SOUND ON SOUND

[MannyBoy]

Greetings! I've recently built a new PC computer specific for music recording.

Here is the build:

Case: Nanoxia Deep Silence 5 Rev. B

Mother Board: Asus X-99-WS-E
ATX-LGA2011-v3
SATA 6Gb; USB 3.0/3.1

Processor: Intel Core i7-6800K, Broadwell-E
6-core, 3.4 GHz, LGA 2011-v3, 140w

CPU: be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance LPX (64 GB total) 288-Pin, DDR4
OS: M.2 (Windows 10 64-bit)
Audio Storage Drive: Seagate Barracuda 500 GB (4)
Sample/Data Drive: SSD’s 500GB (4)
Optical Drive: Asus 24x CD/DVD burner
Multimedia Card Reader: StarTech Multimedia Reader
Other PCI: 1. Blackmagic Intensity Pro 4k Capture/Playback Card
2. Extra USB 3.0/3.1 ports
Graphic Card: Radeon RX Vega
Power: Dark Power Pro11
1000w 80 Plus Platinum Modular

Issues:

The computer will boot up fine, and I can access all data/files/folders/Virtual Instruments.
However, when I am using any virtual instrument (Native Instruments, Spitfire, Best Service, etc.), as a stand-alone or within Cubase 10, after about 10-15 minutes it will freeze/crash. The only thing I can do is reboot. Note that I transferred my old computer C: boot drive to the new computer (for storage), but I boot off the new M.2 drive that has Windows 10 (not sure it that is part of the problem?). I've tried to "tweak' the BIOS and Windows 10 for sound recording specifics, but the computer still freezes/crashes. Needless to say, I'm pulling out my hair (I'm older, so there is a limited amount). :)

Any thoughts?

I REALLY appreciate your time and recommendations!

Cheers-
Manfred

[DanR]

Note that I transferred my old computer C: boot drive to the new computer (for storage), but I boot off the new M.2 drive that has Windows 10 (not sure it that is part of the problem?).

Hi
I’ve read that the M.2 drive needs to be the only storage drive installed. Maybe disconnect your old C drive and see if that helps.

[MannyBoy]

Thank you! I will give that a try. It sounds that given that my old C drive has Windows 7 on it, it may be affecting windows 10 on the new M.2 Drive? I really appreciate the insight, it makes a lot of sense.

[Trevor Johnson]

I wonder if it is a cooling issue, so that the CPU is more stressed when using your virtual instruments, more than when just accessing folders/files, etc.. The Dark Rock Pro 4 is a big cooler and perhaps it isn't seated properly, something that can easily be missed, ( I did a few years ago with a Noctua DH14 and a similar thing happened). So what are the temps like, before and during using your virtual instruments?

Re-using an SSD drive for storage, even if it once was an OS 'C' drive shouldn't affect anything, especially as you will have formatted it. Having an NVME SSD drive on the MB doesn't limit your storage drives; the only caveat can be if you have two or more M2 drives on the MB and then you may lose SATA ports etc..

[MannyBoy]

Thank you! Yes, agreed, I will reset the CPU. The heat/performance monitoring program doesn’t indicate overheating, but worth a reset of the unit. I really appreciate all the feedback guys, and I will update later today or tomorrow. I’m so glad to find this community of fellow lovers of all thing tech and music. Incredibly helpful.

Cheers!

[n o i s e f l e ur]

Re-using an SSD drive for storage, even if it once was an OS 'C' drive shouldn't affect anything, especially as you will have formatted it.

It doesn't sound as if he has formatted it, just bunged it back in the system as is.

Question for the OP - did you reinstall your applications to the new Win 10 system or are you trying to run them from the old drive?

[MannyBoy]

Thanks! I think we're on to something. Given that this is my first build, I have a few questions:

While I believe I am booting off the new M.2 drive (as my new C: drive and DAW), and given that I have the old C: drive installed (Windows 7 is still on it), I have not formatted the old drive in any way. As noted: "It doesn't sound as if he has formatted it, just bunged it back in the system as is." (True)
Honestly, I don't even know how to format a drive. I will research this. All my virtual instruments are on other SSD drives (2), but I do believe that some of my VI had been on my old C: drive (I transferred/migrated them, but they may have a link associated and that may be confusing the computer?). Is seems like the recommendation to address this issue is the priority.

