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theredwood
theredwood
Participating Frequently
March 3, 2021
Answered

Cache shared with Windows, or work files?

  • March 3, 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 424 views

Hi all,

 

I'm setting up Ae on a new PC with three drives:

 

  • C/ (500gb M.2) - Windows + Ae install
  • D/ (1tb M.2) - Work files
  • E/ (1tb SSD) - Storage

 

My question is, where should I put my cache for optimum speed? The standard advice is to have the Ae cache on a separate fast SSD, but I don't have any more M.2 slots to add another. So, would it be reasonable for the cache to be shared with the Windows drive, or the work files? Or better to put it on the (slightly slower) SSD? Or some other configuration?

 

Any help much appreciated,

 

Andy (:

 

[Z490-e motherboard with a 10900k and 64gb RAM, if that helps.]

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Mylenium

No need to overthink this. The only point to consider in such a scenario is how much file I/O Windows itself already causes and how that may wear out your SSD's memory cells. Adding on top of that may not be ideal, though today's SSDs have pretty long life. It wouldn't be the end of the world, but if you have the disk space, place the AE cache on one of the secondary drives.

 

Mylenium

3 replies

Roland Kahlenberg
Roland Kahlenberg
Legend
March 3, 2021

Cached files are essentially a SINGLE LAYER of footage and they are almost always placed in a contiguous manner on the drive. Hence, you don't use your fastest drive for cache - even an external USB 3 Gen1 IO should suffice for HD1080 Comps. And you can use your Bootup/Programs Drive for your cache. I have a 6 year old SSD that still runs as expected and has been used for programs and AE cache.

Lastly, use your fastest drive to store Active Media. Ensure you backup media and project files frequently - many times a day. HTH

Very Advanced After Effects Training | Adaptive & Responsive Toolkits | Intelligent Design Assets (IDAs) | MoGraph Design System DEV
theredwood
theredwoodAuthor
Participating Frequently
March 3, 2021

Thanks, this is useful to know!

    Mylenium
    Mylenium
    Legend
    March 3, 2021

    Of course one can't be sure about potential technical issues like two M.2s on the same PCI lane exhausting the bandwidth, but for the most part it should not be an issue. Even the "mundane" SSD should have enough speed  for what AE usually does. It's not like AE would be able to calculate frames that terribly fast, anyway.

     

    Mylenium

    theredwood
    theredwoodAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    March 3, 2021

    Good to know, thanks again!

     

    A (:

    Mylenium
    MyleniumCorrect answer
    Legend
    March 3, 2021

    No need to overthink this. The only point to consider in such a scenario is how much file I/O Windows itself already causes and how that may wear out your SSD's memory cells. Adding on top of that may not be ideal, though today's SSDs have pretty long life. It wouldn't be the end of the world, but if you have the disk space, place the AE cache on one of the secondary drives.

     

    Mylenium

      theredwood
      theredwoodAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      March 3, 2021

      Thanks!

       

      Just to check (yes, tendency to overthink almost everything) - it should be ok on the SSD, rather than an M.2? Just want to make sure I'm not bottlenecking it with a foolish decision early on.

       

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