Q214401: Speed of File Creation Slows Down Linearly with Number of Files

Article: Q214401
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbWinNT400sp5fix
Last Modified: 08-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The speed of file creation slows down linearly with the number of files on the
volume. When you use a clean volume, it takes about 3 seconds to create 1,024
files; about 12 seconds with 1.2 million existing files; about 40 seconds with
4.4 million existing files; about 53 seconds with 5.9 million existing files;
and about 85 seconds to create 1,024 files with 9.73 million files.

CAUSE
=====

The cause was determined to be some ineffeciencies in the NTFS Master File Table
(MFT) file creation process.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0. For
additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack



STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. This
problem was first corrected in Windows NT version 4.0 Service Pack 5.

Additional query words: sfm services for macintosh

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Keywords          : kbWinNT400sp5fix 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : :4.0
Hardware          : ALPHA x86
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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