LRC uses 100% of system drive while editing - makes it unsable. What to do?

[Luke PhotoArt]

No idea if this post should go to discussion, or bugs - for me it's a bug and a serious one.

Any advice is appriciated - as I'm loosing faith in LRC 😞

First the tech specs of my hardware:

Windows 11

Ryzen 9 7950x

Radeon RX 7900xt

32GB RAM DDR5

System drive NvME 256GB Kingston - where LRC and PS are installed. about 70GB free disk space (new firmware installed)

Drive for RAW files, cache (20GB), and catalogue SSD 2TB.

All options of performance tab using GPU checked for full support.

LRC always at latest version - but the issue persists for several months already - so version doesn't change anything.

Now the issue. It happens while editing in develop tab - usually when mooving sliders, or switching to next / previous photo. While doing any of theese actions, system drive gets 100% usage for about 1-2s and LRC freezes for that second or 2. Then LRC performs action (ex. changes the photo), and unfreezes. But when I change photo again, or move ex. exp slider / highlight or any other it freezes again with 100% usage.

What is interresting is task manager indicates some writing process that takes 100% of disk usage - but for no particular reason. Never happens in LRC idle - only when doing some editing / sliders movement.

The drive doesn't do ANY other problems, system runs smoothly, all other software as well. Only LRC makes the issue. LRC takes up to 7GB of RAM, but still there is 20GB free by the statics.

Sometimes, the editing can go without freezing for 1h straight, but sometimes after fresh reboot it freezes almost while doing first edit. No rule at all.

It is obvious, that it's LRC doing some process on the drive it is installed at - but why at all, if catalogue, raw files and cache is on another drive that is used at the same time at 5%? Also CPU and GPU usage at the freeze moment are 20-30%.

I would understand this issue, if my hardware was poor, but it clearly isn't!

I hope someone can help with this issue - otherwise LRC is going to waste basket when subscription ends, as I am sick of not having the option to work without stuttering 😞 It literally drives me mad.

Thx in advance for any suggestions.

[Sameer K]

Hey, @Luke PhotoArt. Welcome to the Lightroom Community. I need more information to help you understand this.

 Please share the system info from Lightroom Classic from Help > System info > Copy and paste into a text document > Upload and attach here. 

Check if you have enabled the following option in Catalog > Metadata > Automatically Write Changes Into XMP?

Try these suggestions:

1 - Create a new catalog by holding the OPT/ALT key at the launch of Lightroom Classic.

2 - Import a few images & disable the option for Automatically Write Changes Into XMP & check if the issue exists.

Let me know how it goes. Thanks!
Sameer K

(Type '@' and type my name to mention me when you reply)

[Luke PhotoArt]

Dear @Sameer K Thank you for a prompt reply.

Pls find system info report attatched - just pls note, that despite of 30 min work in LRC this issue did not happen, so this file doesn't include actual moment of issue. Next time, when the issue occurs I will copy the data again.

"Automatically Write Changes Into XMP" - is turned off by default, so the issue occurs with this option off as you suggested to do 😞

I've just had an idea from the top of my head (doesn't seem logical though - sorry if it's unrelated). I usually work in LRC while haveing spotify running in the background. Doesn't seem logical, as spotify barerly uses any system resources, but what are the options this comes in conflict with LRC cousing it to feeze?

[KR Seals]

What type of drive is F:? How is it connected?

[Luke PhotoArt]

@KR Seals It is SSD plugged in directly to mainboard by SATA connector

[Sameer K · Accepted solution]

Hey, @Luke PhotoArt. This might feel random, but I've heard this before, at least once in 2025. Spotify has Hardware Acceleration. 

In the top Left of the Spotify App > go to Edit > Preferences > Scroll to the bottom of this page and disable Hardware Acceleration. 

Let me know how it goes.

Thanks! Sameer K
(Type '@' and type my name to mention me when you reply)

[Luke PhotoArt]

@Sameer K Thx for a tip - as strange as it can be, it seems it worked. I will see if it occurs again. Apreciate your support.

[Luke PhotoArt]

Dear @Sameer K I've checked the Spotify running in the background - and it seems, it might be a good path - as while I started it up, LRC started to freeze with again 100% of CPU usage. I've copied system info again (attatched). Can it be that it's related?

[Luke PhotoArt]

@Sameer K Pls look at task manager screen of NvME processes while doing some operations in LRC - attatched. Yes this with spotify running in the background. I am pretty sure it's LRC cousing the usage, as according to task manager spotify remains almost no using resources.

[dj_paige]

As an experiment, try temporarily turning off your anti-virus and see if that makes the problem go away.

[Luke PhotoArt]

@dj_paige Thx for the idea - tried. Did not change the issue.