Transfer rates to usb stick very slow

[rocks911]

I am using a W7 64 bit PC and transferring files onto a USB stick. I am transferring from an internal Barracuda 7200 RPM HDD to a 32 Mb USB stick and the process absolutely locks up my PC. Every other thing I'm doing on the PC slows to the point of not responding. I have the USB plugged into a multi USB 3 port that I added to my desktop. The transfer rate is about 5 MB/sec. 2 different USB drives of the same size gives me the same results.

Why so slow?

 

[RetiredChief]

Try updating the USB3 driver. Check MB manual (or card manual) for USB3 chipset, then google the driver.

 

[rocks911]

That seemed to help, the transfer rate is twice what it was, but the progress bar shoots to the right, almost complete, indicating an incredible rate and then sticks at almost complete for a nearly two minutes while my internet browsing quits responding and everything else freezes. The most recent file I moved was a 2Gb file and although it seemed lightning fast, after the progress bar froze it seemed to take about as long as it ever did.

 

[bavman]

Mine used to do that too! It took me forever to figure out why it kept doing that. I had to find very specific drivers for my USB controller. Even then it would happen occasionally, but I think it also has something to do with the actual drive. I noticed some drives will cause this issue while others work perfectly fine. To by honest I still can't nail down the issue exactly but it rarely if ever happens anymore

 

[RetiredChief]

There is considerable differences in some of the USB thumbdrives.
Anymore I only buy USB3 thumbdrives. I try to pick the ones with the faster transfer speeds - If it does not list, then it's a slow one and I do NOT buy.

For low cost 16 gig: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820313094

Faster/Larger: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820313215

NOTE: Reason I no longer buy the USB2 is twofold - A) USB3 are faster when used on USB2 than USB2 drives and B) Can take advantage of USB3 when used on other computers or when computer is upgraded, Or if a USB 3 card is purchased

 

[rocks911]

Best answer selected by rocks911.

 

[rocks911]

Thanks Chief.
I was Air Force @Kirtland AFB in Fire Dept in early 80's, got out after one hitch.
Thanks for your service, and thanks for your help.

 

[RetiredChief]

Spent 22 yrs, Retired 1983. Enjoyed my tour.
Take care and Enjoy

 

[RetiredChief]

^ I think Scandisk has the fastest USB3, but much more expensive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171649

 

[trismos]

Ran across this in another forum, and because you guys seem to honestly try to help, rather than reply with stupid comments "now why would you want to do that?", "or give totally non sequitur replies... I edited out the part where he insults other "helpers" for giving irrelevant "help"


ArcAiN6 replied on August 1, 2011

As for the 5 - 6mb/s transfer rate being " normal " it's not, that's slow for USB 2.0 or better. the actual cause of the problem is vinsta and win 7's approach to making USB devices safer to remove (in case of error during transfer i'm sure)

here's the way to get around that HUGE bottle-neck:

In Device Manager, right-click the USB drive in Disk drives folder, then select Properties, switch to Policies tab, and choose Optimize for performance. Click OK to keep it.

NOTE: If you use this method, make SURE you use the sub removal tool that pops up in your system tray when you first plugged in the device (system tray is the little area near your clock on the task bar)


After performing this fix for myself, my transfer rate on a cheapo cruizer micro went from 4.5 - 5mb/s to 20 - 30mb/s on small files, and average of 10 - 15mb/s on huge file transfers

This is because this method utelizes windows write-behind system of file management.

 

[Joness]

I used to have a reasonably fast transfer rate (upwards of 30Mb/sec) then I had to call the service engineer for a hardware issue related to the DVD drive. Thereafter my transfer rates just dropped to under 2Mb/sec) No software updates were done by him. Totally foxed on how to solve this.