keit
Coastal Telco Service

----- Pratish Dayalji wrote: ----

Microsoft say slow browser networking is by design. They knew all along people would face this problem. Read the following MS KB article

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=28880

Pratish
 
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