Copying/moving files on a NAS drive

[#1]

Morning chaps,
I have to admit this one has me stumped, and google searches have so far proved fruitless, therefore I am hoping someone out there can provide me with the knowledge I am seeking, or at least confirm what I am trying to do can't be done!
I have a lovely NAS drive (for Christmas  :D) which plugs into my router via one of the LAN ports. It's been going great, and I have managed to archive all my old files from my laptop to the drive quite easily. However, I encountered an issues last night where I was trying to move about 2GBs worth of data. If I move the data within the same share its moved instantly. For example:
Move from: \\<network name>\media\audio to \\<network name>\media\audio\music
However, if I try and move the files from one share to another, for example:
Move from: \\<network name>\media\audio to \\<network name>\backup\files
the files seem to get transferred to the new location via my OS. ie dragging the data off the NAS drive, via my wireless connection and then back to the NAS drive in the new location. Granted I can connect via 100Mbps LAN and this will speed things up, but surely there must be a more efficient way of acheving this?
I have alos tried via FTP (which is built into the NAS drive) but again when I create a copy of the data or try and move the data it again starts involving my OS and therefore my (relativly) slow wireless connection.
Anyone come accross this before, or offer any suggestions?
I guess ultimatly I can fall back on my 100Mbps LAN connection, but SWMBO doesn't like wires, you know how it is! And for all other applications connecting to the NAS drive performs well via my wireless.
TIA
James

[#2]

You don't say what OS you have on your PC but if you are using a file browser to move the files, (like IE in Windows, or Nautilus or Konqueror in Linux), then the move operation will occur via your PC in both cases. I suspect the reason the first move operation you described is faster is because moving within a share probably just requires a rename of the files, while moving between shares probably involves a copy of the data.

[#3]

Here's a potential solution (assuming my previous post was correct) ...
You could try making all your share folders subordinates of a single top level folder, then you can have a mapping to the top level for admin type activities like moving large files around. But also keep individual mappings to the media and backup folders for convenience.
It would also be worth investigating if your NAS has any built-in tools that would allow you to move or copy files in-situ.

[#4]

If you are moving the files just to get things set up, then I would suggest the cable. And go back to wireless once you are not shifting so much data.

[#5]

Quote from: alanb

You don't say what OS you have on your PC but if you are using a file browser to move the files, (like IE in Windows, or Nautilus or Konqueror in Linux), then the move operation will occur via your PC in both cases. I suspect the reason the first move operation you described is faster is because moving within a share probably just requires a rename of the files, while moving between shares probably involves a copy of the data.

Quote from: alanb

Here's a potential solution (assuming my previous post was correct) ... You could try making all your share folders subordinates of a single top level folder, then you can have a mapping to the top level for admin type activities like moving large files around. But also keep individual mappings to the media and backup folders for convenience. It would also be worth investigating if your NAS has any built-in tools that would allow you to move or copy files in-situ.

Alan, yes you are correct I am using XP. I will (as soon as I free up enough space on my laptop) be adding a dual boot to ubuntu or something similar as it is long past due!
I had considered rearranging the folder structure on the drive, I think for my usgae it will turn out to be the best solution. I have check the admin pages (web interface) for managing the drive, and although fairly comprehensive they do not contain any file management style tools.
Will have a play this afternoon and see if I can restructure my current data.
Thanks for your input
James

[#6]

Quote from: jamessealey

...However, I encountered an issues last night where I was trying to move about 2GBs worth of data. If I move the data within the same share its moved instantly. For example: Move from: \\<network name>\media\audio to \\<network name>\media\audio\music However, if I try and move the files from one share to another, for example: Move from: \\<network name>\media\audio to \\<network name>\backup\files the files seem to get transferred to the new location via my OS. ie dragging the data off the NAS drive, via my wireless connection and then back to the NAS drive in the new location.

In the first case your NAS simply creates an extra directory and amends a pointer in the directory structure, so that all your files now point to the new location.
In the second case you are addressing the NAS via a share, so all I/O takes place via the share.
I notice you have FTP - have you tried TELNET to see if that reveals more information?
I may have a similar product to yourself:- it has a builtin ethernet/USB connection, and a
Windows (SMB) server, a NFS server and a big disk.
It is inherently slow (about 1MByte/sec over wireless) and the fastest way to use it is for backup purposes.
For Linux mine allowed me to put a more effecient ext2 filesystem on it and use the NFS server and also share this with a Windows PC.
I use rsync in Linux which just transmits the changes to files (or portions of files) - I think there is a Windows equivalent,
but I don't know what it is.

[#7]

Well managed to get this sorted earlier on today, basically just did as Alan suggested, and created a share (which I have called root) which points to the root of the drive, and shows all data on the drive. Performing a move or copy action like I was attempting to do earlier on today takes 1-2 seconds via this share! Awesome!
Will basically just use this share when performing 'admin' tasks etc, and use the more specific shares such as music etc for normal use!
My final though would be to strip the drive out of the unit and hook it up to my laptop using a USB interface I have, but that's not so convenient!
@axisofevil - the drive I have is a Snap Appliance Server with a 250GB drive. SWMBO got hold of it through a friend who had removed a couple of them from his network at work. They are discontinued at the mo, and I know 250GB isn't massive in this day and age but it will certainly do me for a good couple of years. I have been getting really good transfer speeds, the drive plugs into my router via cat5 and then i am connected (mostly) via my wireless lan. Have had no issues transferring files one way or another, it was just today when a 'move' task obviously required the data to come down to my laptop and then backup to the drive seriously slowed!
James

[#8]

I have a different product - (not quite sure what it is) 
It's basically a 750GB drive attached to a circuit board.
I have a similar network setup - but file transfer over wireless is just so slow.
I had really big problems doing the initial transfer over wireless - pictures + music was in excess of 18GBytes
[Main PC only] 
I only send the changes across now (except for the Windows PC - which I backup every couple of months as a full user data copy).