computer upgrade for slow calibre

myday · 06-23-2011, 05:02 PM

Hello

,

I have over 1000 books in Calibre now and it takes about one minute to open the Calibre library. I consider upgrading my PC. Would please you tell me which component upgrade(e.g. memory, SSD drive, faster graphic card, or faster CPU) is going to speed up Calibre?

Are there other ways to speed up? I consider setting up another Calibre library to add about 200 books in the future. Is it a good idea?

Thanks...

Manichean · 06-23-2011, 05:21 PM

It would be a good idea to give your current specs. You'll have to have a very old computer for it to be slowed down by so few books in Calibre.

itimpi · 06-23-2011, 05:51 PM

I have about 13.5K books and the library on a NAS, and I can still open it in less than that using quite a low spec machine (2.0GHz single core processor on my notebook).

theducks · 06-23-2011, 06:29 PM

My Windows systems all open a 2500 book Library in well less than a minute (But not anywhere as snappy as the claims I see around here

)
I have 1G or more RAM in every one.

Calibre is NOT graphics card intensive. If it handles your Screen resolution and color depth, you are good.
Tame your Antivirus. It does not need to actively check (real time scan) your Library Folders files . Those books were checked in the folders that they were in when you imported them.

My Linux systems (same HW) run faster.

speakingtohe · 06-23-2011, 06:32 PM

Are you wanting to buy a new system? Or upgrade your current one?
CPU, Ram, SSD will probably make a difference.
Not much use putting SSD in older machine as the cost is way out of proportion to improvement.
Same with CPU although less money perhaps.
Ram is cheap but unless you have very little less than one gig, it won't give big startup increase.

What version of calibre are you using?

Helen

itimpi · 06-23-2011, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Tame your Antivirus. It does not need to actively check (real time scan) your Library Folders files . Those books were checked in the folders that they were in when you imported them.

Good point. I have both my Calibre library and my Calibre binaries folder excluded from virus checking. I also have the Calibre process set to be trusted so that temporary files it creates are not scanned either.

myday · 06-23-2011, 07:59 PM

Thank you so much for responding to my questions. It helped me a lot to understand Calibre.
My current system is as follows:
Dell Inspiron 530, CPU(1.8 GHz Intel Pentium), Memory 2GB, Hard Drive 320 GB(7200rpm), Windows Vista Home Premium

I am likely to buy a new PC or preferably Apple iMac "Core i5" 2.5 21.5-Inch (Mid-2011) sooner or later, but I have not decided which options(faster CPU, more RAM, or SSD) would go for. Speeding up my Calibre is a main reason for buying a new computer.

Thanks again for your time and help today and have a great weekend everyone.

theducks · 06-23-2011, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myday

Thank you so much for responding to my questions. It helped me a lot to understand Calibre.
My current system is as follows:
Dell Inspiron 530, CPU(1.8 GHz Intel Pentium), Memory 2GB, Hard Drive 320 GB(7200rpm), Windows Vista Home Premium

I am likely to buy a new PC or preferably Apple iMac "Core i5" 2.5 21.5-Inch (Mid-2011) sooner or later, but I have not decided which options(faster CPU, more RAM, or SSD) would go for. Speeding up my Calibre is a main reason for buying a new computer.

Thanks again for your time and help today and have a great weekend everyone.

Is the HD SATA 3.0 or 1.5?
2G RAM is good. 3G is better with Vista

.

myday · 06-23-2011, 08:59 PM

Hi theducks,
I am not sure if my HD is SATA 3.0 or 1.5. It seemed I could install any currently available SATA hard drive up to 750 GB.

New iMac looked like a finished piece with a brilliant design when I first saw it last week. Since then, I have been staring at my computer and thinking this and that.

Thank you for your reply.

theducks · 06-23-2011, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myday

Hi theducks,
I am not sure if my HD is SATA 3.0 or 1.5. It seemed I could install any currently available SATA hard drive up to 750 GB.

New iMac looked like a finished piece with a brilliant design when I first saw it last week. Since then, I have been staring at my computer and thinking this and that.

Thank you for your reply.

Those were inexpensive line items that would help speed on your existing HW.

Seem like Steve's slick looking products found another fan

speakingtohe · 06-24-2011, 12:01 AM

Theducks earlier advice about antivirus could help you in the meantime.

I can run calibre reasonably well on an old Dell inspiron 9300 laptop with lower specs than you have. takes less than 30 seconds to load 10000+ books and my HD is only 5300 rpm 60G. (I use Microsoft Security essentials which seems more than adequate and is less invasive than some antivirus software)

Of course a new machine would be must faster. My i7 desktop is much better

myday · 06-25-2011, 08:29 PM

Hi Speakingtohe,
Many thanks for your reply. I did not know that more than 10,000 books could be in the Calibre library. It is good to know!

myday · 08-13-2011, 10:37 AM

Hi,
Here is a quick update.
I installed (Ubuntu) linux onto my computer and learned that a computer can run without Windows. Now I can run Calibre faster and lighter without making my computer hungry. Only drawback of using Linux is that most my Windows software do not work anymore.
I think that installing linux onto an old PC is just like giving new life to old computers.

theducks · 08-13-2011, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myday

Hi,
Here is a quick update.
I installed (Ubuntu) linux onto my computer and learned that a computer can run without Windows. Now I can run Calibre faster and lighter without making my computer hungry. Only drawback of using Linux is that most my Windows software do not work anymore.
I think that installing linux onto an old PC is just like giving new life to old computers.

