Vista - Network Adapter Hangs When Transferring/Streaming from Network

I've had my current rig for a couple years now, but recently did a clean install of Vista Home Premium x64. I was previously runnin x86 with no major networking problems. I use my Xbox 360 as a media center extender but because most of my video files are divx/xvid I use TVersity as a transcoder. Since intalling x64 my network adapter would freeze and disconnect while streaming a video to my Xbox. Thinking it was a problem with TVersity I decided to use my original Xbox to play the files. Unfortunately when FTPing to my Xbox I had the same problem- the network adapter would hang and only recover after a hard reboot. It also caused my primary processor core to max out at 100% but there was no process or service shown to still be utilizing the processor. I have tried both IE7 and SmartFTP to rule out a software issue and have used both a network connection w/ router and a direct crossover cable to rule out the router as a problm. I use BitDefender but have also tried it with my firewall turned off. Have updated all the relevant drivers and messed around with the NIC speed & duplex settings with no avail. Specs are as follows, please help!

-KW

Vista Home Premium x64
Itel Quad Core 2.4ghz
4gig ram
EVGA nVidia 680i SLI 775
Dual onboard nVidia Network Adapters

Hi ConFUZEd wulf,

What type/model of network adapter are you using with Vista64?

dmex,

Thanks for the reply. I can't find the exact specs on the NIC from the eVGA site. It's the onboard controller on my eVGA 680i SLI board. All it shows in device manager is NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller. I have read about compatibility issues resulting from certain nVidia drivers for this card, however nothing I read was exactly like the problems I am having so their solutions and workarounds just didn't work for me. The only workaround I was unable to try was to uninstall the nVidia driver and instead install a generic Microsoft networking driver. I was hesitant to try this because Vista said that there wasn't a Microsoft driver compatible with my NIC.

I'd also like to add that I have no problems connecting/downloading from the internet. The problem only occurs when transferring or streaming over my network.

Thanks for the help.
-KW

Is the system OC'd in any way at all? If so, try disabling the OC and see if it works - if it does, then make sure that you check voltages *specifically* for your OC - my network hung a couple of times until I increased the voltages (sorry, not 100% which one fixed it as I did 3 at the same time, but my guess would be the MCP <-> SPP voltage).

If not OC'd, have you installed the latest nVidia drivers for the NICs?

johngalt,

Appreciate the response, but no, nothing on my system is OC'd other than my 2 GPUs and they came that way from the factory. (BFG nVidia GeForce 7600GT-OC) I used nTune in 32 bit Vista to OC so these components have been OCed before, but not recently and never under 64 bit Vista.

-KW

My network hangs for a few seconds before transferring files at full speed. It could be related to logging into that share connection.

This is not a matter or it hanging for a moment to two. My NIC hangs flat out until a hard reboot. I would not be so upset about a simple hangup of a "few seconds". There is not shared connection. A single connection on a network connection hangs. Period. Doesn't matter if it's anonymous or the root connection, any network connection hangs the adapter.

-KW

Hey Confuzed Wulf,

Can you using the built-in Windows driver for the device and not the updated driver from Windows Update?

dmex,

I've tried uninstalling the nVidia driver to replace it with a generic Windows driver but there is no compatible generic driver in the list it provides when I go to install. If I let it auto detect the hardware and install a new driver it installs the nVidia driver not a generic one.

I do agree with you though that the problem is with the driver, I just havn't yet found another driver or workaround for the nVidia one.

-KW

Are you using Nvidia firewall or network management? Try disabling them. I have seen issues with preformance with them.