IMATCH Startup Time

[Josebr]

It takes 1 minute and 45 seconds for my IMATCH to start up and be ready for use. I have timed it a few times. Over a minute and a half is spent at the point where IMATCH is "initializing user interface". Is this a normal amount of time for IMATCH to startup? I have about 150,000 photos. Thanks!

[sinus]

Well, that depends of course of the computer. Old, new, laptop, processor and so on.

I would say, roughly, it takes about 30 seconds to open IMatch completely.
But I have to measure this, maybe it is shorter, yes, I guess, shorter.

Your time seems to be for me quite long.

But it is a good queston of you. I like comparisons. It gives you simply a good feeling, if you know, that "you are swimming in the middle of the general stream."
If you would know, that your mentioned time is roughly just, what others have also, that would be fine for you, I guess.

But if you know, that you are far away from the others, then you can start to think, what could be the reason.

Hence I like comparions, even if they makes not alway sense. 

[Mario]

Well, it would help if you could attach the log file from a start. The log file reports what takes how long.

Also give us a minimum of information, like is the database on a local SSD or a remote server or NAS?
If you use a virus checker other than Windows Defender: Have you configured an exception for the folder (!) containing the database and maybe IMatch too? In 95% of all "IMatch is slow" reports, the virus checker is the culprit these days...

150,000 files not not much. I have a 180,000 files test database which opens cold (aka: first time) in 11 seconds (stored on a SSD in my computer).

[Josebr]

Mario,
Attached is my log file. It is not the debugged one. But it does seem full of data. Let me know if this is not the right log file. I do have Acronis, but it's used just to create backups of my computer. I don't have the ongoing continual scan mode as it probably would slow my computer down. I  use Windows Defender and it shows Photools as being able to communicate with the firewall. Thanks!

[Mario]

What kind of drive is K: ? SSD? Normal hard disk in PC? External disk? Remove storage?

The log file reports that the database loads in 12 seconds, which seems quite fast.

[Josebr]

Hi Mario.
K is my new SSD Drive which is attached to a hard drive dock. I hope to receive the cables to move K from the external hard drive dock to inside my computer and make it an internal drive, later today. The database may load in a few seconds, but the 'initializing user interface' is what takes over a minute and a half. If this is normal then I am ok, but if it is not normal let me know. As always, thank you for getting back to me.

[Mario]

Your log file stopped when IMatch finished loading the database. You need to let IMatch finish whatever it is doing so we can see what else takes time.

After loading the database, IMatch does not do much anymore. It may need to recalculate data-driven categories and collections. If and how many depends on how many data-driven categories you have, how you have setup your workspace (which panels are showing, let us know) and other factors etc. IMatch at this time also checks if the folders in the database are accessible, which is usually very fast but may be real slow if you manage files on remote servers or NAS drives. Are your files on such slow drives?

Do this:

Switch IMatch to debug logging via Help menu > Support for a more detailed log file.
Load your database and wait until it has finished loading.
Close IMatch. ZIP the log file.

Start IMatch again and wait until it has finished loading.
Copy and ZIP the log file.
Attach both logs.

This gives us a "color" and a "hot" (database cached by the file system) view.

[Josebr]

Mario,
I switch the logging to the debug mode and have attached it here in this reply. I don't know what you mean by waiting for IMATCH to complete what its doing. IMATCH won't allow me to do anything until it does it's thing. No menu items will open, nor are folders clickable until IMATCH is done. As far as I know, IMATCH is completed it's startup when photos show up in the middle of the screen and I can click on things. Is this what you mean?

By the way, having IMATCH in the debugging mode opened IMATCH is 5 seconds as oppose to the 1 minute 44 seconds. Does this mean anything in terms of diagnosing this problem?

[Mario]

There should be no difference. Using a debug log may even cause some slight slow-down, because IMatch writes a lot more data into the log file.

The log starts on 09:51:22 and ends on 09:51:54 so the entire thing took only 32 seconds. Not 90 seconds...not 5 seconds?

The database is loaded in 6.6 seconds, and the UI is initialized in 20 seconds, including the database load, at 09:51:42.
In the remaining 12 seconds IMatch performs various background operations, but nothing that interferes with the UI.

