I am well into NX2, and thought I understood it , but I had never, as so often recommended,set up an external HD for Edit Cache. I connected one of my backup HDs and created a file called NX2cache on it. I then went into Preferences and browsed to the new file location-D:\NX2cache.
When I now save a nef after editing it starts saving ,the progress bar travels 90% to the right and then I get 'Progress bar not responding'. After about 10 seconds it usually completes the save, but then the whole GUI appears to freeze, with the edit list,browser & all tools blanked out !! If I then minimise the screen and re-open it it is restored OK.
What is happening ? Everything worked fine before the Cache settings change. The cached files are showing the lightning flash so must be going to the new location.
I am tempted to try RESET to go back to the default cache location, but would rather not lose all my current settings and the whole thumbnail cache, which I have not changed.
Help, please.
Chris.

Attachment #1, ( file)

Chris,

You say that you set up an external HD for Edit Cache. Access to external drives is usually quite slow relative to a built-in internal drive, particularly if the external drive is on a network. I tried to use an external drive for cache, first on a network (which was abysmal) and then on a USB 2.0 connection, which was still slow. You would need a USB 3.0, Firewire 800 (IEEE 1394b) or better (Thunderbolt) to improve access times sufficiently fast to warrant use of an external cache location. I find that a properly sized cache file on the application disk works just fine. Play with the size a little bit to fine tune if you wish; default file size is usually good.

You should not have to do a "complete" reset to return to the default cache location. Just close all of your files to retain their attributes, then reset only your cache location. Close and restart the application. Things will be a little slow (for just a short period of time) upon startup as the image file information is loaded into cache, but, subsequently, everything should return to normal. Software producers are somewhat neglectful regarding internal program memory management and file handling these days (forgotten are the times when 64MB of RAM was a large amount of memory), so expect to find that a restart of the application after loading and then closing your files will cause everything to settle nicely.

Rob Puller
My Nikonians gallery

Rob,
Thanks for that, but I am puzzled because I keep seeing advice that NX2 will work better if the cache is on an external HD includingMike Hagen in his book page 77 !
If I go back to my main (x2 raid) HD do I just create a new flder for it & then specify that folder in the preferences ?
Chris.

Rob,
Back on main HD & all working normally again. Now all existing work will be slow to open until the cache files are re-instated as I work.
Hey, ho,
Chris.

I am not an expert but following threads here I changed the cache to external HD and ended up with problems, worst of all it would not default. I had to reinstal NX2 on advice of Nikon who also advised against moving the cache from default.
On thinking about it I believe my laptop has enough rescources to make the change pointless anyway.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

(x2 raid) HD

Hi Chris. If you have a RAID setup you likely have more than spindle supplying your processor with data. HDD are usually slower than their interface electronics. My guess is that I/O to your RAID HD will be approaching the speed of two separate drives. That's a guess. Peter

Peter,
That is a bit confusing ! Are you saying that a raid setup will be slower than a single HDD ?
Chris.