Microsoft KB Archive/226520

= NTFS Formatted Removable Media Write Operations Extremely Slow =

Article ID: 226520

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Enterprise Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q226520



SYMPTOMS
When you write data to removable media that has been formatted with the NTFS file system, it may take up to five times longer to complete the operation than using the same media that has been formatted with the FAT file system.



CAUSE
This behavior occurs because NTFS performs write and commit transactions into the log area of the volume throughout the write operation. Removable media typically takes longer to seek the read/write heads. The penalty for logging is higher with removable media because the log area is in a fixed position on the disk.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT version 4.0 Service Pack 5.

Keywords: kbbug kbfix kbinterop kbqfe kbwinnt400sp5fix KB226520

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.