barlowjam
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OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
Just thought I would post these tips here. Little things to make sure your system is optimized for digital audio - just in case anyone was unaware of them. These came from the Spectrasonics.net website (hope they don't mind  ) 1. Processor scheduling should be set to background services and not Programs. Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced Tab > Background Services 2. Visual effects should be set to a minimum. Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings > Visual Effects Tab > Adjust for best performance 3. Switch Off Desktop Background Image Right Click Desktop > Properties > Desktop Tab > Background None 4. Disable Screen Saver Right Click Desktop > Properties > Screen Saver > None 5. Disable Fast User Switching Start > Settings > Control Panel > User Accounts > Change the way users log on or off > Untick Use Fast User Switching 6. Switch Off Power Schemes Start > Settings > Control Panel > Power Options > Always On > Turn off monitor and turn off hard discs to Never 7. Switch Off Hibernation Start > Settings > Control Panel > Power Options > Hibernate > Untick Hibernation 8. Disable System Sounds Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Sounds Tab > Sound Scheme to None.
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Dave Modisette
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/25 22:09:34
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1. Processor scheduling should be set to background services and not Programs.
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced Tab > Background Services Noel Borthwick of Cakewalk doesn't recommend this. http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.asp?m=1238330&mpage=1&key=Background%
post edited by Mod Bod - 2008/10/25 22:16:00
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DW_Mike
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/25 23:37:05
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I don't "tweak" my XP any more. I've tried it with and without and see no noticeable differences on my system. Dell Precision M90 laptop, Intel Core 2 Duo 1.66 GHz, 2 GB RAM and a 80 GB HD @ 7200 RPM. But hey, thats just me. Mike
Sonar X3 ~ Scarlett 18i6 ~ Home Build DAW
GA-Z77X-UD5H
Intel i7 3770k 4.2GHz
32GB RAM Crucial Ballistix Elite (4x8)
2x Samsung 250GB SSD
1TB WD Black HDD @ 7200RPM 6Gb/s 64MB
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Windows 7 Pro 64Bit.
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jm24
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/26 00:00:25
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ORIGINAL: chefmike8888
thats just me.
Ja. You bees alone.
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Larry Sheehan
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/26 00:33:55
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I also leave the XP tweaks to others.
I haven't seen the need, and my machine is absolutely stable.
Larry Sheehan - San Gabriel Sound
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MesaDCLP
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/26 00:47:52
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When your xp system is at idle, is it truely idling? Not without tweaks!  Test it: Open task manager, sort by CPU and select the second process in the list. The first should be System Idle Process. If you see any movement, your PC isn't idling. Tweaks help optimize a system for it's intended use. Those that say tweaking doesn't yield benefits have not done their research!!! I could add a to do list, but who has time.
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Rothchild
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/26 06:03:29
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You've missed one of the most important ones.
Fix the size of your virtual memory (page file) to 1.5 times the amount of RAM in the system (ie make the maximum and the minimum the same) this prevent Windows from deciding that it needs to resize the page file midway through the 'killer take' and sucking up all your disk bandwidth.
Child
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ChristopherM
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/26 08:08:26
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I don't think it's helpful just to list tweaks without explaining their individual pros and cons. For example, your no.7 is only relevant if you are short of disk space. I regularly hibernate my various PCs and it has no noticeable effect on performance as such, but it certainly speeds up start up and shutdown. It takes up as much hard disk space as you have RAM installed, but that's no big deal. However, I never attempt to hibernate when Sonar is running (or any ASIO-using app) as bad things happen.
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syrath
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/26 10:27:05
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ORIGINAL: Mod Bod
1. Processor scheduling should be set to background services and not Programs.
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced Tab > Background Services
Noel Borthwick of Cakewalk doesn't recommend this.
http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.asp?m=1238330&mpage=1&key=Background%
Also been quoted in the latest Sound on Sound issue as saying this sometimes has a detrimental effect. It also only applies to ASIO drivers and is a tweak recommended by them on this basis, so if you are using WDM its most likely doubly a waste of time. To be honest if you are sitting with a half decent computer by modern standards then the overhead gained by these tweaks is minimal. I mean the desktop background image tweak, just how much performance gain do you get back. On my task manager I gained 1 MB of memory used and 0% CPU. With 4 GB of ram in the system I dont think Im particularly worried about the <100 MB that is being used by the system. Similarly all the services run at less than 1% with or without the tweaks. Anything that affects disk streaming I can understand (like screen savers kicking in while you are recording, or antivirus software) If you want to see performance increases, go get Auslogics Boostspeed, it has a list of recommended tweaks that make your system feel more responsive, but to be honest the majority of the benefits are from the menu automations running quicker, rather than an actual system boost.
