Fetch Softworks

Slow FTP (13 posts)

• Started 20 years ago by alex1421
• Latest reply 20 years ago from Jim Matthews

• alex1421 Member

  Hello,

  Does anyone have any idea why ftp file transfers are so slow? My upload/download speeds to my public server space at swcp.com are 3.7-7.2 KB/sec. SWCP (my ISP) is stumped.

  The complete story:
  Installed Norton AntiVirus a week and a half ago. A few days ago I installed XLR8 Mach Speed Control for OSX (an L2 cache control utility). Then I added Macaroni, a utility that runs the UNIX maintenance routines that normally run in the middle of the night. Following that I developed several problems: my Mac would not shut down, even overnight, and preferences for several applications (including Mail and OmniWeb reverted to default settings). And FTP uploads and downloads to & from my server space at my ISP slowed to a crawl. Could I have mucked up something from all the shut down problems and forced restarts?

  These problems could all be a red herring since downloads from ftp.fetchsoftworks.com zip right along at 42KB/sec.

  Downloads via OmniWeb are unaffected. FTP in OS9 is unaffected: 35-42KB/sec.

  I resolved the shut down problem by turning NAV AutoProtect feature off, restarting and turning it back on. I trashed the prefs for Fetch (my FTP client) and also tried another FTP client with no luck. My ISP could not find anything wrong with my network or internet settings. But is there anything else that I could try, like an upload to ftp.fetchsoftworks.com?

  Jim Linke

  Specifications:
  Power Mac G3 B & W
  XLR8 MACh Speed G4 500 ZIF MPe
  1 GB RAM
  Mac OS 10.2.8
  Fetch 4.0.3
  384 KB SDSL

  Posted 20 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  You could try uploading to the incoming directory at ftp.fetchsoftworks.com.

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 20 years ago #

• alex1421 Member

  Originally posted by JimMatthews:

  You could try uploading to the incoming directory at ftp.fetchsoftworks.com.

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Tried this. I get upload speeds of 3,000-3,500 B/sec. I have turned NAV AutoProtect off and also zapped the PRAM. No joy. Any suggestions?

  Posted 20 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  Do I understand correctly that you get 35-42KB/sec uploading with Fetch in Mac OS 9, but only 3-7KB/sec in OS X?

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 20 years ago #

• alex1421 Member

  This is correct. I just checked it again in OS9. A post over at OSXFAQ suggests that a corrupted .GlobalPreferences.plist file might be causing the problem. Here's the link:

  http://forums.osxfaq.com/viewtopic.php?t=2243&highlight=slowp&sid=837fab56009b3b817d61cbcd6626429c

  I am reluctant to delete this file since it is invisible (probably for a good reason). I didn't quite understand his procedure for this, or find his reference at OSXhints. But it does seem likely that some preferences got corrupted during all the shut down problems (see above).

  A new wrinkle: now Mail is downloading slowly and the Junk filter is behaving oddly.

  Originally posted by JimMatthews:

  Do I understand correctly that you get 35-42KB/sec uploading with Fetch in Mac OS 9, but only 3-7KB/sec in OS X?

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 20 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  I think you are right to focus on OS X software issues, since the same hardware, connection, and server work so differently for you under Mac OS 9. One thing you could try is creating a new user account under OS X (use the Accounts pane in System Preferences) and see if you have the problem logged into that account. If you do the problem is "global" to your machine, otherwise you'll know it's specific to your regular user account.

  Thanks,

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 20 years ago #

• alex1421 Member

  Jim,

  I created a brand new user with administrator privileges. I still get the slow upload speed. So the problem must be global. Any suggestions? Can you shed any light on the idea of trashing the invisible .GlobalPreferences.plist file or recommending a safe way to do it.

  Also, I have tried resetting the NVRAM with no change in performance.

  I appreciate the time you are spending on this.

  [This message has been edited by alex1421 (edited 12-10-2003).]

  Posted 20 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  I read the OSXFAQ posting, and it referred to a user-specific .GlobalPreferences.plist file, and I don't think that's the issue here. Feel free to try (keeping a backup, of course).

  Have you tried any other FTP clients, like the command-line FTP client in Terminal? You mentioned installing Norton AntiVirus. Have you installed Norton Internet Security, Norton Personal Firewall, or any other Internet security/firewall software?

  Thanks,

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 20 years ago #

• alex1421 Member

  [QUOTE]Originally posted by JimMatthews:
  [B]I read the OSXFAQ posting, and it referred to a user-specific .GlobalPreferences.plist file, and I don't think that's the issue here. Feel free to try (keeping a backup, of course).

  There is also one in hard disk > Library > Preferences. Would it be OK to remove this?

  Have you tried any other FTP clients, like the command-line FTP client in Terminal?

  I got the same slow results with SimpleFTP.

  You mentioned installing Norton AntiVirus. Have you installed Norton Internet Security, Norton Personal Firewall, or any other Internet security/firewall software?

  No, none of the other Norton products, or other third party Internet security/firewall software. I have turned the Norton AutoProtect feature off. In System Preferences > Sharing > Firewall I have tried Firewall off and on with only Personal File Sharing allowed. I usually have the Firewall turned on. Under Network > Proxies, FTP proxy is unchecked and I have tried Use Passive FTP Mode both checked and unchecked. My ISP found nothing wrong with these settings, although they might not be totally up to speed with OSX.

  Posted 20 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  I'd be surprised if removing the GlobalPreferences file did any good, but you could try. I don't know how safe it is to do that, so be sure you can start up from a CD and replace the file if things go wrong.

  I wouldn't expect firewall and active/passive settings to make a difference; they can keep transfers from happening at all, but they wouldn't explain a slowdown.

  You could try starting up with the shift key down (that temporarily disables login items and non-essential kernel extensions) to see if that makes a difference. Upgrading to 10.3 (Panther) is another option.

  Thanks,

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 20 years ago #

• alex1421 Member

  Jim

  Thanks for all your time. Safe Boot didn't help anything. An now the left USB audio channel is dead. So next week, when my current work is finished I will upgrade to a clean install of Panther. I will let you know the results then.

  Thanks again,

  Jim Linke

  Posted 20 years ago #

• alex1421 Member

  Jim,

  I uninstalled Norton AntiVirus which cleared up the problem. I installed NAV again and the problem has NOT returned. Upload and download speeds are now normal: 42kB/sec. We'll see how long it lasts.

  The left USB audio channel problem occurred because the balance slider in the Sound Preferences had slid all the way to the right by itself. Good grief!

  Posted 20 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  I'm glad the story has a happy ending!

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 20 years ago #