Like many other people I'm experience problems with slow file copy performance and high CPU loads (80% - 100%) Here are the specs: Windows 7 Ultimate (32 bit) in a mixed network with Macs, (4) other Win 7 Ultimate systems (as mediacenters), XP Pro systems, MS HomeServer HP 470 on a Gigabit network backbone. Copying files, a single large (10GB) or multiple small files totaling 8GB, from my primary Windows 7 Ultimate system to my HomeServer takes 50+ minutes. Copying the same files from my G5 Mac takes approximately 4 minutes. Copying the same files from my two separate Win 7 mediacenters takes about 5-6 minutes. I have updated all drivers on my primary Windows 7 system and have tried the usual fixes talked about on the Net, i.e. RDC, Flow Control, forcing 1Gb NIC operation and Full Duplexing. Here's the twist, in a test with VMware, on my primary system, running Windows XP Pro SP3 I can copy the same files to my HomeServer or any other system in 4-5 minutes. So I know my hardware (NIC, hubs and routers, and cables) are operating correctly. Why would VMware on my Win 7 Ultimate system be able to copy the files so much quicker than my Win 7 environment. And why would my 2 (of my 4) of my other Win 7 systems be able to copy the same files without problems?

Did you ever get this resolved? I see things like this all the time. I did want to mention that the reason VMWare would allow you to copy faster is likely due to limited resources available to your host windows environment. VMWare starts up and grabs all of the resources it's been configured for right when it starts whether it needs them or not. For instance, drive space, memory consumption, etc. If nothing is running in your VM, you've got all those resources to handle the file copy operation, where your host windows environment is not only serving up your VM instance, but also all the other windows services that are running. You may also want to consider using a solid state drive. Most of these issues go away when you have a disk that's fast enough to keep up w/ IO requests.