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Mind numbing backup performance

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jjlad

Active Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
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612
Location
Winnipeg, Canada
Lightroom Experience
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Lightroom Version
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Hi there,
I haven't updated to the absolute latest ...just the prior one and it's in use now so can't see the version. Regardless though, the backup process has been horrible for years. I can't understand how Windows 10 File History can keep everything backed up and in no time get up to date if I hit backup now in between backups, and yet Lightroom has to take near 90 minutes even if I've only added one photoshoot since the last backup. It seems it still backs up EVERYTHING going back to the dawn of time. Why can't it have some efficiency like other backup processes? It's a database that records every keystroke ...you'd think it could identify what changed since the last time and augment that with what's new. Pipe dream?
This problem has existed as long as I've used LR so nothing to pin on newer versions. Seems like its a design problem.
 
When was the last time you optimized your catalog? 90 minutes is way too long. I have ~20K images in my catalog and it only takes ~90 seconds to backup my catalog. I also run catalog optimization every time I close Lightroom.
 
That's crazy time, and definitely not normal even with super huge catalogs.

1. How big's the catalog - in number of pics and GB. (Edit menu > Catalog Settings to check).

2. What stage of the backup does it seem to get stuck on?

3. Where are you backing up to? Network? Local drive? Internal? External?
 
Hi there,
I haven't updated to the absolute latest ...just the prior one and it's in use now so can't see the version. Regardless though, the backup process has been horrible for years. I can't understand how Windows 10 File History can keep everything backed up and in no time get up to date if I hit backup now in between backups, and yet Lightroom has to take near 90 minutes even if I've only added one photoshoot since the last backup. It seems it still backs up EVERYTHING going back to the dawn of time. Why can't it have some efficiency like other backup processes? It's a database that records every keystroke ...you'd think it could identify what changed since the last time and augment that with what's new. Pipe dream?
This problem has existed as long as I've used LR so nothing to pin on newer versions. Seems like its a design problem.

The backup process itself is seldom the problem here. Lightroom simply makes a copy of the whole catalog, so that doesn't have to take much time and it seldom does. What is taking so long is the verification before the backup, and the optimalisation after the backup. That would indicate that there's a problem in this area. You could varify this by unchecking those options when Lightroom asks to make the backup, just to see how much time it takes then.
 
That's crazy time, and definitely not normal even with super huge catalogs.

Thanks Victora ...here's the detail

1. How big's the catalog - in number of pics and GB. (Edit menu > Catalog Settings to check).
  • In LR the Catalog reads 84,191 images
    • Each LR Catalog backup is approx 2.1 gb and I keep only three of those.
    • Lr reports C drive: 39,966 images which are in my pictures and a few on desktop etc.
      • File Explorer reports my Pictures as 567 GB, 128,770 Files, 49,580 Folders so not all is catalogued in LR.
    • attached F usb drive: 857 images
      • That drive also has my Windows File History on it which picks up all the photos too.
    • missing H drive (stolen in break in) 44.366 images
      • LR can't find that drive of course, but I haven't deleted it from LR since there are still previews that are better than nothing
    • my Lightroom Catalog Previews.lrdata is 23.0 GB with 82,437 Files, 48,555 Folders
    • there is also Lightroom Catalog-2 Previews.lrdata which is 44.5mb with 106 Files, 117 Folders
      • I think that was created when I was following someone's advice to put different shoots in different catalogs and I found the process way too complex and unfriendly when it came to finding something. As far as I know I copied the files in it back to the regular catalog so it could likely be deleted.
    • In the Pictures\Lightroom folder there are many other files that read like: Temporary Import Data.db, Temporary Import Data.db-journal and I don't know what those are about.
  • Overall my Lightroom folder with Plug-in sub folder and backups is 49.2 GB, 83,590 Files, 48,732 Folders
2. What stage of the backup does it seem to get stuck on?
  • It is uniformly slow all the way accross the progress bar

3. Where are you backing up to? Network? Local drive? Internal? External?
  • Local drive and that is always backed up to an external HDD (the F drive mentioned above)
 
Ok, there's no reason there for it to be slow.

How quickly does it run if you uncheck the test integrity and optimize catalog checkboxes?

And does it make a difference if you set the backups to go to another drive?

And under Help menu > System Info, which LR version are you using? If not 2015.10.1, update it.
 
Since last posting I did apply the latest update so current now. I started the backup on the exit prompt a few days ago and it took so long the computer went to sleep after its usual hour of downtime ...I've used it a couple of times since ...briefly, and the catalog is still 'optimizing'. So it should be a great optimization since it spans several days :)
As mentioned earlier I've had this problem accross many versions of LR and 4 or 5 new computers ...all new drives, etc. In all these years I was never aware it should be 'fast' at backing up. Next time I have a day off I'll call Adobe and see if a tech can figure out what the problem is. Meanwhile though ...if it ever finishes 'optimizing' I'll probably be at the next 'cycle' where it asks me to back up and I'll try it without the verification and optimization to see what that does.
Thanks.
 
You can run the Optimize command separately from the File menu. I'd run that and let that complete, and then see if backup is quicker in future.

If it's not, importing the catalog into a clean catalog would give a really good cleanup and hopefully get rid of the gmemlins, although you'd lose publish services and have to re-setup sync in the process, so I'd try to get it fully optimised first.
 
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