Look at installing Wine (avoid the older repository version) on your Ubuntu box. It can run some of you old stuff.

jbcohen · 08-13-2011, 11:16 AM

One of the biggest culprits of the demise of modern PCs is the fragmentation of the registry and hard drive, I will not go into the whys of the matter as it will take too long to explain. Suffice it to say that the next thing you should do is to download and install a PC cleaner called CCleaner, which coincidentally is free at www.piriform.com/ccleaner. CCleaner is the leading PC maintenance software and will take care of the problems that are plaguing you. My PC is a year and a half and runs like its new because of CCleaner.

06-23-2011, 05:02 PM	#1
myday Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: none	computer upgrade for slow calibre Hello, I have over 1000 books in Calibre now and it takes about one minute to open the Calibre library. I consider upgrading my PC. Would please you tell me which component upgrade(e.g. memory, SSD drive, faster graphic card, or faster CPU) is going to speed up Calibre? Are there other ways to speed up? I consider setting up another Calibre library to add about 200 books in the future. Is it a good idea? Thanks...

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06-23-2011, 05:21 PM	#2
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	It would be a good idea to give your current specs. You'll have to have a very old computer for it to be slowed down by so few books in Calibre.

06-23-2011, 05:51 PM	#3
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	I have about 13.5K books and the library on a NAS, and I can still open it in less than that using quite a low spec machine (2.0GHz single core processor on my notebook).

06-23-2011, 06:29 PM	#4
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,784 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	My Windows systems all open a 2500 book Library in well less than a minute (But not anywhere as snappy as the claims I see around here ) I have 1G or more RAM in every one. Calibre is NOT graphics card intensive. If it handles your Screen resolution and color depth, you are good. Tame your Antivirus. It does not need to actively check (real time scan) your Library Folders files . Those books were checked in the folders that they were in when you imported them. My Linux systems (same HW) run faster.

06-23-2011, 06:32 PM	#5
speakingtohe Wizard Posts: 4,812 Karma: 26912940 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet	Are you wanting to buy a new system? Or upgrade your current one? CPU, Ram, SSD will probably make a difference. Not much use putting SSD in older machine as the cost is way out of proportion to improvement. Same with CPU although less money perhaps. Ram is cheap but unless you have very little less than one gig, it won't give big startup increase. What version of calibre are you using? Helen

06-23-2011, 07:59 PM	#7
myday Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: none	Thank you so much for responding to my questions. It helped me a lot to understand Calibre. My current system is as follows: Dell Inspiron 530, CPU(1.8 GHz Intel Pentium), Memory 2GB, Hard Drive 320 GB(7200rpm), Windows Vista Home Premium I am likely to buy a new PC or preferably Apple iMac "Core i5" 2.5 21.5-Inch (Mid-2011) sooner or later, but I have not decided which options(faster CPU, more RAM, or SSD) would go for. Speeding up my Calibre is a main reason for buying a new computer. Thanks again for your time and help today and have a great weekend everyone.

06-23-2011, 08:59 PM	#9
myday Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: none	Hi theducks, I am not sure if my HD is SATA 3.0 or 1.5. It seemed I could install any currently available SATA hard drive up to 750 GB. New iMac looked like a finished piece with a brilliant design when I first saw it last week. Since then, I have been staring at my computer and thinking this and that. Thank you for your reply.

06-24-2011, 12:01 AM	#11
speakingtohe Wizard Posts: 4,812 Karma: 26912940 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet	Theducks earlier advice about antivirus could help you in the meantime. I can run calibre reasonably well on an old Dell inspiron 9300 laptop with lower specs than you have. takes less than 30 seconds to load 10000+ books and my HD is only 5300 rpm 60G. (I use Microsoft Security essentials which seems more than adequate and is less invasive than some antivirus software) Of course a new machine would be must faster. My i7 desktop is much better

06-25-2011, 08:29 PM	#12
myday Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: none	Hi Speakingtohe, Many thanks for your reply. I did not know that more than 10,000 books could be in the Calibre library. It is good to know!

08-13-2011, 10:37 AM	#13
myday Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: none	Hi, Here is a quick update. I installed (Ubuntu) linux onto my computer and learned that a computer can run without Windows. Now I can run Calibre faster and lighter without making my computer hungry. Only drawback of using Linux is that most my Windows software do not work anymore. I think that installing linux onto an old PC is just like giving new life to old computers.

08-13-2011, 11:16 AM	#15
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	One of the biggest culprits of the demise of modern PCs is the fragmentation of the registry and hard drive, I will not go into the whys of the matter as it will take too long to explain. Suffice it to say that the next thing you should do is to download and install a PC cleaner called CCleaner, which coincidentally is free at www.piriform.com/ccleaner. CCleaner is the leading PC maintenance software and will take care of the problems that are plaguing you. My PC is a year and a half and runs like its new because of CCleaner.

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