[gregcss]

So I've been running a music server for the last several years and love it. Up until about 6 months ago anytime I change a song the selected song would play instantly. Over the last several months this scenario has gradually increased in the time it takes for the selected song to start playing. When I first noticed the lag it was a ~15 second delay and today it's a ~30 second delay. One thing I noticed is after I select a song and then select another song that I previously selected there is no lag - the song plays instantly. I am using a WD 'blue' hard drive. Is this a sign of the drive wearing out? Looking to go SSD.

[Doublej]

Servers specs please?

[jtwrace]

Are you sure the server is awake when you call for it to work?  The drives might be asleep.  Try to open a folder so you know it's all working and try again.

[Mike Nomad]

~

[gregcss]

Synology DS111:

1.6GHz CPU
256MB 16bit@DDR1066
1TB HDD connected via SATA
Hard wired (CAT 5) to streaming device

The drive is only 10% full

The lag does occur when the server is 'awake'.

[Doublej]

I'd run diagnostics on the WD hard drive and the Synology. What are you using as the streaming device?

[skunark]

Which version of the DSM software do you have?   You might actually post this question on Synology's forums.

Also there is a recent Synology targeted 'ransomware' that the initial signs is high CPU utilization and slow file access.  Check your version and compare it to the page here.
http://www.synology.com/en-global/support/security_SynoLocker

Jim

[gregcss]

I decided to delete the volume and create a new one with check disk option enabled - this process failed twice. The health info of the HDD now indicates 442 bad sectors found and repaired. I then ran the SMART test on the HDD and the results showed the drive is "abnormal" and should be replaced. With this I'm going to replace the drive with an SSD.

[JEaton]

There's little or no advantage to an SSD in your setup. You're not playing back music on the NAS, so any supposed sonic advantages of an SSD in a music server are lost. There's seldom any need for the greater speed of an SSD for audio applications, especially when you're pushing the data across the network. Lastly, keep in mind that when SSDs fail, they tend to fail suddenly and without warning.

[gregcss]

@JEaton -

Valid points. Do you think SSD and HDD failure rates are about the same?

[JerryM]

You're fail-proof-backed-up, right?

If not, that's your primary concern.

[gregcss]

You're fail-proof-backed-up, right?

If not, that's your primary concern.

Certainly. My NAS is for music only, not a backup device. This means my flac files are replicated on three drives (primary data drive (all data), external back up drive (all data), NAS/music server (flac only))

[gregcss]

I decided to use the SSD as my main drive in my PC and moved that HDD to my Synology. The lag time has been reduced from 30-40 sec to about 15 sec, still slower than expected. I noticed there is no lag at all when changing to songs that do not have album art. I do have precache album art enabled in the Logitech Media Server.

[steve in jersey]

I seem to think that the "lags" might not be the fault of the drives your using but are related to some "processing" lag somewhere else along the line.

Is this a "dedicated" music PC ? Or is it used for multi-purpose ? How often do you clear out file clutter that
accumulates on this PC from normal usage?

I run a program called System Mechanic Professional that has a feature called "Active Care" that monitors &
makes adjustments to setting & parameters as needed to keep your PC from getting "bogged" down .

At a minimum I would at least make sure that my "C" drive is clear & running optimally ! If you were already consciously doing all or some of this ,we're at least able to narrow down the possibility of whether it
is "system lags" that are what's slowing things down.

[gregcss]

I seem to think that the "lags" might not be the fault of the drives your using but are related to some "processing" lag somewhere else along the line.

Is this a "dedicated" music PC ? Or is it used for multi-purpose ? How often do you clear out file clutter that
accumulates on this PC from normal usage?

I run a program called System Mechanic Professional that has a feature called "Active Care" that monitors &
makes adjustments to setting & parameters as needed to keep your PC from getting "bogged" down .

At a minimum I would at least make sure that my "C" drive is clear & running optimally ! If you were already consciously doing all or some of this ,we're at least able to narrow down the possibility of whether it
is "system lags" that are what's slowing things down.

I use a Synology DS111 NAS as a dedicated music server.

[steve in jersey]

Sorry for my wildly inaccurate speculation !  (I totally missed seeing the line that named your
Synolgy)

 

[gregcss]

I found the root cause of the lag time between song changes - it's the cell phone app I have been using which is Logitech Squeezebox Controller by Logitech Europe S.A. (Android). I used a laptop as the controller and flipped through several songs of different artists and albums and the songs played immediately. I switched back to the phone and the same songs took 15+ seconds to start after being selected. 

[gregcss]

Installed Orange Squeeze app ($5) and there is zero lag when switching songs. Wow, this is great.