SMB Deskpack Lag with 10.6 OS

FlexoArt

Member
I recently switched to an iMac client running 10.6.6 OS and have been getting frequent lag/hangs (from 10 to 15 seconds) when navigating through the StepX (PowerLayout) windows or loading stepping xml files within Illustrator using SMB. It also happens when browsing files located on a WIN 2003 Server with Suite 7 - browsing works fine through Backstage Pilot. When it hags when navigating through folders, I'll get the spinning ball and a blank window for 10 to 15 seconds, the the files/folders will load. Does anyone else have this problem. I switched my settings with the Server Connection Assistant to connect to the server using AFP and the problem with the frequent lag is gone, but now I often get a window when I save a document in Illustrator that reads: "This file has been modified outside Illustrator. Do you want to continue?" It gets annoying always having to click on OK or hit return every time I save.

Any ideas what's going on? Esko support didn't have a solution for the SMB lag, but after searching the internet, it doesn't seem to be that uncommon with 10.6 and windows servers. I didn't have any of these problems with 10.5.x on a G5.

Thanks!
 
Connection

Connection

I assume you are working on Illustrator files that reside on the server and not on your desktop. Snow Leopard seems to be quite a bit different as fa as connectivity for some reason. The message about a file being modified outside of Illustrator I have seen a few times. First see if this happens on another machine configured the same way on the network. Also your file should reside in an Esko job folder and be sure you save the file with PDF compatibility tuned on. If that doesn't improve things, update your server and workstations with HotFix100 to be sure you have the latest fixes installed.
 
You can try editing the Hosts file of your Mac, then connect smb. Attached is the procedure.
 

Attachments

  • Edit Mac Host File.pdf
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I figured it out with the help of Apple's support forum. I created a file in my etc/ directory with the name "nsmb.conf". The text of the document is:

[default]
minauth=none
streams=no
soft=yes
notify_off=yes
domain=WORKGROUP
port445=no_netbios
[EGSERVER01]
addr=192.168.0.100

I don't know exactly what it does, but the lag is gone. I had already edited my "hosts" file when I set up DeskPack, but it didn't make a difference with the lag.

Thanks for the suggestions.
 
So am I right in that it looks like it is a DNS look up issue using the SMB protocol under Mac 10.6. We have seen a slow down with connections to our win 2008 file server which we now have to use SMB.

Also had same issue with the x-serve if we connected using SMB not AFP.


I thought editing the Host file was supposed to sort this out but what does that other file do?
 

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