Mush slower download on windows 11 compared to Arch Linux

Understanding the Discrepancy in Download Speeds Between Windows 11 and Arch Linux (CachyOS) on Dual Boot Systems

Many users operating dual-boot configurations with Windows 11 and Linux distributions like CachyOS encounter noticeable differences in download performance, particularly when downloading large files or games through platforms such as Steam. A common observation is that download speeds on Linux tend to be significantly higher—sometimes reaching hundreds of megabytes per second—compared to the often slower speeds experienced on Windows.

What Causes the Speed Disparity?

The root of this issue often lies in how each operating system manages disk I/O, network protocols, and resource prioritization:

1. Filesystem and Disk Management:
   Linux distributions like CachyOS typically use filesystems such as ext4, which are optimized for high throughput and low latency in certain scenarios. Windows, on the other hand, primarily utilizes NTFS, which, while robust and feature-rich, can sometimes introduce overhead that affects transfer and download speeds.

2. Network Stack and Protocols:
   Differences in the implementation and tuning of network drivers and protocols can influence download rates. Linux often has more flexible network tuning capabilities out-of-the-box, allowing for optimizations based on specific use cases.

3. Background Processes and System Prioritization:
   Windows may have more background services or security features that can limit bandwidth—such as Windows Defender, Windows Update, or RPC services—reducing available bandwidth for large downloads.

4. Drive and Partition Access:
   When installing on different partitions or drives, the type of storage media (SSD vs. HDD) and how each OS accesses it can impact performance.

Comparing the Specific Performance Metrics

In the scenario described:

• Linux (CachyOS): Around 750 MB/s
• Windows 11: Approximately 89 MB/s

This stark difference suggests that the Linux environment is either better optimized for high-speed downloads or is more directly leveraging hardware capabilities.

Strategies to Improve Windows 11 Download Speeds

While not all factors are easily adjustable, there are several steps you can take to enhance Windows download performance:

1. Adjust Network Settings:

2. Optimize Windows TCP/IP settings using tools like netsh. For example:

   cmd
netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal

3. Disable or limit bandwidth limits set by Windows Update or Delivery Optimization