Do I need a new computer or just different software (using Nikon)
Jul 8, 2018 12:35:06 #
I have a lap top that is several years old and has 4 meg ram and serves most purposes reasonably well. I have been trying to do some basic things with photos using Nikon software including Capture NX-D, View NX-I and Transfer 2. The problem I have is that they keep crashing or otherwise freezing up in mid task. I end up having to shut them down and restart or restart the computer and hope that I can complete a task. Sometimes something as simple as getting the software to take the pictures from the camera to a file on the drive which by the way has plenty of space.
Sometimes if I am trying to convert a raw to jpg it takes an inordinately long time or just hangs.
Do I need to try different software, get a new computer or something I haven't thought of?
Sometimes if I am trying to convert a raw to jpg it takes an inordinately long time or just hangs.
Do I need to try different software, get a new computer or something I haven't thought of?
Jul 8, 2018 12:40:04 #
Jul 8, 2018 12:52:06 #
Jul 8, 2018 12:59:09 #
Your low AMOUNT of memory MAY be an issue, but we need to know more about your laptop, OS and camera.
Jul 8, 2018 13:10:15 #
According to the Nikon software system requirements, the minimum microprocessor speed is an Intel Core I5 or better and the minimum RAM is 4 GIG or more recommended. I don't know the particulars of our existing computer however I suspect that the microprocessor clock speed it not fast enough and I also suspect that there are other programs running in the background that are taking up some of your available RAM which is why it is sluggish and freezing up (not responding) because it is "busy".
A new 64-bit machine is much faster than older 32-bit machines so do consider that when you update for a 64-bit will run 32-bit programs but not the other way around. 8-GIG of RAM is now an entry level amount however newer video cards have their own processors and RAM so that helps performance greatly.
Graphic programs are RAM and video card performance hungry. Gaming computers are the best choice so consider their benefits for they are designed to handle the immense graphics data streaming and high video resolution that video games demand.
A new 64-bit machine is much faster than older 32-bit machines so do consider that when you update for a 64-bit will run 32-bit programs but not the other way around. 8-GIG of RAM is now an entry level amount however newer video cards have their own processors and RAM so that helps performance greatly.
Graphic programs are RAM and video card performance hungry. Gaming computers are the best choice so consider their benefits for they are designed to handle the immense graphics data streaming and high video resolution that video games demand.
Jul 8, 2018 13:19:05 #
I read that if you plug into the SD slot on your laptop an additional 8gig card it will give an increase to your ram speed-it was called a "ready boost". Try it.
Jul 8, 2018 13:22:33 #
JMCPHD wrote:
I have a lap top that is several years old and has... (show quote)
Camera firmware has nothing to do with this. Nikon Crashware is notorious for this problem. Nikon's attempt to produce imaging software repeatedly affirm that Nikon is first and foremost, a hardware company. Having said that, if you are rendering NEFs, Nikon software does the best job. So we put up with it.
You could use more computer horsepower for imaging particularly ram. Wait... you say 4 Meg of ram? Do you mean 4 GB? If all you have is 4 Meg of ram that is woefully insufficient for image processing and could be the reason for the behavior you describe.
If you buy a new computer, stuff it with ram. Buying a fast computer and cheating on ram is like buying a 300hp SUV with a 5 gallon gas tank.
Jul 8, 2018 13:31:25 #
"Wait... you say 4 Meg of ram? Do you mean 4 GB?"
4 mb of ram is more than enough. Bill Gates supposedly said 640K is all anyone would need.
--Bob
4 mb of ram is more than enough. Bill Gates supposedly said 640K is all anyone would need.
--Bob
JD750 wrote:
Camera firmware has nothing to do with this. Niko... (show quote)
Jul 8, 2018 13:32:48 #
JMCPHD wrote:
I have a lap top that is several years old and has... (show quote)
4 Gb RAM is the problem. With Windows, you probably only have 50% remaining due to OS overhead. Right click on the task bar, and choose Task Manager, then go to the performance tab and select Resource Monitor. You will see a graph of physical memory to let you know how much RAM is available for applications.
Go to www.crucial.com, enter the model # of your laptop and they will tell you the max RAM your mainboard should support. There is also an on line app that will perform the same function. Whatever the Max is, upgrade to that.
Modern applications have such a heavy memory overload these days.
Jul 8, 2018 13:48:37 #
TBerwick
Loc: Houston, Texas
You didn't say what version of Windows you're running & whether it is 32 vs 64 bit. The RAM limitations for XP & the 32 bit operating systems is 4GB while the 64bit systems can generally handle up to 32GB which is usually a limitation of the motherboard architecture. If you can upgrade your RAM to 8GB, you may resolve your issue. If not, then a new system would improve your photo processing speeds and overall work throughput. That said, if you buy a new system, make sure it's a 64 bit operating system and a minimum of 8GB RAM. A lot of the loss leader systems come with only 4GB which is the absolute bare minimum to run the operating system as they usually share the on-board RAM with video processing. On a side note, if you do end up buying a new system, you'll end up with Windows 10 and if your present system is old enough, the software you're using will probably need upgrading.
Jul 8, 2018 13:52:55 #
rmalarz wrote:
"Wait... you say 4 Meg of ram? Do you mean 4 GB?"
4 mb of ram is more than enough. Bill Gates supposedly said 640K is all anyone would need.
--Bob
4 mb of ram is more than enough. Bill Gates supposedly said 640K is all anyone would need.
--Bob
That is true I forgot about that!! ;))
Jul 8, 2018 15:31:48 #
dadaist wrote:
I read that if you plug into the SD slot on your laptop an additional 8gig card it will give an increase to your ram speed-it was called a "ready boost". Try it.
Can you supply a link to the article?
An SD card is simply an additional storage location (C:\, D:\, E:\, F:\,...) , not additional operating RAM.
(If that were the case, I could put a 32 Gb card in the slot and memory problems would be over.)
If it used as virtual memory, the card (system) would have to be configured to do so. What happens when you unplug the "boost" to transfer images from another card?
You can probably allocate more virtual memory from the hard drive and it would be faster.
But simply plugging a card in will not accomplish anything.
I found this: https://www.howtogeek.com/123780/htg-explains-is-readyboost-worth-using/
Jul 8, 2018 17:25:04 #
rgrenaderphoto wrote:
4 Gb RAM is the problem. With Windows, you probab... (show quote)
The Crucial web site didn't offer a match based on the info I have. I meant 4 GB but you all assumed it. I am running Windows 10 and the CPU is AMD-A8-6410 I don't know what that translates to in Intel chips. It does sound like lack of memory is likely to be a major source of the problem.
Jul 8, 2018 17:44:56 #
I would certainly agree with your assessment of the memory issue.
--Bob
--Bob
JMCPHD wrote:
The Crucial web site didn't offer a match based on the info I have. I meant 4 GB but you all assumed it. I am running Windows 10 and the CPU is AMD-A8-6410 I don't know what that translates to in Intel chips. It does sound like lack of memory is likely to be a major source of the problem.
Jul 8, 2018 18:00:18 #
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