Topic: Import Media Goes REALLY Slowly (Read 8613 times)

Ken Brookings · « **on:** April 21, 2003, 10:21:18 am »

When importing over my local area network the import media feature runs really slowly; about one average MP3 file every 45 seconds. Doesn't seem to be a network performance problem. Any thoughts anybody?
Thanks much,
Ken

DV8 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 13, 2003, 07:09:15 pm »

I have the same problem even when importing music into the library on the same computer that is running MC9. In fact I am currently importing a collection of 20,000 songs into the library and it has been running for 12 hours and I am only about 75% through.

This also seems to be a problem with recent builds. When I first started using MJ8 and then MC9 earlier betas this wasn't a problem.

Since I have over 60,000 MP3's this process is taking DAYS on my system. I recently added more memory thinking that might be the issue but no difference.

What is wrong here?

Bartabedian · « **Reply #2 on:** May 13, 2003, 08:33:15 pm »

You should post your systems.

Me, 45,000 files, across 4 drives non network, imports in about 4-5 minutes.

DV8 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 13, 2003, 10:32:18 pm »

I have 60,000 files on 4 drives (non-network) on a Pentium II 450Mhz with 512 MB of memory.
First 20,000 imported last night. (not sure how long it took)
Second 20,000 is still importing (now 15 hours and slowing down as we speak).
I had erased previous library, downloaded new version of MC9 (9.0.170) and re-booted system before starting this process.

Obviously something is drastically wrong if you can import your collection so quickly while kbrookings and I are mired in this unacceptable process.

I had previously imported all 60,000 files much quicker (guessing an hour or so) in previous versions so something has definately gone off the rails here.

KingSparta · « **Reply #4 on:** May 14, 2003, 02:15:17 am »

>> downloaded new version of MC9 (9.0.170)
That is not new 9.0.172 Is

Bartabedian · « **Reply #5 on:** May 14, 2003, 12:51:02 pm »

One thing I remember from builds ago, that I diligently stay on top of now:

If doing reorganizing of library (moving stuff around, renaming files, etc) and then importing, this will go slowly if you don't update the library first and have it remove entires that do not exist. A clean library is an efficient library.

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #6 on:** May 14, 2003, 12:58:02 pm »

Import takes over a minute for every file! Has been this way for a couple of months worth of Rev 9 versions. All other network traffic moves at a normal pace except MC Import function.

Media Center Registered 9.0.172 -- C:\Program Files\J River\Media Jukebox\

Microsoft Windows XP Workstation 5.1 Service Pack 1 (Build 2600)
Intel Pentium 4 2251 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 523 MB, Free - 151 MB

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2800.1106 / ComCtl32.dll: 5.82 (xpsp1.020828-1920) / Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2800.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)
Shell32.dll: 6.00.2800.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920) / wnaspi32.dll: Internal ASPI Layer

Ripping / Drive D: Copy mode:ModeBurstBigBuffer CD Type:IDE Read speed:Max
Drive E: Copy mode:ModeBurstBigBuffer CD Type:IDE Read speed:Max
Digital playback: Yes / Use YADB: Yes / Get cover art: Yes / Calc replay gain: Yes / Copy volume: 32767
Eject after ripping: Yes / Play sound after ripping: No

Burning / Drive E: HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8400B Addr: 1:1:0 Speed:32 MaxSpeed:40 Use MJ Engine:Yes
Test mode: No / Eject after writing: Yes / Direct decoding: Yes / Write CD-Text: Yes
Use playback settings: No / Normalization: 100 %

JimH · « **Reply #7 on:** May 14, 2003, 01:01:45 pm »

I wonder if your routing is sending it to your ISP and back.

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #8 on:** May 14, 2003, 01:40:40 pm »

Jim, how could I check on this possibility. Based on the speed of transfer I suspect its being routed to the annual Iowa Yawning festival and back.

DV8 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 14, 2003, 02:39:59 pm »

I finally finished importing the second disk drive.
It took 28 hours to import 21,400 songs.

I closed MC9 and rebooted (again) and started importing the third drive. It took 1 hour to import 19,800 songs.

Something appears to be very wrong with this variability in importing media. An hour to import 20,000 songs is not great but tolerable.

