Slow 3rd Party File Copying Software (Slower than windows default)

[Taparok]

Hello!

In the unsuccessful search for the solution to unreliable USB 3.0 connections (tested on multiple drives and computers), I have decided to let it go for now since I didn't want to waste anymore time. I search for an alternative I've come to the conclusion that the best way for me to avoid file corruption during copy and transfer due to connection issues is to use a file copy program with integrity verification.

I tried teracopy first and it worked quite well with ~130Mb/s copy speed. However windows default can do the same at ~160Mb/s so I tried other ones as well to see if I can get better results. Extremecopy was giving some error for the same job so I uninstalled it.
Tested teracopy again and got the same "good" results as before.

THEN somehow not much later (in the same day) teracopy was going at half the speed (i.e. it took twice as long on the same job, I was time as well not just looking at the meter). Tried out fastcopy and got similar results. Reinstalled Extremecopy and got it to work this time but I was still presented with the same slow copying as with the other two.

All the while windows explorer copier was going to at full speed as it have always done so.

I have tried many things, uninstall, reboot, reinstall, use uninstaller such as IObit to remove registries and leftover files, more reboot, virus scan, malware scan etc etc. Of course non of which fixed the problem.

Some suggestions on the matter will be much appreciated! Thanks

System Info:

Windows 7 (Laptop)
ESET Smart Security
Malwarebyte Anti-Malware (Premium)

Extra Info:

I have encounter the same slow transfer speeds with 3rd party software (specifically teracopy) before on a different machine running Windows 8.1 which of course was never resolved. I do not have access to the machine at the moment.

 

[Snipergod87]

So why not just use the native windows file copy?

 

[Taparok]

So why not just use the native windows file copy?

.... to use a file copy program with integrity verification

That would be why and this would be because I feel that I cannot trust the USB 3.0 connectivity. I have had data corruption because of this unreliability before.

I can trust USB 2.0 more (relatively speaking) but that will take forever given the amount of data I will be dealing with.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

Hmm. If USB3.0 connections really are reliable, I'll have to look into that... that's not good.

I suspect the issue would be elsewhere, though.

Hashing the file before and after transfer would be the obvious option, though it tends to be slow.

 

[Snipergod87]

Sorry I missed that part. I have never done verification with USB, only on network file transfers. I have no idea why those third party programs would be.

If you wanted to use CLI you could use either the copy command or the XCopy command with the verify switch.
http/technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb491035.aspx
http/technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490886.aspx

You could as Someone Somewhere above posted do a CRC32 or a MD5 hash of the file on the local disk and on the removable drive to verify data as well, after you use Windows file copy.

 

[Taparok]

Hmm. If USB3.0 connections really are reliable, I'll have to look into that... that's not good.

I suspect the issue would be elsewhere, though.

Hashing the file before and after transfer would be the obvious option, though it tends to be slow.

This is going a bit off topic but I suppose it will be the real fix to all this. Perhaps when I have the time I will put the effort on a detailed post on USB 3.0.

First I have to be clear that this is not the same issue as when Windows 8.1 first came out although the symptoms seem very similar.

I can replicate this very reliably one different external drives and both on windows 7 and 8.1.

- When streaming videos from the external through USB 3.0 Event ID 51 may occur follow by a disconnect and very shortly after the drive will reconnect. Note that some video file may take longer to crash the drive or even with same file crash time unlikely to be the same every time. Noted that some files do not crash the drive but may take longer that the video length so if I put it on repeat it will almost always eventually crash.

Playing the same files over USB 2.0 connection will not result an any errors. I can play them on loop 24/7 without a hitch.

- File transferring/copying over a longer time over USB 3.0 increases chances for the same disconnect as mentioned above. Because of this flakiness files can get corrupted even if the drive don't disconnect.

A link I want to leave showing that I am not the only case:
http/forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2302617

I've tried a lot of things, changing cables for one and I doubt this is the problem because I have around 4 compatible USB 3.0 cables and it would be a bit hard to believe to say that all of then are faulty.

Most of the drives are externally powered and I have tried turning off all USB power suspend options I could search for (stop it from going to sleep) but the problem persists.

An of course I have done all this with several USB 3.0 drivers version.

 

[Taparok]

Sorry I missed that part. I have never done verification with USB, only on network file transfers. I have no idea why those third party programs would be.

If you wanted to use CLI you could use either the copy command or the XCopy command with the verify switch.
http/technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb491035.aspx
http/technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490886.aspx

You could as Someone Somewhere above posted do a CRC32 or a MD5 hash of the file on the local disk and on the removable drive to verify data as well, after you use Windows file copy.

I understand that these options exists but this will be much more of a hustle than it's worth when you are dealing with thousands of files. Teracopy can CRC32 the files from source automatically after copying can recopy anything that did not pass the test on the job list. Fastcopy can similarly verify using MD5 hash. I do not know what Extremecopy uses. All these programs have drag/drop integration as well making it ideal for the job as I will likely be re organizing a lot of things as well.