Major Compile (Build) Slowdown - Need Ideas

[scott...@gmail.com]

I have a large application (1 million lines+) that previously compiled
in just under 2 minutes. After adding a few new units (.pas and .dfm
files), a build slows to a crawl from lines 600K to 900K, then zips
through the last 100K and the linking. The new time is double (> 4
minutes) and getting 10+ seconds longer every time I add a new unit.

That was a few months ago. The build is now taking 30 minutes. Does
ANYONE have any new ideas how to diagnose this? I've tried everything
I can imagine. (See below). I'd be very willing to pay to have this
fixed.

Notes:
1. Delphi 2006, with Update2. (All files are definitely R/W anyway).
Win2K3 O/S. 8 GB RAM.
2. Lots of search paths, but reworked it using -rNewReg menu with
almost no file paths and got similar results.
3. All search paths are local and valid.
4. Ran ICARUS "uses analyzer". Removed unnecessary items.
5. Reworking USES order does shift the delay around and can result in
some improvement (or degredation), but nothing makes it a lot better.
6. Reverted to old code on latest machine (with all the latest
components) : resulted in fast compile.
7. Restored the backup of the server: Fast with older code, Very Slow
with new code.

Any ideas out there? This is killing productivity.

TIA,
SeriousMan

[scott...@gmail.com]

Still have the problem. Just a few follow up notes after another few
hours of reading posts:

1. Code is kept very clean. It produces no warnings or errors on
compile/build. Disabled all warnings and hints. Build time is no
better.
2. Compile times remain very fast. Only the build takes > 1 hour.
3. Drive is defragmented.
4. Moved all component DCUs to one folder and got rid of most of the
search path. Improvement not significant.

Thanks again for any pointers.
SeriousS

[scott...@gmail.com]

Some more facts that make it seem like an internal Delphi size
problem ... perhaps someone can refute or provide clues where to look.

* I ran FileMon and studied file activity. Each of the stalls (5-12
seconds) occurred after reading the implementation uses from file.
There was 5-12 seconds of NO FILE ACTIVITY then it proceeded to open
the next unit in its uses list.
* Rerunning the build stalled (no file access activity) at the exact
same places.

Since there were no file queries, reads during the stalls, I think
this excludes the likelihood of an external problem. Still, I would
appreciate it if anyone could theorize a work-around?

SeriousS