I went to do the rename trick and this is how that folder looks. I have NOT done this trick. It already has a NinjaTrader.old file AND I don't see the NinjaTrader.sdf file at all. Am I missing something?

You are not showing your file extensions.

Go to File Explorer -> View -> Check "File name extensions"

Again, let me reiterate that you need to determine if this is a software or hardware issue.

If I am you, I would do a fresh install of Windows and load only NT8, then isolate any faulty indicator or strategy by loading one at a time.

If the above doesn't help, then it could be a hardware issue and you can consider upgrading your hardware.

Touchups 

I went to do the rename trick and this is how that folder looks. I have NOT done this trick. It already has a NinjaTrader.old file AND I don't see the NinjaTrader.sdf file at all. Am I missing something?

syswizard 

A couple of items to consider.... .... 4) consider elevating the execution priority of NT8 from Normal to Above Normal or High.

I did this awhile back and it certainly improved NT8 performance (I'll just copy paste from a msg I sent some trader friends at the time):

Here's a tip - useful for those of us not using a dedicated trading computer - to prioritise computer resources for NT8 (I am using Windows 10 Pro). I have for some time manually done this on NT8 startup :

Task Manager > Processes > Apps > right click on NinjaTrader > Go to details > right click on NinjaTrader.exe > Set Priority > select either Above normal or High (not Realtime) > confirm.

But a bit of a pain to do every start up and I did not want to run a process manager program... the end this video

from 07:00 shows how to set up a desktop shortcut which will start NT8 in Above normal mode (seems to be as good as High, but makes a little more space for other processes).

Here's the location dialog I used to paste into the shortcut creation box:

cmd /c start "" /abovenormal "C:\Program Files (x86)\NinjaTrader 8\bin64\NinjaTrader.exe"

I have now replaced my regular NT8 icon with this shortcut in my Taskbar & it starts the program as desired.

Hope this helps.

Alternately you can download and install the PRIO application.
This manages the priorities for you.
https://www.prnwatch.com/prio/
Only problem with this approach is:
PRIO adds yet another process for Windows to manage and execute.

Think I figured it out!

I had subscribed to The Intentional Trader addon pack mainly for the data replay manager a few months ago. Forgot all about it. I asked them about any lagging issues. They said they were aware of some users experiencing issues, but were unable to replicate it themselves. I uninstalled all of that and have not had any major lagging since. I can have several windows open. I noticed a little stutter when I have several tick charts open, but it is not horrible. Nothing against that company, but seems I had a compatibility problem.

I also perform the usual maintenance mentioned in the previous posts. Everything is pretty workable now.

Thank you for all the suggestions!

Your pc is ok, Meaby is nt8

bobwest 

Agree with both these posts, which may have been made by others, but deserve to be made again. There were changes made when NT8 was designed that require particular programming practices. Failure by programmers to comply, both with indicators and strategies, caused serious issues in the early days, and in some cases these issues may persist today. Some indicators/strategies may not be fully compliant even now, or they may just be badly coded. You can't know if this is the case for you without elimination and step by step re-introduction of every indicator or strategy that did not come direct from NinjaTrader and that is not the current version of an NT-supplied indicator/strategy. You also need to test things like the number of charts, amount of data and number of workspaces you are running, by elimination and step by step re-introduction. So, the best technique is to: 1. Get back to a bare-bones, current installation of NT, running nothing at all except one chart with nothing but price on it and relatively little data. 2. One at a time, re-introduce indicators/strategies and run each for a good period of time to see if the one you're testing causes problems. Let the run time be consistent with how long it normally takes for your issues to appear. You will need to be patient with this, particularly since many/most/maybe all will be fine. But if you don't test, you don't know. (A complication is that the issue may be caused by having too many things running for your machine, which also should be tested by adding them in cumulatively to see what happens.) 3. Do essentially the same test procedure while gradually introducing more resources, like more charts, workspaces, more days of data, etc. If you're lucky, you'll find a problem quickly. If not, you will not. But there is no other reliable way to know. Or, of course, you could just spend the bucks and get a new PC . The problem is that you won't know in advance whether this will solve it, and you will have spent the money. There are still members of this forum who have problems with NT8 not running well, but there are a whole lot more who don't, judging by the fact that many use it and few complain. But the number of users with issues is not zero, which is real and is troubling. (Replacing the whole PC is, of course, an additional elimination test, just an expensive one.) Good luck. Sorry that you're one of the ones with issues. But elimination and step-by-step re-introduction is the only way to find what is going on, once you have done the other things recommended by other NT8 users. Bob.

Hello Bob,
Would you please compare between NinjaTrader8 and Sierra Charts (with Denali data and Teton order routing):

1) the load on PC resources
2) the persistence or frequency of lag issues
3) general bothersome quirks/hiccups or freezing of the platform vs. trouble free use of platform
4) problems with indicators and add-ons
5) the need for regular maintenance
6) the needed frequency to reboot the platform (daily, weekly, etc.)
7) anything else you would like to add...

Thanks in advance, Bob!

Liberty88 

Hello Bob, Would you please compare between NinjaTrader8 and Sierra Charts (with Denali data and Teton order routing): 1) the load on PC resources 2) the persistence or frequency of lag issues 3) general bothersome quirks/hiccups or freezing of the platform vs. trouble free use of platform 4) problems with indicators and add-ons 5) the need for regular maintenance 6) the needed frequency to reboot the platform (daily, weekly, etc.) 7) anything else you would like to add... Thanks in advance, Bob!

I can't really do this kind of detailed comparison. Aside from the amount of work and attention it would require ( ), I simply haven't used NT8 for a long time (years) and I'm sure it has changed.

There is also the fact that, compared to the recommended computer for NT8, mine is an old laptop that did not meet the initial requirements for NT8 as they were stated way back when, and my performance at the time certainly had a lot to do with the hardware I used. Remember that a lot of users do not have performance issues with NT8, even though that is the subject of this thread. The issues are not universal among forum users.

But in general,, Sierra Chart uses way less computer resources than NT8 (for anyone, with any hardware), and for me and my hardware, it was much less a problem.

But I'm going to decline to do the detailed comparison you asked, other than these general observations. You could try a trial of Sierra Chart -- I'm not sure if you could get trial data, you'd have to check with them. You might also need to switch brokers (probably would) because NT is the proprietary platform of NT Brokerage, although they do have a very few other brokers they support, as exceptions.

There is also a very steep learning curve with Sierra Chart, with the platform itself and with its documentation, although many who stay with it are happy in the end. Some of this is just a matter of there being so much to learn.

Generally, preferences in platform are also a very individual thing. Another reason I don't want to get into the comparison business. Try both, see what you like.

Bob.

Thanks for your response, Bob.

If any other members would like to comment on the comparison between NinjaTrader8 and Sierra Charts as outlined in my message, please respond.

Liberty88 

Thanks for your response, Bob. If any other members would like to comment on the comparison between NinjaTrader8 and Sierra Charts as outlined in my message, please respond.

I have been running Sierra Chart on a 16" macbook pro using parallels professional for two years now. Runs like a dream, never any issues at all. SC is very efficient with cpu and memory.

Edit: just adding details, I use the SC CME Direct order-routing service and Denali Exchange data feed.