28 hours to import 20,000 song is not tolerable.

As a point of interest, the drives are identical WD 120GB drives that have both been defragmented recently.

What could be the problem here?
Why does it take 28 times longer to import from one drive than another? Is it something to do with the tags or file length or album art or what? Could it be hardware or memory related?

Any advice would be appreciated.

KingSparta · « **Reply #10 on:** May 14, 2003, 02:59:41 pm »

I once timed 131,000 mp3's and it imported in 45 mins

I have a faster computer now (3ghz) so it might be faster now.

Try importing that many files with MusicMatch you will be there for weeks.

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #11 on:** May 14, 2003, 03:05:41 pm »

Well speaking of importing for weeks - import media runs at about 1 minute 15 seconds per individual file. My puny little 15,400 files would take weeks. Help!
I have four computers on the network and the import time is the same on each.

KingSparta · « **Reply #12 on:** May 14, 2003, 03:22:09 pm »

seems a bit long.

I don't think it is MC9 However.

I have been playing with MJ\MC9 for along time on networks and not and never seen it slow like your seeing.

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #13 on:** May 14, 2003, 03:54:34 pm »

King, thanks for the thoughts. Evidently others have had this problem with 9. I didn't have this problem until a month or two ago and did a lot of importing before that at normal speeds. I've had a network expert out doing everything they can to confirm the network is operating normally. Sounds like MC to me.

GHammer · « **Reply #14 on:** May 14, 2003, 07:39:55 pm »

Quote

Jim, how could I check on this possibility. Based on the speed of transfer I suspect its being routed to the annual Iowa Yawning festival and back.

Try http://www.networkactiv.com/PIAFCTM.html

It is a freeware sniffer that works great under Windows XP. I use it fairly often to determine what is going in/out of my system.

But, to me it sounds like there is a problem with MC 9 from the other posts with the same problem and no networked drives.

FengShuiDCU · « **Reply #15 on:** May 16, 2003, 04:50:40 pm »

This is indeed a Version 9 issue.

Consider this:
- Using Version 7, I've consistently imported 20,000 mp3s in 30 minutes
- This evening, I upgraded from Version 7 to Version 9
- After an hour and a half, I stopped the import process and found that Version 9 had imported only half of my files
- I uninstalled Version 9 and tried to reinstall Version 7
- Something, somewhere is preventing the Version 7 install to run

At this point, I'm searching for a solution that will allow me to import 20,000 mp3s in 30 minutes. Either:
1. Version 9 is optimized somehow
2. I find a workaround that will allow Version 7 to install

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your help.

jaylopez · « **Reply #16 on:** May 18, 2003, 05:34:46 am »

Quote

This is indeed a Version 9 issue.

Consider this:
- Using Version 7, I've consistently imported 20,000 mp3s in 30 minutes
- This evening, I upgraded from Version 7 to Version 9
- After an hour and a half, I stopped the import process and found that Version 9 had imported only half of my files
- I uninstalled Version 9 and tried to reinstall Version 7
- Something, somewhere is preventing the Version 7 install to run

At this point, I'm searching for a solution that will allow me to import 20,000 mp3s in 30 minutes. Either:
1. Version 9 is optimized somehow
2. I find a workaround that will allow Version 7 to install

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your help.

I'm having the same problems with MC9. If I import media from the server itself (mp3 files there), it takes about 2 minutes to import 10,000 songs. If I do it over the network from another PC (not using the server's database, but rather importing over the network using a shared drive), it takes hours. Using MusicMatch Jukebox or Real One Player takes about 5 minutes over the network. MC for some reason takes a whole lot longer over the network.

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #17 on:** May 18, 2003, 05:47:36 am »

I'd sure be grateful if the MC folks could focus on this problem for us. I have a four station network in which all stations are avid MC users. My 120gigs of music are on my computer and we can't share the database because import media would literally take weeks. I already spent a couple hundred dollars having somebody troubleshoot my network for problems and the conclusion was that is an MC application things.

iamjcl · « **Reply #18 on:** May 18, 2003, 10:13:19 am »

I think I found a solution to my problem, which may be the same one being described here.

