Macintosh Client Has Slow Access to Windows NT 3.5x SFM Volume

• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51

SYMPTOMS

When Services for Macintosh (SFM) is installed on a Windows NT 3.5 Server, Macintosh clients periodically appear to stop responding, even if they are not directly accessing a mounted volume (the client is waiting for a response from the Windows NT server). The amount of time that a client waits for a response from the server depends on the volume layout and how many files are in each directory.

CAUSE

When a shared directory is initially accessed by a Macintosh client, SFM must read the entire contents of the directory and update the sub-section of the volume catalog. If there are many files in the directory (several thousand), the volume is exclusively locked until the catalog is updated. This causes other Macintosh clients to wait for their requests to be satisfied.

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem, upgrade to Windows NT 3.51 (if you have not already done so) and install the latest U.S. Service Pack for Windows NT version 3.51.

Microsoft has modified the Windows NT version 3.51 file, SFMSRV.SYS, to correct these problems. SFM Servers configured with large Macintosh Accessible Volumes will still have large amounts of disk activity when the server starts or when a volume is created. This may go on for several minutes depending on how large and complex directory structures are.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.5 and 3.51. This problem has been corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for Windows NT version 3.51. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

   S E R V P A C K