Hello SOS,

I really hope someone can help me track this down. Let me take you to the beginning:

I was running:

Toshiba laptop / Intel Pentium dual-core @ 2.0ghz / 4G RAM / EMU 0404 USB / 1T Seagate HD with windows 7 x64(OEM)

but when I hit a certain point (mixdown), the interruptions were unbearable. I spent days reading and tweaking and finally came to the conclusion that my EMU 0404, which was discontinued and was running off a BETA driver since 2010, AND my MBox2 mini weren't good with Windows 7. I bit the bullet and installed WIN XP 64 from my old desktop, (figuring I could always put win7 back).

Now, Windows 7 was giving me consistent CPU spikes of 50% every 10 seconds. But here's where I am with XP64:

After a clean install onto a formatted drive, with network adapter and CD drive disabled, no sound driver other than the EMU (and the regular codecs...). I installed one program: Reaper. And as soon as I open it up, no VSTs scanned, no project.....the CPU is at 15%. I did this because the first time I installed everything seemed fine until I loaded a full project.....and it just won't play without cracking. Again, these are relatively light projects.
I then installed Acid Pro, same thing. Uninstalled EMU, installed MBox, same thing.
15% CPU idled. Is that normal? If so, how the hell did they sell software when CPUs were 256mhz?

The problem is of course when everything's going. Even at the highest buffer setting (500ms!)

Here's what I got:
-On Process Explorer it shows up under DPCs. DPC latency checker shows nothing. (Absolute= 600u)

-Obviously plugins aren't the culprit. The "bypass" shows effects responsible for about 20%, normal.

- Clean install, two different DAWs, two different audio cards (EMU 0404/MBox2 mini, latest drivers, one at a time)

- Updated all drivers. Tried old and new graphics drivers. (Standard VGA/Intel HD) Disabled Network adapter, no internet.

- No firewall. No anti-virus. Bare minimum services.
m
There's some stuff I'm missing. I just can't remember right now. Sorry.

I have no clue, but the computer came with a conexent audio driver that is gone now. I'll try that for kicks.

Let me ask, though, because I don't get it. I realize I have a low-budget system and a PC that's not at all optimal for audio. But still, with those specs I would've been the man 10 years ago. In theory, if I get rid of any buggy drivers, disconnect from the web and use software from 2010, i should be golden.......right??


Thanks a lot. great site Btw. Sure looks like you guys are having fun. lol

Hi Frank.
Can't help you directly but I note on P19 of the Feb mag that E-MU now have a "new" 0404 usb interface. Hopefully there are some good W7/64 drivers and that they will run the old AIs as well?

Dave.

To point you in the right direction, use 'task manager' to monitor the active 'processes' and determine which one is loading your CPU.

Press 'Ctrl-Alt-Del' together and click the link to start it, then view the 'processes' tab. It might be a good idea to use the 'view' menu to add 'I/O' columns because it could be that some sort of regular disk access is causing the spikes.

You mention there's not anti-virus - I assume you've not connected this machine to the internet at all in order to prevent infection (it could be a virus causing the issue).

And finally, there may be anti-malware running. Although you may not have installed any, Windows 7 comes with it's own inbuilt protection. Check the 'Windows Defender' options in control panel.

Ant.

Quote Ant Gamble:

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To point you in the right direction, use 'task manager' to monitor the active 'processes' and determine which one is loading your CPU.

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He's already got Process Explorer which is a super duper version of task manager - but I would agree that if you know how to drive Process Explorer you should find the answer immediately. It will even tell you which individual thread is taking up the processing time.

James.

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JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net

Quote Ant Gamble:

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Press 'Ctrl-Alt-Del' together and click the link to start it, then view the 'processes' tab.

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Just for future reference, [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Esc.] goes straight to task manager.

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Composer;
www.ogonline.org

Quote ef37a:

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Hi Frank.
Can't help you directly but I note on P19 of the Feb mag that E-MU now have a "new" 0404 usb interface. Hopefully there are some good W7/64 drivers and that they will run the old AIs as well?

Dave.

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Thanks I'll check that out.

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Thank You

Quote James Perrett:

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Quote Ant Gamble:

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To point you in the right direction, use 'task manager' to monitor the active 'processes' and determine which one is loading your CPU.

---

He's already got Process Explorer which is a super duper version of task manager - but I would agree that if you know how to drive Process Explorer you should find the answer immediately. It will even tell you which individual thread is taking up the processing time.

James.

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Sorry I didnt explain my deal well. I was a little heated when I posted. But yeah, I did a fresh install on a formatted drive and the first thing I installed was Reaper, checked it, then Acid 7, and both results were the same. (The thing with Reaper is that there are so many variables to mess with in "Preferences" regarding buffers...It seems very easy to miss a tick here and there. But Acid is straight forward.)

So, on both of them...as soon as they are fired up, no project loaded, I'm getting 12-15% CPU usage. The Process explorer shows the culprit as being DPCs. But that's all it says.

DPC latency checker shows nothing. (Absolute value= 600u)

What could be using that much doing nothing? That's not right is it?

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Thank You

Edited by Shonn Frank (01/02/13 07:57 PM)

Quote Shonn Frank:

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What could be using that much doing nothing? That's not right is it?

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Have you got an actual problem? Are you unable to run one of your projects from lack of resources? I wouldn't lose sleep over numbers.

Personally I'd go to Win7 32bit if you can. Although you'll have a little less RAM visible, you'll actually use less because 32bit programs are physically smaller to load and run, and as a result also work slightly faster.

Yes, that means with 4Gb RAM installed, a 32bit OS seeing 3.5Gb will usually run faster, and often leave you more available RAM for data within your programs.

32bit drivers are generally more stable too. You may well find that 15% drops to 10% or less just by running as 32bit instead of 64bit.