Workaround for Slow Large File Copying and Transfering To and From Vista PC

For those who has tried out various fixes for slowness problem while copying, moving or deleting files and folders but failed to see any improvement or got problem solved, Microsoft may have also run out of options. However, Microsoft does publish a few more workarounds to improve the speed of large file transfers for Vista system facing the following symptoms.

• On a Windows Vista-based computer, you copy files to or from another computer on a network.
• This other computer is a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer or a Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based computer.
• These files are each 100 megabytes (MB) or larger.
• You use Windows Explorer to copy the files. For example, you use a drag-and-drop operation in Windows Explorer to copy the files.
• This problem occurs only in certain hardware configurations.
• This problem does not occur when you copy files to or from another Windows Vista-based computer.

In scenario above, the file transfer operation may be slightly slower than expected. Microsoft KB932170 has provided several methods to work around this slow big files copying issue, same been repetitive of common methods used to solve various network problems in Vista.

• Method 1: Disable the Windows Explorer Navigation Pane

  To disable the Windows Explorer Navigation Pane, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start button, and then click Computer.
  2. Click Organize, point to Layout, and then click Navigation Pane.
• Method 2: Map a network drive

  Map a network drive to the folder that contains the files that you want to copy. To do this, use one of the following methods:

  • Method A: Use the Windows user interface
    1. Click Start button, right-click Computer, and then click Map Network Drive.
    2. Type the path of the network folder in the Folder box, and then click Finish. For example, type \\computer_name\shared_folder_name, and then click Finish.
  • Method B: Start a command prompt, and then map the drive by using net use command
    1. Click Start Start button , type cmd in the Start Search box, and then click cmd in the Programs list.
    2. Type Net use x:\\computer_name\shared_folder_name, where x: is the letter of the drive that you want to assign to the shared resource.
    3. Press ENTER.
• Method 3: Use Robocopy

  Use the Robocopy utility that is included with Windows Vista to copy the files. For example, type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

  Robocopy source_path destination_path file_name

  Get more information about how to use Robocopy, or type Robocopy /? at a command prompt, and then press ENTER.

• Method 4: Disable the automatic adjustment for the TCP window size on the network

  Use one of the following methods to disable the automatic adjustment for the TCP window size on the network.

  Method A

  1. Click Start Start button , click All Programs, and then click Accessories.
  2. Right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator.

     User Account Control permission If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.

  3. Type netsh interface tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.

  Method B

  Enable the “offload checksum” function of the network adapter. For information about how to do this, contact the manufacturer of the network adapter.

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This entry was posted on Friday, September 7th, 2007 at 6:37 pm and is filed under Windows Vista. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.