Slow browsing 98SE from 2000 Pro

[bizzybody]

I have a PC running 2000 Pro SP4 with all current updates, connected through a D-Link DSS-5+ 10/100 switch to a Toshiba Tecra 8000 laptop with a 3-Com combo 56k 10/100 CardBus card.

The laptop is running 98SE, all current updates.

I can browse the PC's shared drives from the laptop just like they're connected locally, but browsing the laptop's one drive from the desktop is S L O O O O O O W W W.

It's just these two computers on the network currently. The laptop is set to NOT sleep, hibernate or otherwise do any powersaving while plugged into AC.

I have verified that the network connection is running 100 megabit, full duplex on both ends.

I'm not trying to view image thumbnails on the laptop over the network or any other crazy bandwidth hogging stuff like that. It just takes MINUTES to open folders or show their contents on the laptop.

It didn't use to be liek this, but over time it's been getting slower and slower from the PC end, no change from the laptop end.

Laptop is a PII 300Mhz with 128meg, PC is a 1.4Ghz Athlon XP with 512meg.

Any clues why the one way slowness?

Edit: I've tried all the ports on the switch, and different network cables. Same result.

Edited October 9, 2005 by bizzybody

[garnet]

i have a suggestion.. your laptop is old machine... and hdd before were slower.. you will know the clear difference after starting to use the latest machine. I would suggest to improve the performance of the laptop hdd, do diskclean up and try defragging the drive in the safemode.

[bizzybody]

The speed of it ain't the problem. This has gotten slower over time. I've had boxen of similar speed running 2000 Pro on my LAN and never had any network browsing speed issues with them.

On the laptop, it's all "stock" 98SE except for the WinMe USB Mass Storage drivers from this forum.