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bitflipper
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/26 14:00:26
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Giving priority to background processes is dangerous simply because you're also bumping the priority of every Windows service that's running, including processes that normally don't need to have a high priority, such as the spooler. But if you use your machine exclusively as a DAW, you can turn most of those things off.
I once advocated boosting background process priority, but I stopped the practice after SONAR 5. Back then I had an underpowered system, and I actually had projects that would not play without dropouts unless the priority was boosted for background processes. That no longer seems to be the case.
For those of you who don't bother with tweaks at all, you're probably going to be OK. The reason is obvious if you take a look at per-process CPU usage during recording or playback: system processes are not where the CPU is spending its cycles. You'll get a much bigger bang for the buck by concentrating on efficiencies within your recording projects.
This does not mean that you shouldn't at least take a look at your system usage and identify bottlenecks. There are a few things that'll getcha, such as starting with a too-small paging device and too-small autosizing increments, or allowing USB devices to power down, or enabling the Indexing Service. It's just not necessary to get anal about it.
 All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. My Stuff
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DW_Mike
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/26 16:47:12
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ORIGINAL: bitflipper
This does not mean that you shouldn't at least take a look at your system usage and identify bottlenecks. There are a few things that'll getcha, such as starting with a too-small paging device and too-small autosizing increments, or allowing USB devices to power down, or enabling the Indexing Service. It's just not necessary to get anal about it.
I'm sorry for not being clear, I do do some things but not the whole list of tweaks. Mike
Sonar X3 ~ Scarlett 18i6 ~ Home Build DAW
GA-Z77X-UD5H
Intel i7 3770k 4.2GHz
32GB RAM Crucial Ballistix Elite (4x8)
2x Samsung 250GB SSD
1TB WD Black HDD @ 7200RPM 6Gb/s 64MB
Corsair H80i Liquid cooler
Noctua Silent Fans ~ 3x120mm ~ 1x140mm
Seasonic Platinum 760w PSU
Windows 7 Pro 64Bit.
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ew
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/26 17:42:10
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The background services thing is more system dependent than anything else IMO. I run other hosts that like to see that (they're also ASIO only as far as low latency options go). I could set up different profiles for each, but I'm lazy...
Besides the things that Dave mentioned, your other tweaks don't amount to jack in the long run.
ew
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WDI
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/26 21:05:36
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I do video also besides audio so choose to dual boot so that I could use one boot specifically for Sonar with all the tweaks. The other boot has all the bells and whistles, no tweaks, including anti-virus running etc. I have not noticed any noticable perfomance increase when booted into the stripped down, tweaked, Sonar only boot. Really the only thing I gain from having the dual boot is a place where I know I have Sonar ready to go in a much more controlled environment in which I'm less likely to induce a confilict with other software.
post edited by WDI - 2008/10/26 21:08:56
Sonar 7 PE Windows XP Pofessional (SP3) MSI K8N Neo4-F AMD Athlon 64 3500+ 2 GB PC 3200 Ram RME Fireface 800 Edirol FA-66 CM Labs MotorMix Old stuff: ARJO
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barlowjam
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RE: OT: Sys Optimize (XP Settings)
2008/10/30 19:35:34
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ORIGINAL: ChristopherM
I don't think it's helpful just to list tweaks without explaining their individual pros and cons. For example, your no.7 is only relevant if you are short of disk space.
These came from the Spectrasonics website. Wasn't "my" number seven. My number seven is a variation of Mel Brook's number six: "What's a number six?" "That's where we go a riddin' into town, a whompin and a woopin' every livin' thing within an inch of it's life. Except the Women folk." "You spare the women folk?" Naw we r_ _e the s_ _t out of them at the number six dance later on." My music PC was set up by ADK - never touch that one. I only used some of the above on my internet computer. Definitely made a big difference. Good discussion though. Still glad that I posted them (even if many of you apparently aren't )
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