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[tedh]

I am running JRiver MediaCenter 29 for Windows on a recent vintage Dell XPS Notebook computer with Windows 11.

The Media Center 29 program and all of my music are currently installed on an external 5200 rpm mechanical drive (E:). As a result although the computer is a performant MediaCenter runs slow.

To improve the performance of MediaCenter I would like to move the MediaCenter program to an internal D: (SSD) drive, but leave my music on the existing external mechanical drive (E:). I want the MediaCenter program on D: (SSD) to point to my music on E: (external mechanical drive)

If it matters, I intend to upgrade shortly to Media Center 30 and have already purchased the license.

I am interested to know the best way to accomplish the above and also are there any pitfalls in my thinking.

Thanks

[JimH]

If your drive is USB, then make sure it's plugged into a USB 3.0 port.

Putting MC on the SSD probably won't make much difference, but putting the database library on the SSD might. It's possible there are other reasons it's slow.

[tedh]

Interesting.

The external USB drive is already connected to a USB 3.1 Gen1 port.

It is not really feasible to to move my music to the SSD because the SSD drive is only 1 TB and is currently 2/3 full.

[dtc]

The MC library is the database where the links to the media files, tags, program setup (like views) etc. are stored. It is separate from the music files. You can leave your music files on your mechanical drive and move the library to the SSD. Depending on what you are doing that you think is slow, putting the library on the SSD may improve your performance.

You can create a backup of your current library, create a new library on your SSD, switch to the new library and restore the original library to the new one.  You do not need to move your media files.  Just be absolutely sure you have at least one backup of your original library. 

You could also do a new Custom install of MC30, which will allow you to specify where the library resides.  That should bring the MC29 library to your new MC30 library and leave your media files in place.

I have not done this in a while, so someone may want to confirm the process.

[JimH]

Is the USB port on a hub?

Is the drive separately powered?

Are you using any calculated fields that might slow down display?

[tedh]

The mechanical drives are connected to a Dell Dock. It is a Dell WD19TB.
The mechanical drives are separately powered. They have power adapters which are plugged into a UPS.

I don't have any calculated fields that might slow down the display.

The common operations that I find to be slow are getting the Tag screen to display and then editing the Tag info. When I try to do data entry for Tag info and move from field to field I find that I frequently have to wait maybe 5 seconds. I find this less than responsive.

The idea of doing a custom install of MC30 and specifying that the library should reside on the SSD sounds promising. What assurance do I have that the old library in MC29 will be migrated to the new library in MC30? If the library does not get ported from MC29 to MC30 is there any assurance that MC29 will still be fully operational? At the end of the process and after it has been verified that MC30 is fully operational with the new library can I then just do a Windows uninstall on MC29? Is there any documentation available on the steps to implement this process?

Thanks for all of the feedback.

[JimH]

Could you devise a test without the Dell Docking Station?

I just did a Google search for Dell Docking Station Slow and it turned up some problems.

MC just shouldn't be that slow.

[JimH]

I found this:  https://www.dell.com/community/XPS/Discuss-before-Purchase-USB-C-TB-Dock-D3100-WD15-D6000-TB16/td-p/6241143

Do you have a display also on the dock?

[lepa]

If you haven't installed MC as portable, I think that your library already is in the SSD under Windows AppData and only MC application itself is in the external drive. Have you check taming the Defender thead? Virus Scanner may be the slowing factor here
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,114101.0.html

If you want to move MC application to SSD:

If you can wait for MC30 to be released I would do:
1. Backup your library with File->Library->Back Up Library
2. Install MC30 to SSD
 - Installation should find MC29 library and settings. If not just restore it from your backup (file->library->restore library)
3. After you have reviewed that MC30 works as intended uninstall MC29

OR
you can:
1. Backup your library with File->Library->Back Up Library
2. Uninstall MC29. Can't remember what options you have there but don't delete any user settings and such when MC asks for it
2. Re-Install MC29 to SSD
 - Installation should find MC29 library and settings. If not just restore it from your backup (file->library->restore library)

Good luck

[tedh]

Hi Jim,

I do have two external displays connected to the WD19TB. I looked at the notes you provided, but they refer to earlier model Dell docks not to the WD19TB. Over the weekend I'll try to attach my external  Media Center drive directly to a Thunderbolt port on the notebook and see if that makes a difference.

Thanks

[tedh]

Hi Lepa,

Thanks for the install instructions. I think that I will pursue this once MC30 is available.