optimizing Win 7 for X2

One well known tweak/trick is to use the Task Manager to end as many unnecessary processes as you can and that would include any Web browsers if they're not needed. You can also try stopping any unnecessary services. You can also try disabling your anti-virus program if you're not doing any Net work while using SONAR. Basically you're trying to free more memory and not have processes/services running that could potentially interfere with SONAR's audio engine.

Thanks.  Just what I was looking for.

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I'm getting some synth engine shut offs.  I don't know if it is my FW card w/ TC interface or some little glitch somewhere along the line.  4 X the power, but I'm getting about as many shut offs as before.  That is the main problem - not killer, just annoying.

When I was fine tuning X1/Win7 last year, I kept log of what I did and after each tuning, I would reboot/test it, if the setting does improves the round trip latency. Tedious process.

I ended up not tuning many setting as I do not see any improvement.

Here are a few settings that I ended up tuning :

- Aero used to cause drop out when I move my mouse over the task-bar, and I have to set Windows to plain/classic theme. But I believe this may be due to display driver issue. I have not reverted back. If Aero is not giving you any problem, there is no tuning necessary.

- Disable wireless networking (spike can be seen if turned on using Centrance Latency Checker tool).

- One of the setting that gives measurable result (lower a little of the latency further without clicks/pops) for me is to un-check files indexing.
- select C drive (my computer), right click property
- at the bottom of the pie chart, there is an option "Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed..."  <- un-check this.


- My log is not too clear on this next tuning, so you may have to test it before/after :
- System Protection : Turn off C: system restore

One more Sonar setting that I pick up from this forum :

Thread balancing for multi-core processore
To edit inside Sonar->Preference->Configuration file (field : ThreadSchedulingModel)

0 = Same as previous versions of SONAR. 
1 = (default) Better thread balance. Model is more efficient and can provide cycles for other tasks. 
2 = Additional worker thread is created. This may result in improvement with Quad processor systems or higher. Not recommended for Dual processor systems. 


I have mine set to 2.

I didn't think about the wireless thing.  My previous computer didn't have it.  And yea, this computer is music only.  I have a dsl cable I can hook up if necessary, although the wife complains when I snake it to the box.  So it never stays connected any longer than needed for updating and registering and such.

Thanks for all the ideas and links.

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Fur shure stop all auto starting/updating stuff: windows updates, java, adobe, yahoo/google bars, AV if possible, defragging, and task scheduler stuff: performance tests,... sent to MS.
 
It is essential now to review processes started by the task manager. Many jerk programmers have moved the startings to there from the RUN area of the registry.
And lots of MS auto performance crap needs to be disabled.
 
Aero is the underlying driver. Transparency and other eye candy is annoying.  But aero is designed to use the GPU to do graphics stuff.  For most computers this is a good thing. I use a basic AERO theme and then set to best performance. Gets rid of the cluttered 3-d look.
 
ASIO runs as a daughter process in Sonar, unlike for Cubase. But some have reported better results with background tasks prioritized. I figger this is because some other driver in their is systems is elevated.
 
Setting swap/page file to auto is best. This is so the OS can do what it needs as quickly as it can. Setting the size results in the OS needing to clear space to add something.
 
Variation for Space saving: set swap on OS disk to 200 min/max. And then auto size on another disk.
 
Disabling is nicht gut. Error reporting requires a page file. Error reporting is your friend.
 
I have system restore on for the C drive: important for repairing bad installs and other such.  
System restore is off for the audio disk.
 
Stopping ALL networking is best during heavy work sessions. The net stuff is constantly polling for updates from the master browser,... Notice in the latency monitor image on the Native Instruments page link above: 5 of the most egregious drivers are network dudes.
 
Disable ALL power options: I never let ANY computer I own and maintain "Sleep." I only use hibernate. But not with the audio computer.
 
As stated on the NI page: Disable any graphic support tools: ati hot-key poller,....  these are usually services.
 
 
Last year I came across a message/info of how someone had created a VBS/wscript script to disable all the unwanted stuff. And another script to make it all on.
 
Too bad MS decided to remove the machine profiles function after XP.
 
I do use the internet from the dedicated music computer. Often it is easier to view youtube vids when learning, although I have a netbook I also use. And now with CW using the online help as default, which will be updated quicker, it is sometimes desirable.  But during heavy sessions I want no interference.