Another problem - Windows Easy Transfer

dudwell · Oct 13, 2011, 13:36:24

Apologies for bringing another problem but I thought it would be a good idea to transfer stuff from my old laptop to the new by means of Windows Easy Transfer.

Both laptops connected to router with ethernet, I established connection between them OK and began transfer over the network using the default settings. Progress bars appeared and pulsed, transfer time was stated to be 3 hours or so. Everything seemed to be going well. On returning to the scene I found transfer time had increased to over 5 hours and at each subsequent inspection it increased again and is currently standing at over 8 hours! Can this possibly be OK? The 3 progress bars continue to be green and to pulse as though something is happening but they seem not to be advancing. Status says "Connected".

Should I wait patiently OR cancel everything and start again OR simply give up?

I'm posting this with my back-up netbook by the way.

LATEST NEWS: transfer time has come down for the first time, it's now 7 hours 46 minutes. Maybe I'm panicking too soon?

.Griff. · Oct 13, 2011, 13:42:54

Ultimately it depends on how much data you're trasnferring across.

If it's just the windows and program settings then yes that appears to be an excessive amount of time. On the other hand if you're transferring 300GB/400GB/500GB of programs, files, pictures, music, videos (etc etc) then that amount of time sounds about right.

What I would check is the "Speed and Duplex" settings of each respective NIC. Make sure they're set to the highest setting that NIC will support.

esh · Oct 13, 2011, 13:52:55

300 GB at 10MB/s (100Mbit ethernet) would take 8.5 hours. If you're on gigabit it would be a lot less at that would snag you 30-40MB/s. If it keeps going up, then something is wrong I'd wager.

dudwell · Oct 13, 2011, 13:57:15

Thanks Griff, I'm somewhat reassured! I don't think I should check the speed and duplex settings as you advise because there's a stern warning not to use either computer while transfer is in progress (and I wouldn't know how anyway!).

Transfer time is now 7 hours 27 minutes so it's definitely coming down. I think I'll simply stick with it.

Thanks esh, this forum is the most wonderful source of advice

dudwell · Oct 13, 2011, 15:44:24

I rejoiced as the transfer time crept down to only (!) 5 hours 27 minutes. Then I turned my back and it had shot back up to over 7 hours. Now it's 11 hours 29 minutes. Total transfer size is 29.4GB. The uppermost progress bar reached completion.

I'm tempted to close everything down but will abandoning the process part-finished cause problems?

davej99 · Oct 13, 2011, 16:51:14

I am no network expert, but I found a major factor in the transfer time is the number of files per GB, where the rate can be reduced by 75% from a single file to several thousand small ones. I found this true for internal drive to drive transfer where 72MB/s benchmark drives would only transfer at 12MB/s for many tiny files. If a lot of small files are being transfered for a while, the estimated time to complete goes out and vice versa.

esh · Oct 13, 2011, 16:55:42

Windows file sharing (CIFS protocol) has an enormous overhead per file. I've been staggering along at a few KB/s for thousands of tiny files.

Rik · Oct 13, 2011, 17:06:42

In my experience, Windows has always guessed badly at file transfer times, and adjusted up and down wildly. I suspect things are OK, if painfully slow.

davej99 · Oct 13, 2011, 17:08:01

Quote from: esh on Oct 13, 2011, 16:55:42
Windows file sharing (CIFS protocol) has an enormous overhead per file. I've been staggering along at a few KB/s for thousands of tiny files.

Thanks for the explanation, Esh. I wondered what the cause was. In the end I resorted to an ESATA external drive for large transfers rather than ethernet with the bonus of a backup copy.

Rik · Oct 13, 2011, 17:10:56

That would be my preferred route too, Dave, for any data, just leavings settings to transfer.

dudwell · Oct 13, 2011, 19:11:11

Quote from: Rik on Oct 13, 2011, 17:06:42
In my experience, Windows has always guessed badly at file transfer times, and adjusted up and down wildly. I suspect things are OK, if painfully slow.

Right again Rik. An hour after transfer time had been estimated at over 10 hours I found it had reduced to 33 minutes! At last the transfer is complete. The most nerve-racking and stressful computer activity to date. Windows Easy Transfer should come with a health warning.

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Rik · Oct 13, 2011, 19:12:24

Easy is a misnomer, Dud, it means "stand back and prepare to sweat and tremble".

dudwell · Oct 13, 2011, 19:57:26

esh · Oct 13, 2011, 23:43:28

Windows Gut-Wrenching Transfer probably wouldn't have the same ring to it.

There's a lot of negotiation and authentication every time a file transfer goes on with CIFS. There's not just the local disk authentication to sort out, but the remote one and the network permissions also (you can have permissions to write to the remote disk but not via the network share for example!). I don't know the gritty details but I suspect it has to do this every single time to avoid obvious hacks and workarounds regarding security.