Getting "Failed to start cache!" Topic is solved

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hnorris
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Getting "Failed to start cache!"

Post by hnorris »

I have just installed 0.9.1 after running 0.8 for the last year or so. 0.8.0 has been uninstalled. When I try to configure caching with the default settings, I get "Failed to start cache!". Any suggestions on a next step?

Thanks,
Harry
hnorris
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Re: Getting "Failed to start cache!"

Post by hnorris »

If I increase the block size to 32KB, then everything starts fine.

Harry
stenrulz
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Re: Getting "Failed to start cache!"

Post by stenrulz »

Hello Harry,

More information would be helpful;
What OS?
Hard drives or SSDs?
Config Settings?
Raid?
Have you uninstalled/reinstalled the software after re-downloading it?
IvRak
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Re: Getting "Failed to start cache!"

Post by IvRak »

I'm seing the same on one of my systems.

It's a Windows XP 32-bit.
Only Standard HDD's, no raid.
Standard configuration of the cache, only I have to set block size to 16kB, to get it to enable. Below 16kB I get the "Failed to start cache" message.

I have it running now, don't know if the block size gives any performance hit?
fsommer1968
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Re: Getting "Failed to start cache!"

Post by fsommer1968 »

@Ivrak:

Probably this is a matter of available RAM: your machine has not enough mem available for this cachesize *and* blocksize. The smaller the block size is, the more RAM is required for cache tag. How much RAM has your machine installed, is available before starting Primocache? And how much do you want to assign to Primocache?

- Frank
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intika
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Re: Getting "Failed to start cache!"

Post by intika »

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=1138
Small block size requires a lot of additional memory, especially on large volume/disk. So the error was caused by insufficient system memory.
IvRak
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Re: Getting "Failed to start cache!"

Post by IvRak »

The system is a 4Gb system, with 3.2Gb available to the OS due to the 32 bit barrier. The 700Mb hidden memory is enabled and used together with 256Mb main memory.

It caches 2 500Gb and one 160Gb HDD.

The system uses about 1.4Gb memory, when freshly booted, and right now with Primocache running, and everything working, the ussage is 1.9Gb.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but I would think that 1.2Gb of available mem should be more than enough?

Or is it the 256Mb main I set aside memory thats too small?
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intika
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Re: Getting "Failed to start cache!"

Post by intika »

the "block size" is not the partition size, but the cluster size... any disk manage data by cutting it in small size, the cluster size is that package size... when you create a new cache disk you can select the so called "block size"
then Small block size requires a lot of additional memory especially on large volume/disk.
then just change the block size for a value
otherwise you config look good :)
InquiringMind
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Re: Getting "Failed to start cache!"

Post by InquiringMind »

I'm getting the same problem when using PrimoCache on an SSD RAID disk split into 2 partitions (C: 8GB, D: 700GB). When the disk is selected, both partitions are checked and the cache seems to start OK but benchmarking shows that only C: is cached. Trying to cache D: on its own gives the "Failed to start cache" message. FancyCache 0.8.0 (Disk version) worked with no problems.
Running WinXP SP3 with 18GB RAM, using 5GB invisible memory for PrimoCache (the rest used by PrimoDisk) and varying amounts of main RAM (from 0 to 512MB).
Haven't tried experimenting with block size, but if this is the cause then, at least, the error message needs more detail.
InquiringMind
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Re: Getting "Failed to start cache!"

Post by InquiringMind »

Tried another install, and increasing the block size did allow the cache to start, with subsequent benchmarking confirming that both partitions were properly cached (64KB block size seems to be the sweet spot on a WinXP system using ~5GB invisible memory only for caching).
Two UI comments - the memory overhead (which comes of out managed memory) would be better sited beside the block size rather than in the right-hand pane. And the "Defer Writes" checkbox is grayed out initially - to set it, you have to reselect the Read/Write cache setting which then makes it available.
Aside from these issues, PrimoCache looks a significant improvement over FancyCache - it achieves better than 2x performance with less need for limited (on 32-bit systems) managed memory.
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