My problem is that on a network (2 win98se, 1 "server" winXP pro) file importing is very slow on the 2 win98 machines (files located on remote XP machine.) All machines running latest mj8.0 registered.

Importing on the XP machine is lightning-fast.

Network is a mixed 802.11b / 100mbps ethernet.

I am importing .wma files, to give complete information.

I had the location for "cover art" (in the files/naming and location) improperly set for an old / no-longer valid drive path. I didn't really care about cover art, but I do have it all, so putting in the proper dir / path (where all the artwork actually was) in this field instantly fixed my super slow file importing problem! This had been driving me nuts - hope it may work for others.

- Chris

Bartabedian · « **Reply #19 on:** May 18, 2003, 01:40:48 pm »

Well, I tested the network thing myself, and I got very similar results to my non-network:

100% MP3's, 45,000 files, 4 drives (1x ATA100 80G, 2x Firewire 80G each, 1x ATA66 60G) took just under 5 minutes

Local MP3 machine is P3 600E
Network machine is P4 2.5G

Don't know what to say, in my experience, different CPU's, different HD interfaces, network or not, import is a breeze.

KingSparta · « **Reply #20 on:** May 18, 2003, 01:55:12 pm »

Defrag The Hard Drive Maybe?

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #21 on:** May 18, 2003, 04:53:50 pm »

nope, not a defrag issue.
Its valuable to note that I used to have much, much, much faster (maybe an order of magnitude) import speed up until 9.something. I wish I knew which rev did it. About two months ago though.

Bartabedian · « **Reply #22 on:** May 18, 2003, 06:45:34 pm »

The only time I've seen incredibly slow reaction times in MC is during tagging, when MC rewrites the file to include it's own version of an ID3 tag.

Is this somehow happening during your imports?

I know, crazy thought, but seriously in my experience it's the only time I've seen MC grind to a crawl.

thejack · « **Reply #23 on:** May 18, 2003, 06:50:09 pm »

Note to DV8: I've solved the problem: your computer is terrible. Pentium 2? You gotta be kidding me. 512 MB of Ram won't help that pos.

Matt · « **Reply #24 on:** May 19, 2003, 10:34:11 am »

Our best guess is that MC keeps hitting a missing network path again and again.

If you have slow imports, please try copying this file to your MC directory and using it for the import:

http://ftp://ftp.jriver.com/pub/downloads/music/tmp/Media Jukebox.exe

It won't automatically search for cover art. Let us know if it's faster or not.

Thanks for helping!

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #25 on:** May 19, 2003, 12:01:59 pm »

IT WORKS!! Thanks very much. Finally I can get my kids off my back but getting their libraries working again. Loaded 15K files like lightning.

Matt, so how will this work going forward? Will be have to replace the exe file with the one that ignores the cover art search with each new rev, or what?

Matt · « **Reply #26 on:** May 19, 2003, 12:07:16 pm »

Quote

IT WORKS!! Thanks very much. Finally I can get my kids off my back but getting their libraries working again. Loaded 15K files like lightning.

Matt, so how will this work going forward? Will be have to replace the exe file with the one that ignores the cover art search with each new rev, or what?

That's good. Now we have to figure out why

Then the fix will be included with the next build. (and any build after that)

More soon...

Matt · « **Reply #27 on:** May 19, 2003, 12:20:11 pm »

Please try this build:

http://ftp://ftp.jriver.com/pub/downloads/music/tmp/Media Jukebox.exe

(make sure you see download progress so IE's cache doesn't get you)

It'll make the file C:\MC.log after importing some files.

Please send that log to matt @ jriver.com (no spaces)

Thanks!

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #28 on:** May 19, 2003, 12:34:15 pm »

Will do, but I'm going to get everybody's computers updated before I change anything.
Ken

Matt · « **Reply #29 on:** May 19, 2003, 12:43:38 pm »

These builds are for testing only. Only use them to help us find the problem.

Certain functionality is missing / not working, so you probably don't want to use it for anything other than debugging.

gkerber · « **Reply #30 on:** May 19, 2003, 04:41:50 pm »

My imports go quite fast, never noticed a difference between v8 and v9. However, the export just screams in v9 compared to v8, I like it.

