Spinalogic is built on industrial-strength technology and shoud not run slow even with millions of images, documents and patients. If it is running slow, there is something wrong and it will almost always be a problem with the environment that Spinalogic is running on, not Spinalogic.
If you think Spinalogic is running OK but you just want it faster, see the end of this post.
Here are the key places to check if Spinalogic is running slow in your office. There are three main ways that Spinalogic can be slow and they each point you in different directions.
1. All PCs are Slow
Test Spinalogic on all PCs INCLUDING the server. If Spinalogic is slow on all systems, the problem lies with your server. See Troubleshooting your Server or Workstation.
2. All PCs are Slow EXCEPT the Server
If all PCs are running slow except the server, then you have a network problem. See Troubleshooting your Network.
3. Not all PCs are slow and the Server is Fine
The problem lies with the individual PC. Fix that PC and your problem is fixed. See Troubleshooting your Server or Workstation.
Troubleshooting your Server or Workstation
1. Is your Windows Drive full?
Check your Windows drive (usually C:). Your windows drive needs typically 15% free space. i.e. on a 100 GB drive you should have at least 15GB free. If you have less, your server will run slow.
2. Have you enough RAM?
8GB is the minimum recommended for your server, 16GB is better. Right-click on your task bar and open the Task Manager, or Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open the task manager on Windows 11. Click on the Performance tab. The Memory bar should show plenty of unused memory.
3. Is something using using up your CPU?
On the same tab in Task Manager, look at the CPU Usage bar. It should generally be below 20% and mostly below 5%. If not, then some program on your system is consuming resources. See Remove unnecessary programs below.
4. Remove Un-Necessary Programs
You must not install anything on your system that you don’t need. Common junk programs that will slow your system down include iTunes, QuickTime, Adobe and many Anti-virus programs. The more unnecessary software you have installed, the slower your PC will run. Uninstall anything you don’t need.
To test if junk-ware is a problem on your system do the following: Go to Start..Run. Type ‘msconfig’ and hit enter. On the General tab, choose ‘Selective startup’. Uncheck ‘Load startup items’. Go to the Services tab. Check ‘Hide all Microsoft Services’ at the bottom. Uncheck everything unless it starts with ‘SQL’. Restart your PC. If runs fast now, you know that it is unneeded software that is slowing you down.
After this test, you can go back and restore these settings. Do it progressively to find out what is slowing your system down.
5. Upgrade your Anti-Virus software
Some retail antivirus software can make your system slow. Especially if you have it scheduled to do a full scan while you’re trying to work! We recommend Microsoft Security Essentials for offices with up to 10 PCs. It’s free and doesn’t slow your system down. Especially make sure you don’t have more than one antivirus program installed!
6. Are you using WiFi?
WiFi quoted speeds sound great but actual throughput of WiFi is often not very good at all. If you are using wifi, plug the PC in to the network with a cable so there is only cable between the PC and the server. If it solves your problem, get the cables laid.
7. Are your drivers up to date?
In particular, check your RAID controller and Network Interface drivers are up to date. Check with the manufacturers and not just Windows Update to be sure you have the latest.
Try going to Intel’s automatic driver update page that detects what Intel hardware you have installed and updates drivers for you.
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/28425/Intel-Driver-Support-Assistant
After your restart
Your PC will take some time to load everything fully into RAM and reach full speed – especially your server. Start Spinalogic and open the same patient’s file a few times to see how fast it gets.
Troubleshooting your Network
1. Are you using WiFi?
WiFi quoted speeds sound great but actual throughput of WiFi is often not very good at all. If you are using wifi, plug the PC in to the network with a cable so there is only cable between the PC and the server. If it solves your problem, get the cables laid.
Sometimes your neighbour can setup a new WiFi network that can interfere with yours causing a sudden loss of performance. Just run cables to see if it fixes your problem. You can try changing channels on your WiFi access point but we recommend cables.
2. Update the Drivers for your Server Network Interface Card (NIC)
Check you have the latest drivers for your NIC on you your server. Use the drivers supplied by the manufacturer of your NIC and not those from Microsoft. They are often more recent.
Try going to Intel’s automatic driver update page that detects what Intel hardware you have installed and updates drivers for you.
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/28425/Intel-Driver-Support-Assistant
3. Is your router faulty?
The only way to really test this is to get a new one. They are not expensive.
If all else fails
Contact your IT supplier and get them to do some diagnostic checks in your office. If you can’t get any results, submit a support ticket to Spinalogic Support.
If You Just Want it Faster…
1. Make sure you have 16 GB of RAM on your Server
2. Use a 64-bit Operating System on your Server
3. Use gigabit ethernet cabling throughout
4. Make sure each PC has a gigabit NIC to connect to the network.
5. Don’t use your server for anything other than serving!
6. Make sure you have relatively new PCs. Your server of course is the most important.