Try to create a log file from a session where you have to wait 1.5 minutes before you can use the user interface. This would be the log that shows what IMatch is doing for 70 seconds and what blocks the UI.

[Josebr]

Mario,
I tried to do as you asked. I put IMATCH in debugging mode. But in that mode, IMATCH does not take 1 minute and 44 seconds to startup. It takes about 35 seconds to startup. So the log will not show what is causing a 1 minutes 44 second delay as it started up in just 35 seconds. Interesting.

[Mario]

Always test hot and cold (loading the database for the first time after a Windows reboot and then a second time).
This will show how much the File System cache in Windows impacts this. Usually, the second time you open the database it will come from the file system cache (aka memory). This is a measurable effect when the DB is stored on a SSD and a massive effect when the database is stored on a spinning disk.

[Josebr]

Thanks Mario,
Will keep an eye on it. I try not to reboot Windows but once every week or two. Next time I do I will check out how IMATCH Reacts and then re-test. Thanks!

[Carlo Didier]

Thanks Mario,
Will keep an eye on it. I try not to reboot Windows but once every week or two. Next time I do I will check out how IMATCH Reacts and then re-test. Thanks!

Maybe you should reboot or shutdown your PC more often. It's not a server that needs to run all the time, right? Mine is up and running only maybe 2-3 hours a day when I actually use it.

[sinus]

Thanks Mario,
Will keep an eye on it. I try not to reboot Windows but once every week or two. Next time I do I will check out how IMATCH Reacts and then re-test. Thanks!

Maybe you should reboot or shutdown your PC more often. It's not a server that needs to run all the time, right? Mine is up and running only maybe 2-3 hours a day when I actually use it.

I would stress this. I do shut down my PC every day, if I have work outside, I shut down the PC. I had once a fire in my PC, because dust on the floor. But this is not the only reason, it makes simply more sense for me.

[Mario]

I had once a fire in my PC, because dust on the floor.

It's amazing how much dust older PCs could collect over time. Yuck.

When I pick the cases for my PC's, I always go for the ones with good filtering and easy monthly cleaning with a vacuum cleaner 
And twice a year I give all components a good cleaning with compressed air (to get the dust out of the cooling fins).

[sinus]

I had once a fire in my PC, because dust on the floor.

It's amazing how much dust older PCs could collect over time. Yuck.

When I pick the cases for my PC's, I always go for the ones with good filtering and easy monthly cleaning with a vacuum cleaner 
And twice a year I give all components a good cleaning with compressed air (to get the dust out of the cooling fins).

Yep, it is like it is.
I have lerned from my accident. First I do not put computers on a carpet.
And I do take more care, generally, on dust. I clear also from time to time the fans and so on.

My main-computer is not on the desktop and I can look through (glass), that is very relaxing for me.

[Josebr]

Mario,
It put IMATCH on Debug Logging and when I opened IMATCH after having re-booted my computer,  it took 2 Minutes to finish initializing the user interface. Attached is my log file. Would be interested to see what is causing IMATCH to 'initializing user interface" for 2 minutes. Thanks!

[Mario]

Simple. Your database is performing abysmal slow.

IMatch reports things like that it took 20 seconds (!) to recalculate collections. On a database with only 150,000 files.
Or updating data-driven categories takes over 20 seconds.
Sometimes calculating collections takes a full minute. That is really, really bad.
I don't see such slow operations even on databases with a million (!) files.

1. Is K: your fastest disk? An internal SSD is much preferred, not some relatively slow external drive.
2. Make sure your virus checker is not stalling IMatch or scanning the database after each access (see IMPORTANT: Virus Checkers)

I have assumed all this in my initial replies above already.

[Josebr]

UPDATE!:
I took a chance and cloned my computer's hard drive to my SSD drive and it worked! The SSD now boots IMATCH 2021 in jus 14 seconds as oppose to 104 seconds. Thank you all for your input.

[Mario]

This was to be expected.
Modern m.2 format SSDs with 4 or more lanes easily read/write between 2 and 6 Gigabyte per second. A regular hard disk maybe 100 to 200 MB...