Vista Slow To Copy, Delete Files

Bruce Schneier has said that trying to make digital files uncopyable is like trying to make water not wet. With Vista, Microsoft seems to have done a pretty good job of making premium content files not copyable. Now a few readers have tipped us to a new wrinkle: Vista also makes it very, very slow to copy, rename, or delete ordinary files. Here is a Microsoft TechNet thread on the problem. The Reg reports that Microsoft has a hotfix for what sounds like a subset of the more general problem complained about on TechNet; but they will only give it to customers who ask nicely. And a hotfix is fussier to install than a proper patch.

Comments

Oh Dear

[twistedcubic]

I just recommended a Dell system for my family 2000 miles away. I'm praying to God I won't have to do any tech support over the phone. Hopefully they understand I've never even seen a computer with Vista installed. I hope the 1GB of memory is enough.

Linux Comparision

[Rolgar]

I can copy 2 GB of data from one SATA drive to another on my 2 year old Debian box in 1 minute. This and the slow network stack have always been two of my biggest complaints against Windows. Glad I kicked that habit. I do miss running new games, but I've got NWN 1, XCOM on running on DOSBOX, and UQM and hopefully those will tide me over until I find a Wii.

Awsome Thread

[MrCopilot]

From a victim.

why would vista take forever to move delete (permanently and moving to recycle bin) and copying files. it's not really the operation that's slow but the calculating time remaining stays up forever after the operation is complete and keeps it from starting for a long time? anyone have any ideas

because many handles and processes are working simaltiousely, your hard disk activity is so busy with all processes, so it should need so long time for this, add to this, you need UAC to be on and shows you prompt message for file operations.
Good luck
Ahmed Mahdy | MSDN & TechNet Forums Moderator | Blogs for Microsoft Tech. http://www.ahmed-mahdy.com/

And from Steven in response.

Your statement can be boiled down to:
The O/S is so horribly written and bloated with un-needed features that no matter how fast your computer is it can never possibly process the system calls and manage file handles fast enough for Windows Vista to provide the user with a timely interaction experience.

This is just a smoke and mirrors tactic. Basically, you're making a statement that the person's computer isn't powerful enough to do a simple operation such as a file system table modification (moves and deletes are simply table modifications if they are on the same fixed disk and logical partition), without even asking for hardware specifications. Your argument here is vacuous.

I notice you are the moderator of this forum, do you hold any offical position with Microsoft? Can you tell us concreately what will be done about this issue?
Thank you, --Steven

No thank YOU Steven.