windows explorer: traffic across wan

[Martí Serrano]

Hi,
I have some PCs (Win2K Pro + SP4) in a remote office with a network drive
mapped to a server (Win2K Server SP4) in the main office. Whenever a user
opens windows explorer to access that network drive it takes some time to
display the list of files and folders; that's ok since it's a WAN
connection (though IMHO it takes a little longer than neded). The problem is
that once files are listed in windows explorer, data keeps flowing from the
server to the PC (up to 15MB for a 3000 file list). I have captured data
with a sniffer and can see the file names within it; so, it's information
about the files in the folder. Anybody knows of this additional data? I've
searched support.microsoft.com and google but no success.
In addition windows explorer isn't set to cache drive/file information.

Martí.

 

[Seaver]

Dear Mart¨ª,

Thank you for your posting.

According to your post, you encounter freeze problem when accessing mapped
network drive.

If I have misunderstood your concern please don't hesitate to let me know.

1. Would you please confirm whether the problem occurs on all the client
PCs which connect to the mapped drive? In the meantime, please also connect
other random mapped drive to test the situation.

If the problem occurs in that specific mapped drive only, please delete and
then remap it to test the situation.

2. Could you please tell me if you've installed or removed any
program/device right before the problem first occurred?

3. Please log on to the Win2K Server SP4, and then access the mapped drive
locally using \\computer\share command to test the situation.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Seaver Ren

Product Support Services
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security

 

[Martí Serrano]

Yes it looks like it freezes but data is being transferred from server to
PC.
1.- Yes, it happens to all Win2K clients fromtwo different branch offices. I
forgot to mention it doesn't happen to win95 clients. With Win95 it takes a
time to display the file list (which is normal: data must be sent from
server to client) but that's all. It is what I expect to happen with a large
number of files in the folder and a slow link.

2.- No. I think things have been going worse and worse as number of files in
the mapped drive increased to the point users decided it was time to
complain.

3.- It works fine.

 

[Seaver]

Dear Marti,

Thank you for your reply. Please rest assured that the problem will be
resolved soon under our close communication.

1. To make further research, please reconfirm with me whether the problem
lies in that specific mapped drive only. Will the unexpected data flow from
Server to client issue occur on other random mapped drive?

To perform a test, you may logon the server, copy some data from that
mapped drive to a newly created one, and then perform client connection
tests. Contact me with the test result at your earliest convenience.

2. To determine the flowing data's type scope, please provide me the
filenames listed from captured sniffer data.

You may also choose to catch screen capture regarding that report, and then
send to me for further research:

a. Press ALT+ PRINT SCREEN (the key on the right of F12) to copy an image
of the message window to the Clipboard.
b. Click Start => Programs => Accessories => Paint.
c. On the Edit menu, click Paste, and then click File to save the JPG file.
d. E-mail the file as an attachment to my Inbox
<mailto:[email protected]>.

The information we collect is critical for us to perform further
troubleshooting steps, please contact us at your earliest convenience.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Seaver

 

[Seaver]

Dear Marti,

Would you please let me know how things are going on now? Please do not
hesitate to reply me so that we can resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Seaver

 

[Martí Serrano]

Hi Seaver,

I apologise for not answering before but I've been out of the office = for a
whole week. I hope I can answer your last questions in the next days.

Thanks very much,

Martí

 

[Martí Serrano]

1.- Yes, it just happens on specified folders. No problem with other
folders/drives.

2.- I've a capture file from Network Monitor and will e-mail to you (239KB
zipped). I set up a filter to limit capture to data between server and a
workstation mapping the drive.

IMHO what's going on is that every time that a a file in the shared resource
is modified, the whole folder listing is sent to the PC windows explorer.
Since the folder has got thousands of files and the link is a slow wan
link.... hence the problem. Could you confirm this point?

Martí