Stumped (IoTc): Bizarre file copying speed from server to client...

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Dreece

Active Member
Jan 22, 2019
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From server to client, (Windows 2019 and Windows 10), if I copy any large files ie ISO etc (in fact anything that is not a media-type extension), it copies over at lightening speed.

However, when I try to copy over any kind of media file (in fact even an ISO file with the filename extension changed from ISO to MP4) and the speed suddenly goes into like turtle mode.

I assumed it could be my McAfee, so I disable threat prevention, but no luck.

Something it appears is slowing down copying of any file with a media-type extension in its name...

Now the trillion dollar question, what??!!!


ps. if I do local copying on the server itself from drive to drive, no problem, same on client, fine. So I can only presume it is something to do with copying across network... my brain has zero energy remaining, what could it be...

Update:

* Running windows 10 client in safe-mode with networking only, still the same speed issue with copying files with with media extensions in their filenames.

* Copying between Windows Servers, no speed issue!

Thus far I believe this is something to do with Windows 10, I wonder what Microshat have done now!
 
Last edited:

j_h_o

Active Member
Apr 21, 2015
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California, US
I saw network performance problems, similar to this.

What happens if you do this on your server?

(Powershell)

Code:
 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "InternetCustom" -CongestionProvider CTCP
 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "InternetCustom" -DelayedAckTimeoutMs 50
 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "InternetCustom" -ForceWS Disabled

 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "DatacenterCustom" -CongestionProvider DCTCP
 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "DatacenterCustom" -CwndRestart True
 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "DatacenterCustom" -ForceWS Disabled

 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "Compat" -ForceWS Disabled

 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "Datacenter" -CongestionProvider DCTCP
 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "Datacenter" -CwndRestart True
 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "Datacenter" -ForceWS Disabled

 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "Internet" -CongestionProvider CTCP
 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "Internet" -DelayedAckTimeoutMs 50
 Set-NetTCPSetting -SettingName "Internet" -ForceWS Disabled

 #RUN ONLY ON NATIVE2019, HV2019, VM2019
 #Disable RSS & RSC on the TCP-Stack
 #netsh int tcp show global
 netsh int tcp set global RSS=Disabled
 netsh int tcp set global RSC=Disabled

 

Dreece

Active Member
Jan 22, 2019
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I don't think any of the above actually apply to my situation here as SMB Direct is working just fine between servers and for other clients, everything else is running fine on this client BUT media-file copying from SMB shares...

So let us take for example a file called "rubbish.raw'... and let us say it is 50gb in size... if we copy that from an SMB share onto local client, lightening fast, just as expected.

BUT....

If I now change the filename to 'rubbish.mp4'... and then attempt to copy it from SMB share, the slowest network turtle ever!

Running bandwidth and latency tests is pretty much standard routine, part and parcel of making sure everything is running as it should be and apart from the above issue, everything is running great.

It's just something on my client appears to be interfering with any file having a media-type extension (.mp4/.mkv/.mts/.mpg etc).... I've looked through the networking filters and there is nothing out of the ordinary there.

The only solution (old-skool) I have at this stage is to just format and install Windows 10 again, but I rather not.

Was just hoping someone may have come across this very peculiar issue.

I have a feeling this client is now a bit long in the tooth as I havent actually re-installed windows for a few years easily now, just upgrade after upgrade... I guess it has finally come to that time where I have to decide if I either stick with Windows as my main client desktop or if I head to the Penguins for good for desktop too.
 
Last edited:

Dreece

Active Member
Jan 22, 2019
503
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McAfee, with it disabled same result, even through safe-mode I get the same issue, and that virtually loads only the barebone essentials. I normally feel my way around through registry deleting filters/drivers, altering ACLs, revitalising COM registrations right through to online DISM health-restore etc... but here I am looking rather pale in the face at something that really has got me by the undercarriage...
 

BoredSysadmin

Not affiliated with Maxell
Mar 2, 2019
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this just smells to me to like a bad DRM. Possibly installed as low-level drivers. Check Autoruns
 
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i386

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2016
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How do you copy the files? With copy & paste in explorer? Did you try robocopy or other non explorer tools?
Are thumbnails enabled? (If enabled explorer runs an extension that generates or refreshes thumbnails for media files which leads to more reads in the background)
 

Dreece

Active Member
Jan 22, 2019
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@vangoose - one of the first things I did, outside of explorer, nothing else.

@BoredSysadmin - I had my suspicions also, went through the 'everything' tab in Autoruns pretty much right at the beginning, absolutely clean, don't really install much on this client.

@i386 - some good points there, ok, via robocopy it is never an issue, only when dragging and dropping via the desktop Explorer process. Now right at the start of issue detection I did assume that it may have had something to do with thumbnail generation too, so one of the first things I did try was disabling thumbnails, absolutely nothing.

Ok, just to throw in a whole new spanner into this peculiar issue, when I use Explorer to drag and drop large media files from an SMB share on another server, lightening fast! Soooo................. there is something bizarre going on between this client and this one particular server, a one-to-one wierd relationship when it comes to media files being copied through explorer from server to client (vice versa is actually fine!), the issue prevails irrespective of it being an smb share access or mapped drive to smb share access or even direct drive unc path access.

What I will do later tonight is put in a new boot drive and install a clean windows with barebones drivers, join the domain, and log in as AD user... if that works, then at least we can cancel out hardware everything else BUT the old windows install.
 

Dreece

Active Member
Jan 22, 2019
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Ok, update, a new windows install with drivers configured as before, everything works as expected, no turtle-speed scenarios.

It's one of those things where we have to weigh up time vs benefit... I'm sure with a few more heavy late nights we could have tracked down the culprit, but in the end it takes less time to just re-install the OS and a handful of apps and we get to keep our hair roots safe from stress.

Thanks anyway gents.
 
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