BR sloooowww on Novell and Windows 7 (not Client-Server)

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Ben Peterson
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Location: NE Ohio

BR sloooowww on Novell and Windows 7 (not Client-Server)

Post by Ben Peterson »

With the advent of Windows 7 we've discovered severe slowness in operations within BR (v 3.90) on a Novell server. Our workstations operate off volume shares on the Novell server - not as client-server.

I've tried multiple suggestions found on the net for other Novell<->W7 slowness issues to no avail. BR sort and index operations in particular are very slow (for one process of ours: ~17 sec on W7, whereas XP runs the same ops in <2 sec).

Configuration mods attempted thus far:

- Disable Web Client service in W7
- Ensure Netware Services is at top of provider list
- Disable NetBios over TCP/IP
- Disable auto-tuning-level & RSS (netsh interface tcp global)
- Direct Server/Tree settings in client to IP of server

Note: I have noticed large operational disparities between Novell client Software for W7 and am having the best luck with IR3 with file-caching disabled. File-caching enabled had caused lockups and spurious reboots of the workstations. IR5 seemed to cause intermittent file-lock issues.

Any insights or experience would be greatly appreciated!

Ben


Edit: Have also tried disabling RDC (Remote Differential Compression) in Vista/7....
Last edited by Ben Peterson on Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Gabriel
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Post by Gabriel »

I don't know much about Novell on Windows 7. But you might try a newer version of BR.. There are backwards compatibility options you can use to make the newer version compatible with 3.90 and your developers license should allow you to test it to see if it makes a difference.

Also, the client server versions of BR are pretty flexible and are much faster then any traditional file sharing networking methods.

Gabriel
Ben Peterson
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Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:55 am
Location: NE Ohio

v4.17 tested

Post by Ben Peterson »

We do have BR v4.17, but my testing resulted in identical results.
Last edited by Ben Peterson on Tue Mar 29, 2011 1:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
bluesfannoz
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Re: v4.17 tested

Post by bluesfannoz »

I do not recall what version of the client we backed off to. But I know it was not the Novell Client for Windows 7. I believe it may have been the last one for Vista. We had a major performance issue running on a Novell 6.5 server with some new Win 7 machines that the School's tech has setup with the brand new Win 7 Novell Client at the time. So you might try switching to the last Vista version. I will look back through my email with the tech and see if I can determine the exact version.

Ben Peterson wrote:We do have 4.17, but my testing resulted in identical results.
Steve Koger
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Ben Peterson
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Location: NE Ohio

Vista client

Post by Ben Peterson »

We use only one Vista machine (which happens to be mine...). Similar performance on that with Novell Client for Vista v2 SP1. This client was also susceptible to spurious reboot until file cache was disabled...

Thanks!

Ben
bluesfannoz
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Re: Vista client

Post by bluesfannoz »

Don't know if this will help. You might try what is suggested here to improve file copying performance.

http://www.novell.com/communities/node/ ... ell-client

Ben Peterson wrote:We use only one Vista machine (which happens to be mine...). Similar performance on that with Novell Client for Vista v2 SP1. This client was also susceptible to spurious reboot until file cache was disabled...

Thanks!

Ben
Steve Koger
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Ben Peterson
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Location: NE Ohio

Post by Ben Peterson »

Yes, forgot to include that I'd also disabled RDC (Remote Differential Compression) on Vista/7 as another item. That hadn't helped either...

Thanks for your post in any case!
bluesfannoz
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Post by bluesfannoz »

I didn't ask. Are you using any sort of Anti-Virus software? Do you have exclusions set in it for all directories used by BR?
Ben Peterson wrote:Yes, forgot to include that I'd also disabled RDC (Remote Differential Compression) on Vista/7 as another item. That hadn't helped either...

Thanks for your post in any case!
Steve Koger
Computer Specialist
SEKESC-MACS Division
Ben Peterson
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Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:55 am
Location: NE Ohio

Post by Ben Peterson »

Running AVG on Vista/7 machines. With it disabled completely performance doesn't improve, unfortunately...
Gabriel
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Post by Gabriel »

If you can't find anything else that may be affecting this, I'd recommend running BR on a new OS. To be honest, BR doesn't have high system requirements and you don't need a beefy server to run it. My main server here is a laptop from 2001 with a broken screen, running Windows XP home. It runs multiple copies of BR and a host of other server tools like an ftp site, network file shares, a home security system, several web services, and even has Windows Server 2003 running on it as a virtual machine in order to give us access to Server tools like a DHCP server. Performance is not an issue, especially for BR.

So you don't even need to buy new hardware. Just throw any old computer in a corner and plop a quick copy of windows or linux on it, add some network shares (or better yet, install BR Client Server) and your speed problems will go away. Or at least, you'll be running on an OS that there is more troubleshooting/compatibility information on.
bluesfannoz
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Post by bluesfannoz »

Not a fan of AVG. Because when last I checked didn't allow exclusions. I uninstall the anti-virus if I can when testing, because I have found turning it off, doesn't always really get rid of its affects. If that doesn't do it, I am afraid we have exhausted what I can suggest other than agreeing that going to Client/Server may be the solution.
Steve Koger
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bluesfannoz
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Post by bluesfannoz »

I had to work with the client we have that had the issue with Win 7 and Novell. So I got the version number from him that has worked well for them.

Novell Client 2 SP1 for Windows (IR2)

http://support.novell.com/docs/Readmes/ ... 76387.html

Don't know if this will help you.
Steve Koger
Computer Specialist
SEKESC-MACS Division
Ben Peterson
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:55 am
Location: NE Ohio

Post by Ben Peterson »

I'll give the IR2 release a try. I also see that there's an IR6 available that I will try. Thanks!
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