3 Replies Latest reply: Jan 14, 2010 6:10 PM by grhen RSS

    Lightroom Hardware

    ericgraig Community Member

      I am using version 1.3 of LR and am frankly hesitant to go to LR2 since performance is terrible.  I am running an Intel Core Duo 2.33 GHZ processor with 2 GB of RAM.  The graphics card is on board the mother board.  OS is XP Pro SR 3.  I find that the only way to get LR to work is to reboot and load it before loading anything else.  My contact management software, ACT! which starts some kind of SQL database seems to suck the most juice from LR. 

       

      I really like the product but it is entirely unresponsive to mouse clicks and doesn't even give any feedback that it is working on something.  Even alt-tab switching seems to hang it up.  I'm typing this in Chrome, alt-tab switch to LR and wait.  Part of the interface loads, then a bit more, then a bit more, etc. Once in the program it is VERY slow to respond to mouse clicks.  In the library mode for example, I click on the scroll bar to view my folders and nothing happens for a few seconds.  The scroll bar does not seems to recognize the clicks.  Or again in the folder list, I am viewing the contents of one folder and then click to open another folder but the folder doesn't highlight for several seconds and then doesn't display its contents for up to 10 seconds. 

       

      LR is the only program I have with this program, PS, which I don't use that often rockets by comparison.

       

      Any ideas.

       

      Eric

        • 1. Re: Lightroom Hardware
          MikeLeone Community Member

          ericgraig had this to say:

          >I am using version 1.3 of LR and am frankly hesitant to go to LR2 since

          > performance is terrible. I am running an Intel Core Duo 2.33 GHZ

          > processor with 2 GB of RAM. The graphics card is on board the mother

          > board. OS is XP Pro SR 3.

           

          I run LR 2.6 on a P4 with 4G of RAM, XP Pro SP3, and an onboard video.

          And I routinely have other programs running in the background.

           

          It's slow, obviously, especially when doing initial preview building

          (that's a multiple minute wait), or adjustment brushes, but beyond that,

          it's usable for me. then again, I'm not a pro. So I import; go away

          while it builds previews, then come back and start using it.

           

          You really need 4G to work effectively with LR, regardless of what the

          official specs say.

           

          I find that the only way to get LR to work

          > is to reboot and load it before loading anything else. My contact

          > management software, ACT! which starts some kind of SQL database seems

          > to suck the most juice from LR.

           

          There should be some command to stop and start ACT, probably via the

          services panel.

           

           

          Or again in the folder list, I am viewing the contents of one folder and

          then

          > click to open another folder but the folder doesn't highlight for

          > several seconds and then doesn't display its contents for up to

          > 10 seconds.

           

          My folder views change just about instantaneously.

           

          First and easiest hange is more RAM. it's cheap, and will help

          everything else. Second, search out how to turn off ACT! when you don't

          need it.

          • 2. Re: Lightroom Hardware
            ericgraig Community Member

            More RAM arriving tomorrow or Saturday.  I'll keep my fingers crossed.

             

            Eric

            • 3. Re: Lightroom Hardware
              grhen

              At your own risk:

               

              1. Clean up your msconfig/startup group.The more items checked in the list the more system resources (ram) are taken up and running in the background, whether needed or not.

              Click on START,RUN,and type "msconfig", ENTER.

              Click on STARTUP tab. Some items may be needed (anti-virus etc) but most aren't. If you are not sure do a google on the item listed ie. nwiz.exe. Websites will tell you if the process is needed or not.

              2. Act probably puts an icon in the lower right when the SQL starts. Click on the icon, and turn off the SQL. When you need to use it, turn it back on the same way.

              3. More RAM

              4. If screen draws are slow add in a mid level video card with 512MB ram on it. You don't have to buy the latest/fastest card to get decent performance. Most anything sold at the local office supply chains will work. Less than $100.