[wplug] samba & large file transfer = slow computer?

[Bill Moran]

"Michael P. O'Connor" <mpop at mikeoconnor.net> wrote:

> I have a problem that when I start to transfer any larger sized file
> (over 1GB) over my network via the smb protocol to the linux box, my
> computer gets an odd behaviored, it will work fine for about 20 seconds
> then for the next minute it will go slow, then reset to the 20 second 
> and 1 minutes.  does any one know  what is causing this and how to fix
> this problem,  and when I say slow I mean that the computer is pretty
> much frozen at that time, so I don't get much work done on it when it is
> like that.  When I transfer from it is not a problem.

Can you get a packet capture using "tcpdump -s0 -w somefile.pcap"

The capture is liable to be very large, so try to run it only during
the problem.  Also note that the capture will have your data in it,
so create a test transfer if the data is sensitive.  Zip it up and post
it on a site somewhere and point me/others to it.  I'll have a look and
see if anything stands out network-wise.

Also, if you run top(1) or something to monitor your disk activity, does
odd occur?  Sounds like it could be a case of the disk cache stalling.

-- 
Bill Moran
Potential Technologies
http://www.potentialtech.com