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #31 on:** May 19, 2003, 06:29:46 pm »

Matt, a funny thing happened on the way to this forum . .
I used the modified build you posted on two of the three stations that my computer serves with the music database. As I reported things were just zippy and all is imported, backed up and I have smiling children again.
Then you asked me to use the second special build that would generate a log for your use. I used that build on my wife's workstation. The e x t r e m e l y slow import speed returned. I replaced that build with the first special build you posted, still slow like before, about one file every 1.5 minutes. Since then I've done all combinations of rebooting, removing, reloading etc and that workstation just won't import except at glacial speed. :-/

Matt · « **Reply #32 on:** May 20, 2003, 06:05:32 am »

So were you (or anyone else) able to get a log file to send us after a slow import? It's what we need to fix the problem for good.

Thanks!

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #33 on:** May 20, 2003, 07:09:03 am »

sorry Matt, I haven't been able to as the lastest special build you posted runs too slow to import. See note above.

Matt · « **Reply #34 on:** May 20, 2003, 08:07:21 am »

Please import just a few files that go slow (like 10) and then send the log to matt @ jriver.com (no spaces)

That way we'll be able to fix the problem.

Thanks for helping.

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #35 on:** May 20, 2003, 08:29:06 am »

will do

Matt · « **Reply #36 on:** May 21, 2003, 07:19:58 am »

<bump>

kbrookings: check you email -- we're thinking the cover art path in Options -> File Naming & Locations may point to somewhere invalid -- let us know

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #37 on:** May 21, 2003, 07:42:32 am »

It was set to go to folder that didn't exist. I created that folder so now it points to a valid location - unfortunately the import speed is still about one file per 1.5 minutes. This is on the last special build you made to create a log file.

Matt · « **Reply #38 on:** May 21, 2003, 09:35:52 am »

OK, one more build:

http://ftp://ftp.jriver.com/pub/downloads/music/tmp/Media Jukebox.exe

(make sure you see download progress so IE's cache doesn't get you)

It'll make the file C:\MC.log after importing some files. Just a few slow files is enough.

Please send the log to matt @ jriver.com (no spaces)

I think we'll have it this time. Thanks so much for helping.

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #39 on:** May 21, 2003, 09:48:42 am »

Matt, can't open that file. Get "FTP Folder Error" message.

Matt · « **Reply #40 on:** May 21, 2003, 09:49:49 am »

Try again. YaBB didn't like the space in the URL.

http://ftp://ftp.jriver.com/pub/downloads/music/tmp/Media Jukebox.exe

Ken Brookings · « **Reply #41 on:** May 21, 2003, 10:07:30 am »

will do

Matt · « **Reply #42 on:** May 21, 2003, 11:20:35 am »

Check your email. That log was from an older build.

Thanks!

Matt · « **Reply #43 on:** May 21, 2003, 01:53:45 pm »

Ken had to leave town for a week.

Can anyone else with slow network imports try this latest build and send the log to matt @ jriver.com (no spaces)

Thanks!

jaylopez · « **Reply #44 on:** May 21, 2003, 03:26:36 pm »

Quote

Ken had to leave town for a week.

Can anyone else with slow network imports try this latest build and send the log to matt @ jriver.com (no spaces)

Thanks!

Matt,
I just sent you an email with the log file.
Jay Lopez

Matt · « **Reply #45 on:** May 22, 2003, 08:19:46 am »

Thanks!

Try the build I just uploaded and let us know if it's still slow. (hopefully it won't be)

Thanks again.

http://ftp://ftp.jriver.com/pub/downloads/music/tmp/Media Jukebox.exe

DV8 · « **Reply #46 on:** May 23, 2003, 05:34:50 pm »

The latest release doesn't appear to be any better than previous ones.
I downloaded 9.0.177 last night and erased my library and reloaded the first disk.

It took 6 hours 25 minutes to load 19955 files.

Again, this is a non-network drive.
It importing is visibly slowing down from the beginning when it appears to me moving quite quickly to a snail's pace near the end.
This is way too long so something is still not right.
I rebotted the system and I will import the next disk now and report back when finished. Last time this took 28 hours for about 20000 files so you may not hear back from me for a while

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Author Topic: Import Media Goes REALLY Slowly (Read 8613 times)

gkerber