Network POS Software SLOWWWWW

[davepoet]

OK, So I recently upgraded one of my 3 stores retail/POS/Inventory software from a DOS based program to a Windows based program.

The conversion all went well and overall, everything seems fine. There is 1 workstation that houses the data and the other 2 user machines (Win2K) connect to it. The "server" machine is a P4 640 (HT), Win XP Pro.

For some reason, in the POS software, when you go to complete a transaction, there is a 24 second delay in posting and printing the receipt.

Now I have the identical server here in my main office. I copied their entire database over to my server and across a network with more machines, the same delay does not exist.

Ideas?

[PBase001]

Any software firewall install on any of the machines? Disable them all for testing purposes.

Is there a router sitting between any of the computers? I've seen software go into a crawl for no other reason than to be on two different networks, router NATing.

Also, make sure you understand the software, full installation with database access over the network.

Finally, call the company that provides the POS software and see if they have any suggestions. If you recently got the software, I would imagine they should fully support the product they sold you.

[davepoet]

No firewalls on any of them.

Simple peer-to-peer using manually configured TCP/IP addresses. 1 Hub, 3 PC's, 1 HP Network Laser printer (which I disconnected to test if that was it).

No firewall, no alternate software running... no "always on" internet access. However there is dial up so who knows what virus may lurk... I will have to go scan that soon.

The software company is worthless. They wrote the original DOS version and the only reason that I went to the Windows version is lack of supplies and support on the DOS version. They havent got a clue. And they will tell you "you are the only store in the country having this proble" though EVERY other store that I talk to who uses the software has skads of problems as well...

there is just no other good software written specifically for my business type that has the big manufacturer's support.

[PBase001]

So you have your office setup exactly like the store with the problem and it has no problems?

Dealt with some of these companies before, sometimes you could escalate it to the programmer and sometimes they have a fix.

I would check for the differnece between the office and the store computers. Computer type, software installs, and hardware type. I'm thinking it's the server computer only because both workstations are seeing the same problem.

Backup everything and clean install the software. Did they do a upgrade or a clean install when you move between the versions?

[davepoet]

So you have your office setup exactly like the store with the problem and it has no problems?

Dealt with some of these companies before, sometimes you could escalate it to the programmer and sometimes they have a fix.

I would check for the differnece between the office and the store computers. Computer type, software installs, and hardware type. I'm thinking it's the server computer only because both workstations are seeing the same problem.

Backup everything and clean install the software. Did they do a upgrade or a clean install when you move between the versions?

OK, heres something that I have never come across...

First, its not the hardware. For one, both servers are identical machines - clean XP Pro installs.

At the office that is having the problems, no other network activity is showing these slowdowns. In fact, the DOS based version that we upgraded from runs faster then ever with no delay whatsoever.

At the problem office, the 2 workstations are Win 2000 and the Server XP.

At the office that I stay at and tested, server is XP. When I was testing the software on an XP workstation, no delay. But when I test the software on a Win 2000 workstation, the delay IS there.

So there is something with this software that is reacting to Win 2000 workstations communicating with the Win XP server.

Solution is simple. I will upgrade those workstations to Win XP. I have a 3rd office that I have the software running for years with zero problems but all of its computers are Win XP.

Weird. Any ideas? I have tried fiddling with network protocols and settings to the umpteenth degree with no change at all. What puzzles me is that ONLY this software is affected. No other network related activity is slowed down by this.

[geoscomp]

Perhaps the delay is caused by differences in the printer drivers for the w2000 workstations, or in the spooling for the printers?

[davepoet]

Perhaps the delay is caused by differences in the printer drivers for the w2000 workstations, or in the spooling for the printers?

Good idea but not it. One machine prints directly to a receipt printer that is attached to its own parallel port. The other machines print to a network laser printer that uses its own built in print server. I thought that maybe it as well but I completely removed that printer from the network, uninstalled it from the machines and still no better.

[Richard1]

Could you perhaps try swapping out the computers themselves just to verify that the issue is consistent and not hardware related?

[davepoet]

Could you perhaps try swapping out the computers themselves just to verify that the issue is consistent and not hardware related?

Tested. Same problem. It appears that there is something about this particular program that conflicts with Win 2k / XP communicating with each other. I have confirmed this issue using multiple store locations ...

weird

[davepoet]

New Update... so I have upgraded everything to Fresh Clean installs of Win XP Pro. All updates applied. Each machine has their own printer installed.

The delay is better, but still about 19-20 seconds when printing an invoice. However, if you hit Cancel Print after you post the transaction, then it posts instantaneously within maybe 1 second.

I took a look at the network activity reports and maybe this will help.

All of these results are working on one of the fresh workstations. This is also the one that is physically closest to the server.

When we hit cancel print:

Bytes Sent: 58,858 (57.5kb)
Bytes Received: 234,649 (229kb)

When Printing an Invoice:

Bytes Sent: 6,039,416 (5.76mb)
Bytes Recevied: 4,259,449 (4.06mb)

Also, when starting the program up:

Bytes Sent: 7,548,900 (7.2mb)
Bytes Received: 5,051,819 (4.82mb)

I do find it weird that when we print, we are sending more bytes then received, but when not printing, it is the other way around.

[Gabzee]

Hi,

As you hv said it'll be better to upgrade your windows from 2k
to XP for good compatibilty and interoperability.
But i would also urge you to check if all necessary
additional windows components(other network file and primt
services etc...) hv been installed correctly.
QoS works on the checking of transmission errors, rates and
inproves on them but sometimes it needs to be disabled depending
on a particular problem so hv that too in mind.

[davepoet]

Hi,

As you hv said it'll be better to upgrade your windows from 2k
to XP for good compatibilty and interoperability.
But i would also urge you to check if all necessary
additional windows components(other network file and primt
services etc...) hv been installed correctly.
QoS works on the checking of transmission errors, rates and
inproves on them but sometimes it needs to be disabled depending
on a particular problem so hv that too in mind.

Yup, tried all of that. And again, there is no slowdown in any other program that uses the network or shared printers etc... the problem ONLY shows when printing a receipt with a transaction on the workstation computers. It simply is transfering WAY too much information to make sense.