browser.cache.disk.parent_directory

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Nodeity
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Joined: July 23rd, 2010, 5:23 pm

browser.cache.disk.parent_directory

Post by Nodeity »

Hi, I am using FF-3.6.8 and I am having trouble establishing the cache on a different drive. I just installed an SSD and apparently putting the cache file on a separate directory will be beneficial to that drives lifespan and speed. However no matter what I try I can't establish the cache file on another drive! This is my method,( about:config ) ( new string ) ( browser.cache.disk.parent_directory ) ( new value I:\FirefoxTemp ) ( restart FF ) But no matter how I try it I can't get it to work. Your help will be appreciated. Thanks
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LoudNoise
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Re: browser.cache.disk.parent_directory

Post by LoudNoise »

Where did you pick up that information? I doubt if a difference in either lifespan or speed (assuming a defragmented drive) would be noticeable. I would use the SDD as your master drive and leave it at that.
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Nodeity
Posts: 3
Joined: July 23rd, 2010, 5:23 pm

Re: browser.cache.disk.parent_directory

Post by Nodeity »

LoudNoise wrote:Where did you pick up that information? I doubt if a difference in either lifespan or speed (assuming a defragmented drive) would be noticeable. I would use the SDD as your master drive and leave it at that.

Actually I've been to several sites on tweaking SSD's but I can't remember specifically which one! The same point was made for IE. Right or wrong, it still doesn't answer my question? Thanks
jushkow
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Re: browser.cache.disk.parent_directory

Post by jushkow »

If you go to about:config and set that setting browser.cache.disk.parent_directory, that should work for changing the location of the cache. Create the empty folder in I:\FirefoxTemp before restarting firefox.
If it is not working, you may have a user.js file which is overwriting the setting, or be using Portable Firefox, or you may not have read/write access to the firefox user profile setting, or a "sandbox" or "rollback" utility which resets settings in your antivirus. See here: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Preferences_not_saved

SSDs have a limited number of writes available. It is commonly suggested in forums not to put swap files, temp directories, or cache directories that change often on a SSD, and to limit the running of defrag to very rare occasions, but I don't find many big-time sourcing saying such. Simple calculations based on the write speed of computers with SSDs and the expectation that computers are writing to the drive less than half of the time and that most computers are on less than 12 hours a day would show that an SSD should last at least 8 years even if you make no special effort to preserve it.
http://wiki.eeeuser.com/ssd_write_limit
Nodeity
Posts: 3
Joined: July 23rd, 2010, 5:23 pm

Re: browser.cache.disk.parent_directory

Post by Nodeity »

jushkow wrote:If you go to about:config and set that setting browser.cache.disk.parent_directory, that should work for changing the location of the cache. Create the empty folder in I:\FirefoxTemp before restarting firefox.
If it is not working, you may have a user.js file which is overwriting the setting, or be using Portable Firefox, or you may not have read/write access to the firefox user profile setting, or a "sandbox" or "rollback" utility which resets settings in your antivirus. See here: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Preferences_not_saved

SSDs have a limited number of writes available. It is commonly suggested in forums not to put swap files, temp directories, or cache directories that change often on a SSD, and to limit the running of defrag to very rare occasions, but I don't find many big-time sourcing saying such. Simple calculations based on the write speed of computers with SSDs and the expectation that computers are writing to the drive less than half of the time and that most computers are on less than 12 hours a day would show that an SSD should last at least 8 years even if you make no special effort to preserve it.
http://wiki.eeeuser.com/ssd_write_limit

Thanks for that, I have a normal install and I did create the folder first but for some reason I can't seem to get it to run! Oh well, as "LoudNoise" and yourself say, it shouldn't be that big of a deal to leave on the SSD. Thanks anyway
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