Problems downloading large files

geoffhocking · Post by **geoffhocking** » Fri Feb 14, 2003 7:35 am

I do all my downloading at work with upto 400-500 kb/sec.
I have now noticed it takes a long time for the download dialog box to appear for large files (it takes less time to downlaod say a 6Mb file than it does waiting for the dialog box). When it gets to filesize of approx above 10Mb my computer times out before the dialog box apperars, making it impossible to download these large files. This never used to happen in the past, is there any reason why wry it is happening now.
I am not apble to change timeout peroid as we have no access the system changes.

astatham · Post by **astatham** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 9:28 am

And i thought it was just me. Have you made any progress Geoff ?

I also am having problems downloading large files at work, so i just thought i would "bump" this message to the top of the list again to see if anybody has any ideas

Andy

BobLatimer · Post by **BobLatimer** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 8:56 pm

I'm having the same problem. I don't think mine have actually timed out but it does take a long time to come up with the download window. It seems the time it takes is directly proportional to the size of the file.

Post by **NeutronIC** » Fri Apr 25, 2003 12:16 pm

Hmm, just had a quick test myself - selected a 17 meg file and timed how long before it started to download - 3 seconds. Tried again on a 12 meg file and it was 3 seconds also, finally a 50 meg file, 3 seconds.

A thought...

Can you measure the exact number of seconds that it takes before you start to see a file come in and then post in this thread with the size of the file and how many seconds? I wonder if some proxy servers are downloading the entire file themselves before they start issuing it to the end user? i.e. if a 10 meg file would normally take 10 minutes to download, and it doesn't open the download box for 10 minutes before it starts to download - that would indicate that as a problem?

Don't worry about solutions or what it means yet - let's see if i'm on the right track first, there might be things I can do in the headers of the response to 'encourage' a more helpful treatment from the proxy server.

Matt.

BobLatimer · Post by **BobLatimer** » Fri Apr 25, 2003 8:21 pm

Hi Matt. Thanks for the reply.

I'll do some timing at work on Monday. We're enjoying a long weeked at the moment - Anzac Day (equivalent to your Remembrance Day).

From memory the timing is nowhere near as long as 10 min for a 10 meg file. I think a 7 or 8 meg file took something like 2 minutes from clicking the download arrow to getting the next window. I'll get some more accurate readings and report back.

Regards,

Bob,

Post by **NeutronIC** » Fri Apr 25, 2003 8:54 pm

Ok, if you can do a few timings, i.e. a 10 meg file, a 20 meg file, 5 meg file - a selection of different sizes. If it turns out to be predictable (i.e. roughly the same number of minutes per megabyte delay) then that proves the proxy is acting a bit bizarre - if it isn't, well, it doesn't conclusively prove it isn't (could be network load) but leaves us with more questions than it solves really. Also, is it consistently the same amount of delay per file size? i.e. is a 10 meg file always roughly the same x minute(s) delay before it starts, and a 20 meg file always roughly the same y minute(s) delay etc.

I'm working on an FTP server for the library which might solve some of these problems, will keep you posted.

Matt.

BobLatimer · Post by **BobLatimer** » Sun Apr 27, 2003 10:16 pm

Matt,

Tried a few files from home yesterday - smallish files ok - large files all timed out.

Tried from work today - everything works fine, even the large GNER files.

Regards,

Bob.

astatham · Post by **astatham** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 10:17 am

Confused of Cannock

Come on Matt. What have you changed. Everything now working fine. Even large downloads start straight away and all the files i was having problems with last week are now downloading.

Andy, now happily downloading ! :drinking:

Post by **NeutronIC** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 10:39 am

Ok i'm going to pessimistically place a small bet that they will stop downloading again just as randomly at some point

Seriously, Steve has put a couple of belt-and-braces in to see if it helps but the nature of the problem is that the database seemingly randomly bombs out on the web server (or vice versa) and then you get your lost connection error.

After a reboot, long connections work, but after a while they stop working.

I hate PHP with a passion, the new FTP server is done using .NET and my new data interface - so that's the first major chunk booted off of the PHP and Java system we currently have, and then I can get to work on the web server since the data interface seems to be doing a wonderful job of making the FTP server easy

Matt.

astatham · Post by **astatham** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 4:12 pm

Thanks for the answer Matt. Still working at the moment, as i just downloaded the 7 Fife route files with no problems whatsover.

One thing i did notice though. I download my files using Getright. The strange thing is that the bigger files (> 12 mb ???) are marked as resume no whereas the smaller files are marked as resume yes.

Don't know if that means anything but thought you might want??? to know !!!!

Roll on the FTP server

Thanks again
Andy