Why am I seeing longer and longer delays while my company computer is "Contacting the server for information"? company computer and network

The delays you are experiencing while your company computer is "Contacting the server for information" can be attributed to several factors, primarily related to network performance rather than the free hard drive space on your computer. Here are some potential causes:

1. Network Bandwidth and Latency: Bandwidth is the rate of data transfer, while latency is the time it takes for data to travel from the server to your device. If your network has low bandwidth or high latency, it can lead to delays in accessing server-based services like SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams.
2. Network Congestion: Network performance can fluctuate based on the time of day or specific events that increase internet usage. For example, if many users are accessing the network simultaneously, it can lead to congestion and longer response times.
3. Proxy Authentication: If your network uses a proxy server, delays can occur during the authentication process each time a new connection is made to Microsoft 365 services. This can result in slow load times when switching between applications or accessing resources.
4. Device Performance: While the free space on your hard drive is less likely to be the direct cause of network delays, overall device performance (such as CPU and RAM usage) can impact how quickly your computer processes requests and displays information from the network.

To troubleshoot these issues, consider checking your network speed, monitoring bandwidth usage, and consulting with your IT department regarding proxy settings and network performance.

References:

• Best practices for using Office 365 on a slow network
• Performance troubleshooting plan for Microsoft 365

Dear @Mike Walker,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum!

Based on your description, I understand that you are seeing “Contacting the server for information” delays and what might be causing them:

It appears when Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) are trying to fetch data from a remote location such as a file repository, email server, or cloud storage. The dialog stays open until the connection completes. If delays are getting worse, it usually points to network or system performance issues, not just disk space.

There are several scenarios where this message or a similar message is displayed. So, you can use this Why am I getting the message "Contacting the server for information"? article to consult methods in each case.

Additionally, low hard drive space may rarely trigger this message unless the system is critically low and paging fails. The delays are almost from network or service related. Therefore, you should check your Internet Connection, trying others to see if it can improve the performance.

I also found this article during my research that may be related to your case, you can take a look:

https://helpdeskgeek.com/how-to-fix-microsoft-office-365-slow-performance-issue/

Please note: Our support is limited to providing guidance based on official Microsoft documentation. Third-party resources and references are for informational and advisory purposes only. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy, reliability, or availability of third-party content. We recommend that you exercise caution when referring to these materials.

I hope this information can give your more insights in this issue. Wish you a pleasant day!

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