My DC++ hashing speed is too slow. What can I do to improve?

If you experience slow hashing speed (speeds shown in the Indexing Progress dialog or in the system log for every larger file hashed) it can be due to :

- Slow hardware
- Not enough free RAM memory (so operating system starts to swap)
- Parallel disk usage by another program
- Running of any software for real-time monitoring file system activity and uses plenty of resources. Examples are : security software, virus scanners, any software that real-time indexes files like desktop search software (eg. Google Desktop Search) or media indexer software (eg. ITunes, etc..)
- Missing, outdated or not properly installed storage drivers

Find more tips at : http://www.dslreports.com/faq/9677

In a nowadays computer, if everything properly set up, hashing speed should be around 50-80 MiB/s or more for average sized files. The speed can be significantly slower only if large number of small files are hashed continously.

After you add files to share in the Settings/Sharing page, DC++ may hang for some time; it hangs until it adds all the new files to the hash index database. This is normal behaviour and is mentioned in the Help file as well. However, in a properly configured system, which isn't on an ancient hardware, this freezing period shouldn't take much time even if you add several 1000's of files.

Right after the hash index database update, the actual hashing procedure will start in the background in a separate thread. The thread will run on high priority (means faster hashing) as long as the Indexing Progress dialog is open. If you close the dialog to the background, hashing will change to a moderate priority resulting slighty slower hashing speed.

From DC++ version 0.760 you are able to pause/resume the hashing operation in the Indexing Progress dialog. It is useful if hashing slows down your computer a lot due to some heavy disc activity by other programs or if you simply want to temporarily free those resources that DC++ uses for hashing.

Note that as it is written to the Sharing pane in the Settings, files will appear in your share only after they've been hashed.