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MikeHarrison
Inspiring
June 20, 2020
Question

Best locations for temp cache files

  • June 20, 2020
  • 1 reply
  • 2416 views

Steve, I typically record to one external drive and, later, back-up files to a second external.

 

Thus far, I've had my temp cache locations set just the opposite: the primary temp cache on the second external drive and the secondary temp cache location on the first external drive.  I do have a tendency to overthink things, thus, my idea was have the primary cache located in a place other than where the audio is being written.

 

For maximum efficiency and reliability, where would you recommend the temp cache files be located?

 

Thanks.

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1 reply

SteveG_AudioMasters_
Community Expert
SteveG_AudioMasters_Community Expert
Community Expert
June 20, 2020

Depends whether it's a laptop or a desktop. If it's on a desktop machine, the ideal location for temp files is on an internal drive of their own. On the DAW here there is one SSD which is sacrificial, effectively, and just reserved for temp files - for whatever software requires them. If it's on a laptop and you can't do this, then make sure it's got a reasonable size drive in it, and create a separate partition for them. It's always better to have them as internals rather than as externals, unless you can be absolutely sure that there are going to be no USB interruptions.

 

The reason that the SSD is regarded as sacrificial is that with all SSDs, their life is limited to the number of write cycles they will stand, and temp files can use up a lot of those. Keeping the drive separate means that if it crashes, then it's easy to replace without losing any other data.

M
MikeHarrisonAuthor
Inspiring
June 20, 2020

This is a desktop computer (and no SSD). So, are you suggesting I use the desktop computer's HD for BOTH the primary and secondary temp file caches?

SuiteSpot
SuiteSpot
Inspiring
June 20, 2020

There's nothing to stop you. In fact, I don't have a location set for secondary temp files at all - haven't done for years. It's only the primary location that's important.

 

If you have a desktop computer, the chances are that you haven't used all the SATA slots available. Four is quite a normal number for most MOBOs, and if you've used one for the C: drive and one for a CD/DVD drive, you are very likely to have at least one, if not two left over. That's how you connect the second internal drive that there will almost certainly be fixings for, unless it's one of those micro-mini boxes, and they often have an external SATA point anyway, which amounts to the same thing.


Rather than record to an external drive I would suggest that recording to an internal SSD drive will give you the biggest boost to Audition as far as responsiveness in both editing and playback

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