Why does copying a large file sometimes slow down or fail?

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Try copying the files in SAFE (F5 boot) mode. This would be an easier test to see if the problem is with the operating system, hardware or competing software. Also test while temporarily disabling your anti virus software in Windows if the file copy in SAFE mode works OK.

Every contributor is right. But if you want to make a one minute tentative install Teracopy (http://www.codesector.com/teracopy.php). Once installed, it works unobtrusively as a better copy function than Windows's copy. And it's free for home use. Good luck.

hello every one.....

i give one solution try it.... and i am sure u will success... regarding this problem

first copy data what ever....then pest in to another drive ..

as data in d: drive then copy to e: or f: drive then after cut that data and pest in pen drive / another hdd

u get maximum speed

i hope u are happy.

by the way have a good day.

enjoy

I noticed slowdown while copying to and from usb flash memory (or so) MANY + SMALL files! (e g you copy a whole site 3 G with many small files, gifs, js etc). It relates both to a new comp (Quad Intel, SATA HDD) and old (Pen 4, IDE HDD).

My experiment in Win Xp SR1 was with TotalCommander (ver. 7 + up, go to http://www.ghisler.com/): they allow several possibilities in options : a/ small files + changes for buffer size; b/ big files c/ usb
Outcome: regime a/ really much-much better if one copies manyyyy small files (I changed buffer size: "on the same disk" -- 256, "on diff disks" -- 128 [NB: I have plenty of RAM, 4 G]
In case of big files (like CD/DVD or so) -- just switch to b/ and determine the size of the buffer (I tried 10240 and resp. 64 -- now it is really better).
I also experimented with turning off Antiviruses (helps -- if the source was clean).
Speed is a bit higher in Linux.

I too had the same problem, but only when I copied files from a CD. The process named "system" in my task manager would go to 99%. However, after formatting the C: drive everything is ok.

OK..first off lemme say that this is a suggestion that all techs, even myself, immediately wish to dismiss out of their own pride of workmanship. So, with that said, let us all put that aside for this situation as it may help this poor user in a copying jam out.

My suggestion is very simple. From my own experience I have found that this can be caused by a misaligned or bent pin that is not making contact within the data cable connection. Sounds like it would cause total failure but, it doesn't always. I had a 160GB Seagate Barracuda IDE 7200RPM drive that would copy files VERY slow at times. Other times it would do ok but never at the speed it should've been. I also had other strange errors happen with DVD burners never wanting to work solidly. When trying to add another new HDD to the mix, I became extremely frustrated that none of the configurations were working no matter what drive got slaved or which one got set as master etc. Thinking it was my motherboard becoming a POC, I yanked out all the drives and when doing so realized that one little IDE/PATA pin on the Seagates interface was pressed completely flat. And I mean perfectly flat as though it happened at Seagate because if it had happened during install it would not have been so perfectly flat. I immediately set up an RMA return ticket and Seagate was happy to replace it. However, I being the always curious tech, got out a pair of my tech hemostats and gently pried the pin back into an upright position keeping it from breaking off. Plugged it back in gently and WHAM BANG! it's been working with great xfer speeds ever since. Something that simple and easy to over look can cause this problem and many others as aforementioned. I canceled the RMA with Seagate and have been happily using the drive to this day with flawless performance. Seagates have never let me down, ever, and though this one probably left Seagate in it's condition, it's not letting me down now so, it's a keeper as they say. Thanks and I hope that helps you and/or others who may be having the same strange unexplainable trouble(s). -SamusLife

The only times I've had problems like this is after installing a new USB 2 PCI adapter. Sometimes the adapters are just bad but most of the time just changing the PCI slot corrects the problem.
I've found that USB 2.0 PCI adapters can be very sensitive about which PCI slot they're in as well as what PCI cards (sound, video, wireless, etc) are next to them.
Good luck.

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