Computer slows down while transferring files

[xmatrix]

Hello,

When I do a large file transfer or multiple file transfers my computer gets extremely slow during the process. Slow meaning that to open the web browser it struggles and while typing search terms in google there is lag. That's just one example, other's being opening programs.

Last night I reformatted my computer because I thought maybe it had something to do with it. But no luck because after the clean install was complete I transferred about 600gb back on the computer and during this process tried to view the properties xpadder (Right click-> Properties) and the entire system froze. A hard reset and I started the process all over again, tried watching tv using windows media center and it worked but flipping through channels was extremely slow and it is not usually.

I'm trying to solve this problem and maybe see if others are experiencing the same.

I think my hardware is more than capable:

Windows 7 x64
8gb of Ram
1tb WD Caviar Black
ATI Radeon 4890
Gigabye P55-UD6 rev1.0
Enermax Modu 82+
Corsair H50

some background info:

I originally had my computer overclocked but after a Bios upgrade I couldn't get the same results so It is currently stock speed.

Computer is only a year old.

Running temps are around 40-45C

Harddrive temps are normal (40-48C)

I have completed a full check disk and monitor the harddrive with CrystalDisk Info (SMART Utility) and it seems 100%.

Thanks.

 

[soundguruman]

One strategy is to use a very fast hard drive like a 70 GB velociraptor, as the OS dedicated drive, put the OS and the software, such as Office, browser, etc...on the fast drive, and boot this drive first.

Put all your personal files on the 1 TB drive, and don't mix the two categories on the same drive.

Load the OS after you install the velociraptor, to make sure all the hardware gets configured...

The reason I am saying this is that a 1 TB drive is slow by nature. But there is no reason that a file transfer should hog all the resources, so use a fast drive for the OS...

Also another thing is not to load multiple security programs into your computer, and avoid the free ones.

 

[sminlal]

When you copy files from one place to another on the same physical drive it means the disk heads have to move back and forth very quickly. When you add the need for the web browser to be accessing files in it's "Temporary Internet Files" folder you end up with the disk getting hammered by competing I/O requests - a condition known as "thrashing".

This is why a lot of people use a separate physical drive for the OS - it means that the OS drive can continue to respond quickly even though you're doing a lot of work with the data drive.

 

[xmatrix]

When you copy files from one place to another on the same physical drive it means the disk heads have to move back and forth very quickly. When you add the need for the web browser to be accessing files in it's "Temporary Internet Files" folder you end up with the disk getting hammered by competing I/O requests - a condition known as "thrashing".

This is why a lot of people use a separate physical drive for the OS - it means that the OS drive can continue to respond quickly even though you're doing a lot of work with the data drive.

I plan to do that in the future, but for the time being I do not have enough money to use two hard drives. Any other suggestions?

 

[sminlal]

If you need to copy files around and you've only got one drive to do it with, there's not a whole lot you can do. Fast enough flash drives can be plugged in and set up for "ReadyBoost" to improve disk caching, but I'm a little skeptical that it will make much of a difference.

 

[soundguruman]

A raptor hard drive, on e bay, fresh in the original wrapper, 70 GB, is about $80, and so worth while.
Also, defragment your drive, this helps a bit.

 

[xmatrix]

Most likely I'm just going to replace the hard drive and use two as opposed to one- one for the OS and one for storage. Thanks for the reply's!

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

this is normal!!!!!!!ssd ssd ssd ssd!

 

[aford10]

The original raptor drives are a little loud and a bit slow (compared to the velociraptors). Price and performance wise, you'd be better off getting something like the 640GB WD caviar black for ~$60
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319&cm_re=caviar_black-_-22-136-319-_-Product

 

[soundguruman]

I still like the 10000 RPM 3" drive...

 

[Methen]

I having a similar problem but with just surfing the internet period every website I go to I get that transferring data at the bottom of the tool bar and the web site takes forever to load...

I am thinking it may be related to the google doing all that spidering ...