virtualbox.org

Im sorry if I asking dumb guestions here, still learning linux and Virtualbox (great program),

I did some test with different network settings, and tested samba share vs the virtualbox share.

I tested how long it would take to compile a flash file and copy/paste a 1 gig file between shares.
(because I mainly will use virtualbox for flash cs4 and need to do a lot of copy pasting big media files)

I have 2 questions I hope some can awnser for me,
Can I speed up the samba transfer speed? (its probably going trough my 100mbit network)
and why would a samba share have less delay while compiling flash opposed to virtualbox share (which is quite high in some networks settings)

very helpful if anybody could answer 1 or both questions or point me in the right direction.

see test / results below:


---- Setup:
Host: ubuntu 9.0.4 64bit
guest: windows xp sp3
virtualbox 3.0
controller: sata 01
network adapter: PCnet-fast 3
ram: host 4 gig, 2 gig located to the guest
cpu: intel duo core 2.66 ghz (1 proccessor used in guest)
-In virtualbox I shared my nts partitions with net use x: \\vboxsvr\<sharename> and mapped them to a drive letter in the guest
-In ubuntu I shared my ntfs partitions with samba folder sharing /mnt/sda, which I can access trough my windows guest workgroup


---- Test compiling a flash file:
on the local .vdi ........ less then a second

NAT:
on a Samba share ....... 1 seconds
on a Virtualbox share ... 5 seconds

Bridge:
on a Samba share ....... 4 seconds
on a Virtualbox share .. 18 seconds

Host only:
on a Samba share ....... 4 seconds
on a Virtualbox share .. 18 seconds


---- Test copy paste a 1 gig file
on the local .vdi ........ 40 seconds

NAT:
on a Samba share ...... 18 Mintues!
on a Virtualbox share .. 40 seconds

Bridge:
on a Samba share ....... 5 Minutes
on a Virtualbox share .. 36 seconds

Host only:
on a Samba share ....... 5 Minutes
on a Virtualbox share .. 34 seconds


---- Some results I concluded:
- The local vdi has no delay and fast transfer

- the Samba share has the least delay with compiling (specially in NAT), but has the slow transfer speeds (specially in NAT)

- Brigde and Host only has faster copy paste transfers, but negligible if I use the virtualbox share

(I did these tests several times, with both reboots of host and guest if I changed my network settings)
(In my current situation I prefer NAT, and will be copy/pasting trough the virtualbox shares and open my Flash files trough samba)

This might speed up your virtualbox share

thanks for the reply,

but I forgot to mention that I already had that tweak in place,
it didnt do much in my case, so I forgot about it,

the strange thing about it all is that my folder access in explorer is quite fast.
but compiling a flash file gives me a delay (should only take half a second)

edit:
tested Quake3 instead:

from my local .vdi of the guest
fps is about 90 but its freezes and lags and is totally unplayable

on ntfs partition accessed with virtualbox share:
fps is about 60, is playable but every 10 seconds a freeze of half a second

on ntfs partition accessed with samba share:
fps is about 90, no more freezes of half a second, but lots of small freezes

ok the difference in samba and virtualbox I can understand, but I expected it would run best on the local vdi of the guest.