What is the faster option? (library/files location)

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jplx Author

Level 1

1 points

What is the faster option? (library/files location)

I have an iMac with two external FW800 drives (one is the primary location, the other is the backup).

I use a referenced library (files outside the library) that lives on the System drive on the iMac.

From your experience, what is the faster solution?

- referenced library on System drive + files on external FW drive (as is)

- referenced library on external FW drive + files on same external FW drive

- referenced library on external FW drive + files on different external FW drive

- other

Thanks,

João

Aperture 3, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Mar 21, 2012 11:24 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Frank Caggiano

Level 7

25,969 points

Mar 21, 2012 11:31 AM in response to jplx

#1

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Answer 2

Mar 21, 2012 11:47 AM in response to jplx

#1

Note that drives slow as they fill so less full is better by definition for the System drive. If you want real performance replace the Ststem hard drive with a SSD.

Remember to back up originals first, before import into Aperture.

HTH

-Allen

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

194,767 points

Mar 21, 2012 11:47 AM in response to SierraDragon

Frank's #1 is the faster option, Allen 😀

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Answer 4

Mar 21, 2012 1:21 PM in response to jplx

Hi João,

Faster doing what, and at what degree of significance?

#1 is fastest.

#3 is faster than #2.

All of them may be fast enough.

None of them are as fast as Library on SSD.

In many cases, the best performance enhancement is the least reachable: faster CPU/GPU.

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Answer 5

jplx Author

Level 1

1 points

Mar 21, 2012 3:28 PM in response to Kirby Krieger

Re: "Faster doing what, and at what degree of significance?"

Basically doing editing. Not so worried about searching and browsing.

Thanks,

João

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Answer 6

jplx Author

Level 1

1 points

Mar 21, 2012 3:28 PM in response to Frank Caggiano

Thanks. So I will keep as is.

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Answer 7

jplx Author

Level 1

1 points

Mar 21, 2012 3:33 PM in response to SierraDragon

Re: "If you want real performance replace the Ststem hard drive with a SSD."

Yeah, I hope to buy a thunderbolt SSD in the future, when prices will be much lower and I will have a machine with thunderbolt.

Re: "Remember to back up originals first, before import into Aperture."

Thanks, that's very good advice.

Best,

João

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Answer 8

jplx Author

Level 1

1 points

Mar 21, 2012 3:36 PM in response to Kirby Krieger

Re: "In many cases, the best performance enhancement is the least reachable: faster CPU/GPU."

I also noticed a huge (huge!) improvement in performance by upgrading the RAM from the original 4Gb to 8Gb.

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