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Author Topic: Windows networking help  (Read 4071 times)
Barry Scott

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« on: Monday, March 3, 2014, 16:27:32 »

Background/Setup:
I'm helping a friend who has 4 computers on a cabled network, all Windows XP. One of the computers, by far the most powerful, holds all the files and then the others access the office documents across the network.

They're all connected to a gigabit switch, but only one, the computer with all the files, has a gigabit card. Wireless access to the files is annoyingly slow on Windows XP machine and 2 Windows 7 laptops. The main issue, is not the word and excel docs, but the not large (2-3mb I think) MS Access files and the time on wireless they take to open, edit and work on.

Questions:
If I run another machine (this will be XP again) on the network with the sole purpose of just hosting/serving the files, will it improve the speed across all the devices?

Can I host the files on a linux box or a nas drive and will that help?

I know Windows XP doesn't really react to an SSD, but will it show across a networked device if I install it in the main computer? What about using it as a slave to hold all the files instead of running them off the main computer's only drive?

I have gigabit cards, will installing them help?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

 
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jonny72

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« Reply #1 on: Monday, March 3, 2014, 22:11:04 »

Haven't used Access in a while, but I'd guess the slow speed is down to the way it accesses the files - keeping them open for read / writes rather than copy the entire file and saving it locally in a temp file (Excel/Word). Probably.

First thing to do is get rid of the XP computers. I wouldn't waste any time and money trying to get them to run better.

Then get a stand alone file server, plenty of cheap external NAS drives that will do the trick.

I'm guessing it's an old version of Office as well, get that upgraded as well - or move to Office 365.
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Barry Scott

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« Reply #2 on: Monday, March 3, 2014, 22:47:32 »

Getting rid of XP is probably not an option, it'll just be too drawn out (with me trying to help and migrate all that shit) unless they're prepared to pay a professional, but thanks. Saying that, the computers aren't slow or buggy, it's only really Access that runs like shit, mainly across wireless.

And yes, it is an old version of Office, they're running a mixture of Office 2000 and 2003, which is probably contributing to the problems. I'll look into Office 365 as well, I'd not even considered it. Thanks.
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jonny72

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« Reply #3 on: Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 00:13:22 »

XP has only got a few weeks left before support ends and it's fucking ancient now, so they need to get off it sooner rather than later - even if it means paying someone to do it. Not really an option to stick with it. I think Office 2003 support is ending soonish as well.

Have you tried running a compact and repair on the Access databases? Details here;
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/access-help/compact-and-repair-an-access-file-HP005187449.aspx

Though the best thing you could do is to tell them to splash the cash and update everything, or at least the software.
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Barry Scott

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« Reply #4 on: Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 12:04:43 »

Cheers Jonny, seems that upgrading everything is the way to go. My only issue now is the expense of moving Access into Sharepoint and having to recreate a front end. I think I'll try the NAS first, as office 365 looks quite pricey and no doubt fantastically complicated to migrate Access to Sharepoint.

I might look into migrating to MySQL, as it'll certainly be cheaper, just not sure which is the least painful.
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jonny72

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« Reply #5 on: Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 12:37:24 »

I haven't touched MySQL for a few years but the big problem back then was the front end. There wasn't any decent free or suitable front ends that matched Access - I used to manage all my MySQL databases through Access as a result.

Same applied to the Open Office database app - the front end was basic and feature poor compared to Access.

Things might have improved but I'd guess your standard user will still struggle with anything other than Access.

I've not looked too closely at SharePoint support for Access, but it didn't look much more complicated than uploading the Access database and it automatically providing the same table/query views. Then you'd have the option of using the SharePoint functionality on top. SharePoint can be a very powerful tool if you spend the time on it.

Office 365 isn't cheap for the higher end business versions (£100 per user per year), but you do get the desktop Office and mobile apps with it, hosted email and Skydrive 25Gb.
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Simon Pieman
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« Reply #6 on: Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 13:42:28 »

Sounds like Jayo's thing. Maybe PM him if he doesn't reply in here.
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Barry Scott

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« Reply #7 on: Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 14:22:18 »

I haven't touched MySQL for a few years but the big problem back then was the front end. There wasn't any decent free or suitable front ends that matched Access - I used to manage all my MySQL databases through Access as a result.

Same applied to the Open Office database app - the front end was basic and feature poor compared to Access.

Things might have improved but I'd guess your standard user will still struggle with anything other than Access.

I've not looked too closely at SharePoint support for Access, but it didn't look much more complicated than uploading the Access database and it automatically providing the same table/query views. Then you'd have the option of using the SharePoint functionality on top. SharePoint can be a very powerful tool if you spend the time on it.

Office 365 isn't cheap for the higher end business versions (£100 per user per year), but you do get the desktop Office and mobile apps with it, hosted email and Skydrive 25Gb.

If it maintains everything as it is in Access, it'll be a winner, so I'll have a proper butcher's later.

I've no idea what sharepoint is to be honest, it just seemed to me (on my brief attempt at finding more info) to be a way of allowing proper multiuser access to an Access DB. The biggest problem with the front end is it's a bespoke system built on Access which includes a CRM and can print runs of invoices, bank statements and various other stuff.

Front end for MySQL doesn't scare me too much as the database should hopefully be sorted off the bat and that's always the bit I hate the most. The trouble is I've never done PHP to word/pdf and other crap like that, so again might require a professional.

Sounds like Jayo's thing. Maybe PM him if he doesn't reply in here.

Might well do, thanks.
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jayohaitchenn
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« Reply #8 on: Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 15:21:55 »

Don't fucking PM me, I'm too expensive for you. I also wouldn't advise using Sharepoint to host an access database, it'll likely run even slower as they aren't technically compatible unless you're going to go SharePoint 2010 which isn't compatible with older versions of Windows/Office.

Basically you need to upgrade all the hardware and software. 1gb networking is essential. Windows 7 for the OS and at least Office 2007. I'd use a NAS to host the DB backend/other data and some sort of web application for the front end which I guess you are pretty well versed on anyway.

Examples of issues here:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/sharepoint/en-US/0c8fa213-06b9-4122-9966-3cdaef63a113/using-sharepoint-with-office-2000?forum=sharepointgenerallegacy
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Barry Scott

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« Reply #9 on: Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 15:30:44 »

Cheers Jayo, that's clarified a lot. Seems they're happy enough to replace all the desktops, and they've got a NAS, so I'll go that route and see how it pans out.
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jayohaitchenn
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« Reply #10 on: Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 16:57:36 »

No worries.
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Simon Pieman
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« Reply #11 on: Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 18:37:46 »

You work in the public sector. Us taxpayers own you
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jayohaitchenn
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« Reply #12 on: Wednesday, March 5, 2014, 09:44:50 »

*pay me.
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