I am running ArcGIS 10 on a new Windows 7 machine. Generally, my performance is quite good, especially as compared to my old Windows XP machine, but I am having a real problem with 3-D Analyst and Spatial Analyst.
I have a DTM comprising 3-ft cells for all of NYC. I am looking at a small part of it that I created as a separate file. I can classify it, use the Raster Calculator on it, Identify it, etc. fairly easily, but when I try to use the shortest path tool, the contour tool, or the interpolate a line (to make a cross section) tool, either in 3-D analyst or off the Catalog Toolbox, it runs FOREVER! When I do the same operations on a TIN that I created from a selection of points in the raster, it is is done immediately. Is this just a function of the small cell size???