# Mac Pro configuration advice...



## Angioman (Jul 29, 2009)

About to hit the buy button. Wondering if anyone running a similar machine and happy with LR and CS4 performance.

Mac Pro Quad 2.93
16 gig Ram
ATI Radeon HD 487'
4 x 1T Hitachi "Saturn" internal Drives

Machine strictly for RAW editing, mostly Canon 5DMKII files.

Thanks,
Kurt


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## sizzlingbadger (Jul 29, 2009)

I'm happy with LR & CS4 on an iMac so I would be happy with it on that beast.


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## Kiwigeoff (Jul 29, 2009)

Looks good to me, if it' doesn't work just send it to me for testing!!  :


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## LJR69 (Jul 29, 2009)

[quote author=Angioman link=topic=7385.msg5'33'#msg5'33' date=1248831113]
About to hit the buy button. Wondering if anyone running a similar machine and happy with LR and CS4 performance.

Mac Pro Quad 2.93
16 gig Ram
ATI Radeon HD 487'
4 x 1T Hitachi "Saturn" internal Drives

Machine strictly for RAW editing, mostly Canon 5DMKII files.

Thanks,
Kurt
[/quote]lol yum yum
I don't think you'll have any problems with that monster. I'm running Lightroom, Photoshop and goodness knows what else during a typical session, on a Macbook Pro with 4GB RAM and have no slow downs or problems at all.


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## edgley (Jul 29, 2009)

I would suggest having a look at setting up a software RAID, your disks will be, relatively speaking, the slowest part of that system.


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## Angioman (Jul 29, 2009)

I guess I underestimate LR perfomance (LOL) given the responses. Understand I am in the process of migrating from Aperature. So far LR has performed well on my MBP and old PM G5, but I have yet to move my large database so the library is small.

The demands of Aperture have become painful and frustrating. So tired of unresponsive slider adjustments and beach balls, especially with the large 5D MKII files and any TIFF conversion through plugins.

Your comments are reassuring, and making it easier to pull the trigger - thanks.

Oh, and regarding RAID - not being too techie I just don't have a good handle on RAID config and also have read varying opinions. Sounds like it may not be necessary for my needs. SSD is intriguing for boot drive but I haven't priced it yet.

Thanks again!


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## Victoria Bampton (Jul 29, 2009)

Oh nice, yeah, you'll like that! 

I've got the octo-core 2.8 with 14gb, but I like to multi-task big-time, so I do end up pushing the 8-cores at time. Normal people probably wouldn't!  

I'd second edgley's recommendation of setting 2 of the drives up as RAID ' (really easily done in Disk Utility) for storing and working on your raw files with one proviso - good backups, because RAID is slightly more risky. That said, I've run RAID ' for years with no problem, so it's just covering all bases. Any program working with large numbers of those 5d Mk2 files will benefit from the slightly faster disk access.


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## LJR69 (Jul 29, 2009)

Yup, I too have my MBP connected to an external RAID ' (as well as an additional external drive over eSATA). All my back ups go to the RAID, my photos are stored on the eSATA and LR is on the main disk. Works a treat.
Like Victoria says, setting up a RAID in Disk Utility involves pushing about three buttons. Very simple to do.


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## hassiman (Jul 29, 2009)

My 2.66 Dual core Xeon MacPro with 6GB RAM is way too much computer for LR. Only need the Octo for heavy duty video and 3d rendering. You will have no problem. I work on 4''/7''MB scan TIFF files a lot.... and LR/CS4 has no problem on my machine.


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## sizzlingbadger (Jul 30, 2009)

If your budget can handle it then a hardware RAID card would be the icing on the cake !


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## Angioman (Jul 31, 2009)

Lloyd and Victoria, 

Regarding RAID, I didn't realize a RAID setup could be done just through DU. Do I need a RAID card (I did not get the RAID card in my initial configuration).


Thanks again for all the helpful and encouraging replies.!

Trigger was pulled last night, so hopefully next week . 

One last question - from other posts it sounds like I should not use migration assistant going from PM G5 to the MP - correct? Might be a long night when the system arrives.


Thanks,
Kurt


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## Victoria Bampton (Jul 31, 2009)

Software RAID is just done in software, no RAID card needed. There are advantages to hardware RAID, but software works just great here. Here's a quick comparison article showing the difference: http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/perf/raid/conf/ctrlSoftware-c.html

From the G5 to the MP - personally I'd cleanly install the programs, and then drag over the data and particular app data and prefs, hopefully leaving behind all the junk from stuff I'd demo'd in the process.


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## Angioman (Jul 31, 2009)

Thanks Victoria!

I will give the software RAID a go - very excited to complete the hardware upgrade. I guess there is too much risk of corruption with Migration Assistant, especially going from non-intel to intel.

Now I just need to decided whether I move all or most of my AP library to LR (ughh). One thing at a time.

Kurt


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## johnbeardy (Jul 31, 2009)

Check out previous threads here and at the Adobe UtoU. There aren't many, but they have plenty of detail and the migration route is still the same.

John


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## edgley (Aug 1, 2009)

I would also recommend getting a Firewire external disk to use for Time Machine.
Then your photos / library will be backed up without doing a thing.

RAID is so easy to setup on the Mac, no need to load a driver via a floppy as with the PC. With all those cores the extra load of software should be un-noticeable.

/still smug ex. PC user


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