Setting Up Multiple Hard Drives in PPro and AE, Cache, Previews, etc.

[Letty2019]

I've read a few discussions, but can't find an overall set up for multi drives for PPro and AE working together, in regards to which drive gets what?

For a 4 disk hard drive set up:

C: OS, Programs  (seems to be a standard setting)

E: Media and Project files (.prproj)

F: Page File, Media Cache, After Effect Cache

G: Previews, Exports, Auto Save

Does that look like a decent work up?

IF Yes,

1) where do the "media data base" files go?

2) I thought Media Cache files and previews were the same thing?  What exactly should go on F: "Media Cache"

and

3) What exactly should go in G: "Previews"  ?

pek files, cek files, mcdb files, PEAK FILES?  And should the files be save next to the original film clips?  (preference setting)

Sorry, it's all so confusing sometimes.

I'm worried something will get bottle necked if it's not set up right.

If that set up looks bad, feel free to tell me watcha got.

Thanks! I feel a great many people will be helped by your comments.

Leticia

I found this guy's format, but it left out a few things mentioned above, AE cache, and which goes where regarding all those weird preview files and such.

[Peru Bob]

moved from Premiere Pro to Hardware Forum

[Letty2019]

How is this a "hardware" question?

It's asking How to set up drives in regards to preview files and media cache locations in the Premiere Pro program....

It's NOT asking how to install hard drives.

Please place back in the Premiere Pro section, thank you.

[Peru Bob]

It is a hardware issue, but I will move it as per your request.

[Letty2019]

Thanks    I really need help with this issue, as I'm sure some other people do as well.

[Letty2019]

Bueller?  Bueller?

[excited_Genie16B8]

I recommend a minimum of five internal drives for best organization and performance.

C: Windows & Programs (Let Windows manage the Page file)

D: Project files, audio files, still images

E: Cache and Scratch

F: Camera media and proxies

G: Exports

[Letty2019]

where do you locate all the pek, peak, cek files? and those other weird files?  E: ?

Do you have the pek and cek files :"next to" the original film clips?

and where do you locate the After Effects cache files?

Thanks!

[Peru Bob]

Letty2019  wrote

where do you locate all the pek, peak, cek files? and those other weird files?  E: ?

Yes.

and where do you locate the After Effects cache files?

E:

[excited_Genie16B8]

where do you locate all the pek, peak, cek files? and those other weird files?  E: ?

Yes.  Those are the Cache files.

[Letty2019]

Conformed audio files are considered 'audio files' ?  or do they also go on the cache disk E:  ?

[Peru Bob · Accepted solution]

Letty2019  wrote

Conformed audio files ... do they also go on the cache disk E:  ?

Yes.

[Letty2019]

It seems you have all the preview files, audio, AE cache files, almost everything on E: ? Doesn't that bottleneck processing?

I thought some files should've been spread around to different drives so one drive doesn't have to do all the work?

[excited_Genie16B8]

It seems you have all the preview files, audio, AE cache files, almost everything on E: ? Doesn't that bottleneck processing?

No, those files are relatively small.  Your Media drive should be as fast and and large as you can afford.  That's where the bulk of the disk activity comes from, and why they should be on a dedicated drive.

[excited_Genie16B8]

Conformed audio files are considered 'audio files' ?  or do they also go on the cache disk E:  ?

They're considered Cache files, as they're created by PP, so they would go on the Cache drive.  In my earlier recommendation, audio files refers to clips you manually import into the project.  I use the following folder structure on the Projects drive.

Project Name

     Audio

     Files

     Stills

The Premiere Pro, After Effects and other project files go into Files, along with any notes, Word documents, spreadsheets, screenplays, etc. The Audio and Stills folders are pretty self-explanatory.

This organizational method makes archive very simple, just copy the Project folder to your archive location once you've got client approval and delivery is complete.  (Your media should already be there, copied to the archive location as the very first step in post production, even before you copy it to the Media drive on the edit system.)