Slow Performance on NTFS with Long Filenames

 Last reviewed: September 21, 1994
Article ID: Q120363
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1

SYMPTOMS

Using similar long filenames on NTFS volumes may cause some I/O operations to slow dramatically. For example, if a directory on an NTFS volume has 10,000 files, each 32 characters long, with the first eight characters identical, file operations such as the DIR command can slow to a crawl.

CAUSE

This is a result of the algorithm used to generate 8.3 filenames (8- character names with 3-character suffixes). There is no specific number of similar files that downgrades performance. It varies.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT and Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.10. We are researching this problem and will post new information in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional reference words: prodnt 3.10
KBCategory: kbother kbbug3.10
KBSubCategory: ntfilesys

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Last reviewed: September 21, 1994
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