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LAN files OPEN FAST save SLOOOW

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by rick h

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Hi,
I have searched this site alot and cannot find this exact problem so here goes. We have 11 computers networked to a win89se server. 2 of the boxes are XP Pro. We use Lantastic for our networking software, a CentrCOM MR820t 10base t/aui HUB/REPEATER, Linksys eatherfast Cable/DSl Router Model # BEFSR41, and a Surfboard SB3100 cable modem. All are set to automatically detect on the Netgear nic's. We save office data and CAD files on the server. The CAD files are the big issue. They open like lightning but take at least 30 seconds to save. Most of these files are less than 1mg. I need to say that I am NOT an IT expert allthough that is part of my job. The server is set up with different groups which have access to different folders with limited rights. I know how to do all that but the really technical things I have to research. (Like this)
Thanks for your help.
Rick

15 replies

by bfilmfan

Windows 98SE is not a server. It is a desktop operating system. The speed which a file is saved is dependent upon many things such as speed of the network, speed of the network card in the shared computer resource and especially the speed of the hard disk's read and write operations.

Write operations are typically much slower than read operations, by several magnitudes. My first supposition is that a system running Windows 98 SE is likely to be an older system with a much slower I/O bus speed and hard disk seek and write time.

You ccould verify this by comparing the length of time that it takes to save a file on the local system, to one of the other peer-network partners and then to the shared Windows 98SE system.

by rick h

to bfilmfan,
Thanks for your reply, but why would the xp machines be slower than the 98 machines. All of the 98's (even a couple of pentium II's) blow these xp's out of the water. They open AND CLOSE files at the same speed...fast.

by cg it

well what might be part of the problem is that W9X computers use NetBIOS over TCP/IP to find others on the network. XP initially uses TCP/IP and then NetBIOS over TCP/IP. Might want to create a LMHosts file with all hosts and import it to the XP machines. Would speed up trying to find the W9X computer that stores the files. another would be to use a switch. Traffic on a hub goes to all machines like a broadcast message.a switch knows whos where so traffic only goes to who its addressed to.

by rick h

To CG IT,
Thanks for the reply, like I said I'm not an expert so I would have to first figure out what an "LMhost" is. Also I have the xp's set to use netbios over TCP/IP. If that's what you mean. I'll take all the help I can get. Thanks again. Rick

by cg it

W9X uses NetBIOS over TCP/IP to find others on the LAN. XP typically uses IP addressing, though by default NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled so that XP can find computers that use NetBIOS. Its could just be a matter of NetBIOS over TCP/IP and a hub causing XP some difficulties in finding older computers that run older O/S s such as W98.

Might try creating a LMHosts file to ease locating hosts on the LAN that use NetBIOS or institute a WINS server.

by cg it

a LMhosts file is a nothing more that a file that has IP address to name listing, such as: 192.x.x.x you can create one using notepad.

I'll give you a link on how to create a LMHosts file for Windows XP. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314108/EN-US/

When trying to locate destinations for traffic, XP can use a LMHosts file for NetBIOS to IP address mapping instead of just broadcasting "Hey, got something for here it comes" then hope like hell it reaches the computer. To compound that type of problem is that a hub is dumb. it sends traffic to every computer connected to it [again much like broadcasting "here's data everyone" then send the data to each connected device regardless of whether that device is the one intended for the data. A switch on the other hand is smarter, it knows that machine [IP address] is connected to port 2 so it remembers that data destined for computer [IP address] is on port 2 so data is only sent to port 2.

So a slow responding computer such as XP that is IP based on a network that containes W9X machines that use NetBIOS identification you create a LMHosts file that says ip address is NetBIOS name.

by cg it

Hope that helps.

I'll add this in. slow is a relative term, just as fast is. relative to a particular perception by a particular person. whats slow to one might not be slow to another. Grandma on the freeway vs. Speed Racer. The NIC on the other hand can only do what its configured to do. Some NICs are configured to transmit and receive simultaneously [full duplex]. Some NICs are configured to transmit only, then sit back and listen. If a NIC will not transmit and receive simultaneously, but gets traffic in while its sending stuff out, Collision occurs on the network and the NIC will get stop sending stuff out, wait a preset time, then start sending the data it was sending. This can bog down a network. This probably isn't your problem but it does happen.

by sean

go to control panel network connections right click lan and go to properties then beside your network card click configure go to advanced then click on media type if set to autosense change to what your network is possibly 100mp half. Then test again

by howie.erickson

Hi Rick,
If I were to guess, I would say that you have Anti-Virus software on the XP machines that is scanning the files when you close/save them. If you do have Anti-virus software on these machines, try disabling it and see if the problem still exists.

Thanks,
Howie

by lmayeda

Any particular reason for using the Win98 PC as a file server? I would suggest getting rid of it and either get a true network server or in the interim designate one of the XP Pros (the one with more ram) for saving files. Hopefully one of them has a CD burner which can be used to backup data. Hubs/switches are cheap, replace the 10base T with a 10/100/1000 switch (most of the newer PCS have 1gb Nics.)

by mike

The slowness is a common bug in Lantastic 8.01 (the only one that works with XP). I've been searching for a possible solution on the web for a few days now. Its so bad I'm ready to ditch my DOS machines and ditch Lantastic and go all windows networking. :(

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