Extremely Slow File Sharing

[crysalis1]

I have a client who has a small Network consisting of 7 computers and one File Server. All systems are Pentium 4s running Windows XP smoothly. All 7 computers have a mapped drive that points to the file Server for file use and sharing.

The Hard drive on the File Server is close to full (40GB with 38GB use). I had planned to just purchase a new 160GB Hard drive, but decided to go with a fll upgrade of the Box (since it had been giving errors for quite some time now). I went with a Pentium 2.8 800FSB on a Asus P4P800S-SE (800FSB) 1GB (2x512) DDR400 Corsair RAM and 160GB 72000RPM HD.

The new system runs like a dream. I installed Windows XP Pro with SP2 and other updates, the whole deal. When installed the new box, everything smooth without problems. But, the loading of shared files on the 7 computers is ridiculously slow (taking up to 5 minutes at some points). when with the old box it took less than 3 seconds.(The older box is a Pentium 4 1.2 133FSB with 512RAM and 40GB 7200 HD.)

When troublshooting my new box, i switched out the HD thinking it was damaged, nothing. Tested all components of the new box, all working fine. Unistalled SP2, nothing. Tooked off scheduled tasks, enabled indexing. Everything thing possible and nothing made my new box run as efficient as that old box there.

I started to suspect that maybe it can be a Windows Hotfix i downloaded, so i went ahead and started to unistall them, but after 3 or 4 unistalls, Windows crashed. So i have to start from scratch.

Before i start again, i want to know if anyone here knows the solution to my problem so that all this won't happen to me again??


Please, any help will do. I'll been at this for about a month and i want finish it already.

 

[Darlien]

Im not sure. but have you checked the virtual memory? Im thinking that maybe this might pick it up and give it a extra boost. Because you have the ram it might not be with the server. Im assuming your using a routet. Maybe check the speed of the router. Umm. If the router is running a program on the comp try setting the priority of that higher. Maybe that will give the router a boost.

 

[ninnywaff]

Did it all work fine pre sp2 install and hotfixes? If not then it Could be a lan card broken or cable up the duff - both of which have caused similar problems to me in the past. Another thing is, how full is the new HDD on the server, because if you have upwards to 100gig and only a 1MB network, it will take next to forever to load using windows shares. dunno if any of this will help.....

 

[crysalis1]

Thanks for the replies..I haven't had a chance to work on it.....But, when i do ill make sure to check out Virtual memory...

the thing about network hardware is that...the old servr that is there now is working fine in regards to file sharing.....Takes less than 3 seconds to load up on another computer..... Therefore i don't think it's a hardware issue...unless compatability and Hard drive size have a factor in that...(???)