Regular screen freezes, "not responding"

[CalS 5,280]

Don't know if it is worth the effort, but has anyone tried the Ctrl-Help - Optimize Database option?  Something tells me it probably won't help much if at all, just wondering if anyone has tried it and what the results were.

[EdH 1,670]

Just now, csihilling said:

Don't know if it is worth the effort, but has anyone tried the Ctrl-Help - Optimize Database option?  Something tells me it probably won't help much if at all, just wondering if anyone has tried it and what the results were.

Doesn't help. Delete and redownload is a more comprehensive version of this, and that doesn't help either. I've done both. Multiple times. I am not sure what the "optimize database" function does - perhaps redoes the search index and a few other fixes. It just does nothing for the freeze problem.

I am convinced it is the .exb file format. This issue doesn't exist on OS X where every note and attachment is a separate file, so if you need to modify one note, it modifies one file. WIth Windows, it has to tear into a 7GB database (in my case) which causes the freeze.

I can repro this instantly too. Annotate a PDF and click Save. EN will freeze for 2-3 minutes while it makes room in the database for the edits.

Many other things cause it, like, you know, typing, but the annotate is a sure-fire way to cause it.

[CalS 5,280]

@EdH

Good to know thanks.  Yeah, there is definitely some disk crunching periodically and logically it makes sense the index is being updated.  It was one of the reasons I went SSD; EN would freeze but CPU usage was less than 10% and the disk light was solid.  So I was able to mask the issue with technology, brute force method for sure.  EN doesn't appear to be interested in addressing that plumbing based upon the length of time the issue has existed (no Captain Obvious references please). 

[EdH 1,670]

4 minutes ago, csihilling said:

@EdH

Good to know thanks.  Yeah, there is definitely some disk crunching periodically and logically it makes sense the index is being updated.  It was one of the reasons I went SSD; EN would freeze but CPU usage was less than 10% and the disk light was solid.  So I was able to mask the issue with technology, brute force method for sure.  EN doesn't appear to be interested in addressing that plumbing based upon the length of time the issue has existed (no Captain Obvious references please). 

You are 100% right - this is a pure I/O issue with the disk. CPU usage is non-existent during this process, and RAM usage is unaffected.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

12 hours ago, EdH said:

Submitting bug reports via the bug reporting channel get me nowhere. "Send me your sync log." Sync log doesn't report this because syncing isn't involved. I can be offline and it still happens.

I think it is probably the "Activity Log" they are requesting.  I'm not aware of any "sync log".

12 hours ago, EdH said:

Submitting bug reports via the bug reporting channel get me nowhere.

Perseverance is a virtue, and often rewarding.  As they say, "Rome wasn't built in a day".

Repeating your complaint here may or may not get noticed by the Evernote Dev team (probably not, IMO).  Submitting a bug report at least causes some action, some response, to happen internally at Evernote.  If they keep getting the same bug reported, eventually management will become aware of it.

Again, I encourage you to post your issue on Twitter, which is a very public place.  Evernote will not like a lot of negative bug reports there.

[EdH 1,670]

I understand what you are saying @JMichaelTX, but I've done this at least 3 times where teh support thread/adventure lasted 3-5 weeks, and ended with a "yup. thanks for the input, we'll keep working on it." and nothing.

It is exhausting and I don't have the time to waste on it anymore. I will happily devote HOURS to it every week if I have a direct line past the front line support, because that is useless for this. But I am not jumping on that treadmill again. It isn't productive. I know this from experience.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

59 minutes ago, EdH said:

It is exhausting and I don't have the time to waste on it anymore.

It's your choice.  I and many others have had good success with Support tickets.  I know this from experience.  If you think submitting bug reports are a waste of time, then surely posting here repeatedly about the same issue must also be a waste of time.

I strongly disagree that submitting bug reports isn't productive.  I continue to urge others to submit a bug report when they encounter the bug.

[jianfa.tsai 8]

On 5/28/2014 at 11:51 PM, Etonreve said:

 

Thanks.  I will look into downgrading.  I have a laptop, so changing the hard drive is not an option.  I have many notes and notebooks, if that's what you mean by a large .exb file.  But that's the point of having Evernote, right? 🙂

you can upgrade your laptop's Hard Drive to Solid State Drive simply here: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/ssd-upgrade-tutorial

I haven't test it out myself or you can bring to your nearby trusted computer shop (do a research on the reputation online first)

[PinkElephant 8,075]

If the Laptop has a classical hard drive inside, it can be replaced by an SSD. I do not know of any laptop with a turning disk drive where the drive was soldered to the main board - this is sometimes the case with newer laptops.

