Optimizing my system
I'm running OSX 10.5.8 on Mac Pro v1.1 with 4 gig of ram (4x1gig). I have been running everything off of the 130 gb hard drive that came with the system. I was editing video with FC Pro and using stand alone raids for storage. I'm using the machine for photography now and running CO 6.3.3. My sessions average about 500 images.
I've disassembled a raid and have four 160 gb drives to work with. The system has 2 3gb duo core processors. My graphics card is the stock Nvideia Geforce 7300 GT. I want to update to 6.4 but I assume one suggestion will be putting apps on one drive and I don't know how to do that. I certainly expect to add additional ram and am open to other hardware changes. I'm not looking to take out a second mortgage though.
What would you do with this to make a faster, more stable Capture One environment. I've built and used Windows machines forever but I'm a little unsteady in the Mac world, so I might be asking "how do I do that" now and then. Thanks in advance.
I've disassembled a raid and have four 160 gb drives to work with. The system has 2 3gb duo core processors. My graphics card is the stock Nvideia Geforce 7300 GT. I want to update to 6.4 but I assume one suggestion will be putting apps on one drive and I don't know how to do that. I certainly expect to add additional ram and am open to other hardware changes. I'm not looking to take out a second mortgage though.
What would you do with this to make a faster, more stable Capture One environment. I've built and used Windows machines forever but I'm a little unsteady in the Mac world, so I might be asking "how do I do that" now and then. Thanks in advance.
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Hi
you don't tell what machine you run…
Anyway, first go :
RAM. Then more RAM + more RAM and RAM. Did I say RAM?
Then : SSD boot drive
Then imho, update to Lion.
With all that you should feel a kick somewhere ; )0 -
I recently went to ssd in my mac pro, really gives it a good speed boost, more noticeable than extra RAM.
C1 now opens within 15 seconds 😕 Every other application almost instantly.0 -
Increasing your RAM will give you stability improvements, but you'd have to at least double it. A SSD drive will give you a boost in speed, quite noticably in the startup of programs, but as well in the performance of certain programs. Not so sure C1 is one of those, but programs with a catalog or scratch disk on the SSD will hugely benefit.
To increase the raw performance of your system, investigate whether a CPU upgrade is possible. Especially for the multi-threaded applications more CPU cores means more performance. I believe C1 is one of them.
I am not familiar with the Nvidia Gforce 7300, but there may be an increase in performance there as well for C1, using the GPU cores for display rendering of images. This is still a rather cosmetic speed improvement, but (if i understand correctly) GPU rendering will be employed more and more in the coming versions.
I'm not so well versed in the OSX department, but upgrading to Lion may further increase stability and speed, because it may better employ the resources it has to work with.0 -
Thanks people. More Ram -- check. Lion -- check. SSD -- probably not now. How about the three extra drives I've installed. Are there benefits to putting the system on one drive, apps on another, images on another? As I've said, I'm a little slow on the Mac side of things. How do I direct a program to install on a particular disk? I can't just drag my application folder to the new drive can I? 0 -
You could employ those 3 disks in a RAID configuration to increase read and write speed, stripe would be good.
Read up on Mac tuning on: http://macperformanceguide.com/0 -
Keep the programs folder in the default location on OS X (this in contrast to Windows). However, you can redirect your home folder to another drive. 0 -
Thanks again folks. Very helpful. So here's what I'm thinking for starts. Ram -- 4 meg to 8 meg. Currently running 4x1mb. How do you suggest I upgrade. System and apps on one drive. Home on the second and time machine on the third. Do I I just drag home to its new drive?
The fact that only one person recommended Lion, and then without enthusiasm, makes me want to hold off on that.
Thanks for the link to the performance/upgrade site. Exactly what I was hoping to find.0 -
[quote="Dave A" wrote:
...
The fact that only one person recommended Lion, and then without enthusiasm, makes me want to hold off on that.
I think I read multiple Lion recommendations but anyway, like to add mine to it. For the record, you need Snow Leopard to be able to start the Lion upgrade.
To motivate my recommendation, Leopard is end-of-life (EOL) since the introduction of Lion. This will shortly happen to Snow Leopard when Lion's successor (Mountain Lion) will be introduced this summer. Application development currently already focusses on Lion so you better keep up with that.
Another concern is that newer operating systems are more robust and resistant against attacks from outside. Not visible to the user but surely relevant in my book.0 -
[quote="Dave A" wrote:
...
Home on the second and time machine on the third. Do I I just drag home to its new drive?
