70 second wait on unavailable network shares (1 Viewer)

[jeneric]

TV-Server Version: n/a
MediaPortal Version: 0.2.2.0
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo Wide 0.2.2.0
Windows Version: XP SP2
CPU Type: Intel Pentium M 1.4 Ghz
HDD: Fujitsu 30 GB
Memory: 512 MB
Motherboard:
Motherboard Chipset:
Motherboard Bios:
Video Card:
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card:
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card:
1. TV Card Type:
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote:
TV:
TV - HTPC Connection: Sub-D

I use MP as a Player (only), no TV recording. It's on a laptop and has access to a 2nd PC on the same LAN, also running XP SP2. This is via Windows Shares.

If the 'remote' LAN PC is off, I find I wait about 70 seconds to get a list of Shares in My Videos. It shows the one's that aren't really there as that PC is off.

If I watch a 'local' movie file - on the MP Laptop - then try to return back to My Videos, I wait another 70 seconds (approx) for the My Videos menu shares to show.

I have no default share selected in the My Videos folder configuration screen. The logs shows nothing happening during this 70 seconds, so I assume it's a wait time.

If I disable the laptop's Ethernet connection, then MP returns to being 'quick' to show me my Shares. As I need the laptop's connection for other purposes, I can't disable it.

Any suggestions? Thanks for a great product too.

 

[regeszter]

same issue here

i have only one workaround

my setup:

remote shareA
remote shareB
local videos <- this is the default share

If I go to My videos the local videos appear quickly. If I want to browse the remote shares I go back to top folder.

 

[Elf]

This sounds like the classic "network hunt" problem. The locations of your shares aren't available so Windows starts hunting for them on all available networks, hence the delay.

Are you using drive mappings? If so, don't! Set your share locations in MediaPortal config as UNC pathnames - i.e.:

\\remotePCName\drive\folder\folder\

This is what I do, and even with the remote PC switched off, there's barely any noticable delay.

 

[Marcusb]

I use the same method as you Elf. I get a delay of around 30-60 seconds while the PC hunts for the unavailable shares.
I'm pretty sure there is a registry setting to lower the timeout but can't remember it at the moment.
Since the shares on mine are nearly always available it doesn't worry me too much.

But yeah, it is a windows thing and I doubt MP devs could fix it from within MP.

 

[dekkers]

The problem is really windows XP. This behaviour is by default.
Here's some info about it:

http://www.uninets.net/~blaisdel/whistler14.htm