If a computer shop does it for you, they can clone the data from the old drive to the new SSD, which will then appear as the old machine, but way faster.

Depending on whether one wants to do it, it is often better to make afresh install of windows and the other stuff needed. This will clean out residue that has collected on the system over time. Because the laptop will gain another 3-5 years of usage, it is worth the money and effort. If you can spare the bucks, get some new RAM as well.

[dcon 166]

On 4/4/2020 at 5:48 AM, PinkElephant said:

If the Laptop has a classical hard drive inside, it can be replaced by an SSD.

I've had some laptops that required an engineering degree to do that. The really older ones typically had bay-accessible drives, making them easy to replace. Newer (but still old!) laptops got rid of the bays, requiring you to basically disassemble the entire machine. I remember one (Sony, I think) machine where I wanted to pull the drive. I gave up - couldn't figure out how to crack the case without actually, you know, cracking the case.

[CalS 5,280]

7 hours ago, dcon said:

I've had some laptops that required an engineering degree to do that. The really older ones typically had bay-accessible drives, making them easy to replace. Newer (but still old!) laptops got rid of the bays, requiring you to basically disassemble the entire machine. I remember one (Sony, I think) machine where I wanted to pull the drive. I gave up - couldn't figure out how to crack the case without actually, you know, cracking the case.

Amen.  I was going to add an SSD to my wife's 5 year old Lenovo so as to cut down on my help desk duties whenever some Windows process would take the machine for a ride until I watched a YouTube video on how to do it.  Getting a guitar pick and peeling back the keyboard was a bit more than I was interested in doing.  So the help desk is still open....

😒

[dcon 166]

44 minutes ago, CalS said:

Amen.  I was going to add an SSD to my wife's 5 year old Lenovo so as to cut down on my help desk duties whenever some Windows process would take the machine for a ride until I watched a YouTube video on how to do it.  Getting a guitar pick and peeling back the keyboard was a bit more than I was interested in doing.  So the help desk is still open....

😒

Sometimes, it's just easier to buy a new laptop. (And considering the time that would be spent, cheaper too!)

[PinkElephant 8,075]

This is good advise - at least from an economical point of view.

If one wants to do the replacement, there are usually good videos on YT showing the little tricks to avoid breaking more than a warranty seal. I think there is sort of an inner value in repairing / upgrading things that are still capable of doing the job instead of replacing them.

In many cases the newer models are rarely faster,  but got somewhat downgraded. Talking about the good old days, just take a look at the keyboards.

So open it up, replace the HDD by an SSD, plug in a new memory bank or two for additional RAM, and you will be good for another 3-5 years.

[CalS 5,280]

5 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

This is good advise - at least from an economical point of view.

If one wants to do the replacement, there are usually good videos on YT showing the little tricks to avoid breaking more than a warranty seal. I think there is sort of an inner value in repairing / upgrading things that are still capable of doing the job instead of replacing them.

In many cases the newer models are rarely faster,  but got somewhat downgraded. Talking about the good old days, just take a look at the keyboards.

So open it up, replace the HDD by an SSD, plug in a new memory bank or two for additional RAM, and you will be good for another 3-5 years.

I like the personal satisfaction of doing a mechanical thing.  I never had a Mac so when my daughter upgraded her MacBook Pro she gave the old one to me.  I added an SSD and some memory and it runs like a scalded dog now though I am a lot slower re the interface and all.  It was easy to upgrade. 

When I got to the point of the below in the Lenovo YouTube video, I decided self accomplishment might not be worth it.  But we do digress the thread.

[PinkElephant 8,075]

Well, we all have to adapt to new realities: Here in Germany, computer shops are closed because of the corona lock down, but (imagine) the DIY-Stores are open. Maybe somebody decided that if people have to stay at home they should do something useful, like painting down the kitchen or repairing the wobbly couch table leg.

So if you are frustrated by EN in your home office, you can’t go out and buy a new computer. But you can go and get a screwdriver ...

[CalS 5,280]

7 minutes ago, PinkElephant said:

Well, we all have to adapt to new realities: Here in Germany, computer shops are closed because of the corona lock down, but (imagine) the DIY-Stores are open. Maybe somebody decided that if people have to stay at home they should do something useful, like painting down the kitchen or repairing the wobbly couch table leg.

So if you are frustrated by EN in your home office, you can’t go out and buy a new computer. But you can go and get a screwdriver ...

Agreed, pick one's poison, keeping the personal help desk open was mine.  Though one can get a new laptop delivered.  😉

[dcon 166]

18 hours ago, CalS said:

Though one can get a new laptop delivered.

Can confirm! (Lenovo X1 Carbon)