No, you have to copy your home folder to the new location and tell OS X that it is the new home drive before you delete the old one. I have to look into it (planned that already for a long time) but as it seems the procedure is OS X version dependent, I suggest you upgrade to Lion first.0 -
Under Lion (definitively the best choice):
You must be logged under another Admin account (or better under "root" user)
Then: Users and Group pref panel :
control click on the user (the one you want to change of location)
click on "advanced options"
browse to choose the place/drive of your directory.
Save and reboot
I would perform a repair permission after that… (disk utility)0 -
Thanks Nicolas for filling that in. Had read similar instructions but could not find the Advanced options button. Your info filled in the gap. Great forum we have here. 😉 0 -
[quote="Paul_E" wrote:
Thanks Nicolas for filling that in. Had read similar instructions but could not find the Advanced options button. Your info filled in the gap. Great forum we have here. 😉
Seconded! I have my work cut out for me. Thanks again.0 -
Tanks Paul and Dave
That's why I like good pro fora, that's where I learn a lot…
So I'm always glad when I can return a little 😄0 -
Hi,
just switched to Lion and started with 4 GBytes RAM.
Upgrade to 8GB gave a real boost.
A stripe set would increase read/write speed also significanly but having only raid level 0 is dangerous.
Consider having two disks raid level 0 and two for the mirror, that is raid level 1 (assuming your machine has 4 slots for disks).
If you stripe three disks and one gets broken, all your data is gone.
Don't buy a raid controller that is too cheap, this may lead to great problems if it gets damaged and the raid needs to be restored. Perhaps you have a local guru 😊
Regards,
Peter0 -
...i forgot this:
years ago when standard ( SCSI) disks had 1-2 GBytes and 4.5-9 Bytes was high end, one standard setup for Unix/Linux machines was to have /home, the user data on another volume than the OS to boost performance. This is still a good idea. A nice setup for a high performance workstation (that Apple sells) is to have the OS on an SSD and your data on a raid. Unfortunately real expensive.0 -
I've noticed that Capture really benefits from having the files on a drive that have permissions disabled. Also 8gb is very usable if you only have Capture open. I've recently bought a HighPoint RocketCache that uses ssd's as cache for spinning harddrives. So in theory you get Ssd speed with Harddrive capacity. I haven't had a chance to fully test it but speedtest is give good speeds so far. 0 -
Hey Rick- I'm looking at the specs for that HighPoint RocketCache now, I don't see any OSX drivers listed. Does it work oob? 0 -
This is the one I got http://www.hptmac.com/product.php?_index=85 Unfortunately I'm on location for the next month and cant do any real testing I got a 4tb Hitachi drive and 2x 60gb intel 520 ssd so am looking forward to the next batch of studio work.
There's also an external version now http://www.hptmac.com/product.php?_index=860 -
hi dave,
a little suggestion from my point of view after all the other precious ones: install "libera memory" to benefit from his ram refresh. ther's also a command from terminale but for me is too complicate
best
paolo0 -
Ok, so I went to the Apple Store to read about Lion. I read the readers' comments too. I've never seen such a *$h1t* storm of malice and disdain 🤓 . What am I missing?
On the topic of memory -- should I abandon my original 4 mb sticks for 8 mb of new and improved ram or just supplement the 4 sticks with 4 more. I appreciate the activity in this thread. It's helping me a lot.0 -
Dave, I'd say it depends on a few factors. What processor do you have in your MacPro 1,1? Having at least 2gb/core definitely helps with the Intel architecture. Is money an issue? It'll be cheaper to buy four sticks of 8gb to run alongside your four 4gb sticks, but if you have the money it would be best to get eight sticks of 8gb. Also, what do you mean by "new and improved"? IIRC, there is one type of memory for your board, and the only way it'll be new and improved is in price.
On the topic of Lion, I haven't had any problems with it. Though, truth be told, I've never put it under the gun on a big job.0 -
I don't doubt that 64 gb v 8 gb of ram would have a profound impact on opreations, but I'm curious about what that impact is. As I said in my original post, my sessions usually run between 50 and 400 images. Sometimes higher. 0 -
Look this is a MacPro 1.1. I have a 2.1 (3ghz Octo,Fx4500) that sits in the corner turned off because my MB Pro 2.3quad 16gb dual ssd processes files between 30 and 70% faster. Even my quad 2.9 2009 MacPro hardly gets used much these days.
I dont use Lion and wont until its more stable or new hardware comes out that only supports it and I really need the new hardware.
Your MP1.1 is 32bit only so installing more than 16gb ram is pointless. I personally have never seen my used ram figure rise above 7gb when using CaptureOne on its own. Sure if I have a 800mb+ file open in Shop while I'm tethered it will start to max out but thats almost never "right".0
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