Any advice is applicated! I'm starting to have hope again that I can solve this (with this wonderful help).

Cheers!

[merlyn]

What I would do is take it back to the minimum hardware required to boot, then add hardware back one piece at a time to track down what's causing it.

The absolute minimum is power supply, motherboard, CPU, memory, graphics card, keyboard, mouse, monitor and bootable storage. If you want you can stress test it with Prime 95 and speedfan to monitor temperatures.

After establishing that the basic system is good add the drive with your virtual instruments and see if it works. I would consider resetting the BIOS to its defaults to rule that out. If this doesn't work then it's a software problem which could be to do with your audio optimisations.

A step by step approach will hopefully track the problem down.

[DC-Choppah]

Open the windows event viewer. Type 'event' into the windows search and click on the event viewer.

Look at the system events.

Look for events that are catastrophic.

[n o i s e f l e ur]

All my virtual instruments are on other SSD drives (2), but I do believe that some of my VI had been on my old C: drive (I transferred/migrated them, but they may have a link associated and that may be confusing the computer?).

How, exactly, did you transfer / migrate them?

[MannyBoy]

Noisefleur wrote:
How, exactly, did you transfer / migrate them?

Me: I transferred/migrated some VI files via a program called "Fab's AutoBackup 6", that I had a computer tech do here in the studio. It appears to me that he basically put everything from the old C; drive onto the new M.2 C: drive. That was great (?) given that I didn't want to loss anything from that drive.

Thanks again!

[MannyBoy]

DC-Choppah wrote:

Open the windows event viewer. Type 'event' into the windows search and click on the event viewer.
Look at the system events.
Look for events that are catastrophic.

Me: Thanks! I did this. The data is thus:
41 Critical events; Source = Kernel-Power; Event ID= 41; Task Category (63)

All 41 critical events are exactly the same as noted above.

Thank you!

-Manfred

[n o i s e f l e ur]

Looks like you've a few different issues going on here. First, you need to establish if the critical event viewer entries conincide with your crashes.

I would try removing the BlackMagic PCI card and see if the problem persists, if that cures the crashes / freezes you need to try it in a different slot, or reseat the card.

The other potential issue is the transfer / migration of stuff from the old Windows instance. There's no real problem just moving files across but you can't usually just move applications like that - particularly commercial (copy-protected) software. You really ought to have reinstalled your software fresh to the Windows 10 instance. An exception to this would be VSTs that are just a DLL file you drop into your VST Plugins directory, or applications that are built to be portable (standalone apps that don't write to the Registry or any of the directories Microsoft use to store settings (or for the avearage developer, WTF they decide to spray crap).

Another thought - do you have any ASUS power management applications installed and running? Driver updater software? What about PCIe / PCI power management settings in BIOS / UEFI?

Try the BlackMagic first though.

[Trevor Johnson]

Honestly, I don't even know how to format a drive

There are many options, here are three:

1. Right click the drive you want to format in Windows Explorer, select format and follow the instructions. But I would only use that for USB sticks, not system drives.

2. Use Disk Management which you find in the Control Panel. Many people use this, but I'm not a fan.

3. Download the free edition of EaseUS Partition Master. It is very versatile and allows you to create, resize, clone, move, merge, and format disks and partitions. This is the one I use for managing my installed disks, SSDs and HDDs. ( I have the Pro version, but also use the free one, they are essentially the same).

Whatever you do, double and triple check you are formatting the disk you intend to. Naming them will help a lot in avoiding any 'accidents'.

You may come across GParted , but don't use it unless you really know what you're doing and are familiar with Linux.

[Trevor Johnson]

The other potential issue is the transfer / migration of stuff from the old Windows instance. There's no real problem just moving files across but you can't usually just move applications like that - particularly commercial (copy-protected) software. You really ought to have reinstalled your software fresh to the Windows 10 instance

+1 That's probably at the heart of your problem, especially if everything else on your PC is working fine.