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[glynor]

Again, this is based on the numbers you gave for that one 3.3GB file move.

Get HDTune and run it on that network drive.  It'll TELL you what your throughput is, though be aware that it is an artificial benchmarks only covers certain types of performance scenarios.  We can see from that one file-copy test you did, that you were getting (at least on that one) around 1/2 of a MB per second of throughput.

My DVD-Rom does better than that.

[glynor]

I can stream 1080p and I think 1080i from the server without issue, so it seems to be plenty fast enough.

Your problems might be more writing-related problems then.  Or perhaps trying to read/write simultaneously.

Either way, it is bad for using the Library on the volume.  Run HDTune and find out what is actually happening.  I'd do some testing like this:

1. Install HDTune.  Run it from where your "problem machine" is now.
2. Plug in right next to the unRAID server, using your switch, on a wired connection.  Run it again.  This should tell you if the problem is likely to be related to WiFi.
3. If the performance still isn't dramatically better with #2, then plug in with a crossover cable directly into the unRAID box.  Try it again.

If #3 doesn't fix it (and your crossover cable isn't bad) then the problem is on the unRAID box.  Maybe software, maybe a bad network card, bad RAM, or a failing disk or two.  If #3 fixes it, but #2 doesn't, then you have bad cabling or a bad switch.  If #2 fixes it, but #1 is bad, then your WiFi is to blame (either reception range, your WiFi card in the computer, or your WiFi router - or maybe all three).

You can also do more generalized network throughput testing, but since you care about disk performance, and HDTune is free, that's probably the easiest place to start.

[JustinChase]

Thanks again Glynor for all your help with this, and the great information.

I suspect that my problem was that I was using the same share (J:) that the Library was on, so MC was probably trying to update while it was busy, and doing it all over wifi just bunged it up too much.

I think I've decided that I'm just going to move the Library to the HTPC, which is hardwired to the unRAID box via GB Ethernet, and deal with the extra power usage of having that machine on all the time.  I believe I can still let it sleep when not in use, so I'm probably not giving up much in doing this.  It assures me the library is being served from the fastest drive, and is connected to the media with the best speed I can get.

I'll hope that if I try to open MC on the Desktop using a direct connection to the Library (not via a client request) that it will wake the HTPC.  If not, I'll figure out how to create a 'script' that will send the wake command before trying to open MC.

I'm still recovering from having my jaw broken and reset 11 days ago, so I'm not super motivated to do much of anything currently, and I suspect it will take me a little while to get all this done and tested further.

If I still see issues with speed, I'll certainly come back and post my results of your suggestions.

HDTune is free?  I see they charge for it, so maybe there is a free option also; I didn't look that hard.  I'll look again.

Thanks again for your help.

PS, I'm still looking forward to trying out your library if/when you ever get time to finish cleaning it up for public consumption

[glynor]

There's a 30 day free trial of the pro version, but yes, there is a free version that does sequential disk read benchmarks:
http://www.hdtune.com/download.html