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Windows 7, copying files across network = stutter

CuriousMike

CuriousMike

Diamond Member
I have upgraded two computers in my house to Windows 7.

My "family room" computer is simply a computer with a 1TB USB drive hung off of it, and I "share" a music and photos folder [that exist on the USB drive.]

My "den" computer is my everyday computer.

When copying a file from the "family room" computer to the "den" computer, the "den" computer is negatively impacted.
The mouse stutters, and the machine feels very sluggish until the copy is complete.

As a test, while a copy was occurring, I went to the "family room" computer and opened up a web browser, browsed some photos... just used the computer while the copy was occurring. The machine felt fine.

Both machines were previously XP and I did not have this issue.

Any ideas what's going on?

[edit: I've also tried copying from the "family room" internal/SATA disk, and the stuttering on the "den" computer still occurs.]
 
My first thought is that you have an awful GigE controller, but you mentioned that it works under XP.

Since the problem seems to be on copying files to the Den computer, what drive are you copying them to? Is it always the 1TB USB drive hanging off of it? And if so, have you tried copying files to the internal of that computer instead?
 
The den computer has only an internal (SATA) disk.

The 1TB USB drive is always hanging off the family-room computer.
Copying files from the USB drive to the internal (SATA) drive on the family-room computer does not negatively impact the family-room computer.
 
Do you watch the processes and CPU performance on the den computer during the file transfers?

What happens if you copy files from the den computer to the family room?
 
I Saw OJ said:
Do you watch the processes and CPU performance on the den computer during the file transfers?
Click to expand...

OK, there's something wrong.
I tried copying a 500MB AVI from the family room computer to my den computer.
CPU usage on my Den computer during the copy vascillated from 40->99% during the entire copy. The network % showed about 40%.
The machine is damn near unusable during the copy (as you can imagine) - I was able to open the "More Detail" button on the copy dialog, and it showed it was copying about about 3.8MB/sec ( on a 10/100 network.)


I Saw OJ said:
What happens if you copy files from the den computer to the family room?
Click to expand...

I hadn't tried that before, but the result is certainly part of the puzzle.
The CPU usage is about 8%, and the network utilization is about 22%.
The computer is totally useable.
The "details" of the copy shows I'm getting only about 2.4MB/sec.

My den computer is a Gigabyte945GCM s2c, with a 10/100 onboard chip.
The family room is another Gigabyte, but a 945 GME ds2, which has a gigabit chip onboard.
The gigabit should not matter since they all run thru my linksys 8port router which is only 10/100.


At this point, it's hard to point out who's the culprit.
 
Also.
I don't know if this is relevant, but I use "RealVNC" between the two machines.
I log into the family room computer from the den computer, and the den computer does not stutter.

So, some "lightweight" communication between the machines can occur.

I have tried directly watching a movie on the den computer that is "hosted" on the family room computer. It doesn't stutter horribly, but it's annoyingly random enough that I usually do the copy to make the show local first.
 
My best guess is that it's driver related. The NIC on your Den computer is eating up entirely too much CPU time, which is why you're stuttering. You may need to play around with other drivers.
 
OK, I just discovered something very interesting.

I tried another copy, and it did not cause the stutter.

"What the hell is different?" I asked myself?

Well, I didn't have any other programs running while the copy happened.
I normally have three apps up: Firefox, Yahoo Messenger, and Microsoft Visual C++

So, while the copy was happening, I opened Firefox.
Instant lag and stutter.
It took a minute for me to be able to shut firefox down, and then the machine returned to normal.

With the copy still happening, I then opened Yahoo Messenger. No problem.
I then opened MSDev. No problem.

I opened Firefox again (with copy still going), and the stutter came back immediately.

I'm going to try this test again, but with IE running.
 
False report.... I tried repeating the "no firefox", and it happened even without FF running.

I never played with the Resource Monitor via the Task Manager (something new since XP.)
It shows my CPU spiking erratically, and "Image->System Interrupts Description->Deferred Procedure Calls and Interrupt Service Routines" using ~20% of CPU.
Only when the copy happens.
Normal internet viewing doesn't seem to make it blip.

Ah... but when I'm VNC'ing to the family room computer, I can see the "System Interrupts" really tax CPU % when there's lots of redraws (data) being sent.

I think investing in a $20 NIC in my den computer is an option just to change what's happening.
 
Another data point.
I purchased an inexpensive gigabit NIC from Frys today and put it in the Den computer.
From Windows 7, I uninstalled the onboard NIC, rebooted, disabled NIC in BIOS, installed new PCI NIC card, and ... the same stuttering happens.
The copy speed went up from ~3 to ~5MB/sec... but the same stuff showing up on the "Resource Monitor."


As another test, I took a 10/100 Switch and put it in my den.
I plugged the Den computer into the switch, and repeated tests. Same result.

I then plugged my netbook into the same switch, and did the same copy.
No stutters ( and it's getting about 3.5MB/sec.)

So, I think that says the cabling isn't bad, and I think that says it's definitely an issue on the den PC.

I also tried disabling aVast with no success.

I'll post more details if I find them.
 
OK, because this has been bugging the HECK out of me, I tried one more thing.

I purchased a new Gigabit switch( cheap D-LINK "Energy" Saver at Frys, $29.99 ), and did the following.

DSL Modem--->Router (Linksys BEFRS(?)81 8port) --->D-Link

I left my Wii, XBOX360 and daughters computer plugged straight into the Router.
I plugged my Living Room and Den computer into the D-Link.

Ta-da !

No more stuttering!

I just did a couple test copies, including a folder with 3GB of data, and no stutter!

As a bonus, I went from 3MB/sec to > 20MB/sec!
(The copy started at 70MB/sec, then slowly worked it's way down to a bottom of 22MB/sec. Why it does that is another question.)

Anyhow, my solution involved introducing a new switch between the two machines.

Thanks to all who commented.
 
Last edited:
I'm glad it worked out for you, although the fact that a new switch fixed things doesn't make a damn bit of sense.😛
 
ViRGE said:
I'm glad it worked out for you, although the fact that a new switch fixed things doesn't make a damn bit of sense.😛
Click to expand...

I agree that the "switch" isn't likely the fix, but rather shifted whatever the real problem is.

I'll just look at it as an inexpensive upgrade to gigabit in the house.
🙂
 
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