please help! very frustrated user, popping/skipping, etc

comablack · Post by **comablack** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:28 pm

thanks, and also the memory type in my machine is 1gb @ 533mhz mentioned in the above listed specs.

also - i've read other suggestions for disabling USB. i use a wireless keyboard and mouse, but this is not an issue, as i certainly don't mind replacing them with standard devices. the issue is with steinberg's USB protection device. the software will not launch without the device plugged in.

symbiote · Post by **symbiote** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:46 pm

On 2005-03-18 12:07, comablack wrote:
currently the scope card is on IRQ4. i realize that IRQ5 set aside for soundcards, and IRQ4 for serial ports, but before you start jumping on me about IRQ sharing, i have already disabled all the serial and parallel ports in the bios, so how can there still be a conflict?

i'm only finding out now that Dell uses some proprietary bios that doesn't allow you to manually set the IRQ. should have, could have, would have, etc, that's all pointless now, but maybe someone with a bit more experience can tell me if theres an alternate way (outside of the BIOS) to manually set IRQ.

on the subject of creamware not having time to check into compatibility with every make and model for every computer, you have a point, however, doesn't logic then say that if someone asks a compaitibility question that they should answer "i don't know," or "there's no way to be sure," instead of "yes?"

On the subject of IRQs, while I agree that in theory/logically, turning off comm ports should solve sharing problems, in practice computers are a good blend of logic and voodoo, and don't always work like you think they might/should, hence you might still have something trying to service the comm ports interrupts even tho the functionnality is turned off. Like you say, Dell uses a custom BIOS, hence there's no way to be sure how it works.

As for setting IRQs, you can do it in XP if you are in Standard PC mode (in system -> advanced -> device manager -> right click on Standard PC and click on properties, go to the IRQ Steering tab, and turn it off). In that mode you can turn off IRQ steering, which automatically assigns IRQs to devices independantly of settings you provide in the BIOS or in XP.

Finally about Creamware and Dell computers, what your logic doesn't take into account is that they might have gotten numerous reports from customers before yours that their card works fine with Dell computers, hence the answer you got. Dell build their computers from alot of difference part/sources, so the CW cards might work well with some model, and not as well with some others.

Try the IRQ Steering thing first, and maybe moving the card to a different slot if you haven't tried it, but if this doesn't work, you definitely should consider a clean non-Dell-custom-version XP install, taking care which drivers get installed first.

comablack · Post by **comablack** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:53 pm

ok, so i should make sure that IRQ steering is turned OFF, and then i should be able to manually assign the IRQ settings thru the resource tab in device manager?

i know that there is a way for me to list devices by the IRQ that they are using, but i can't recall how. this might also be useful to me, so that i can be 100% sure that i'm not sharing. if someone knows what i'm talking about and can let me know how to do it, that'd be greatly appreciated.

and also, THANK YOU for all of your help. i understand that i can likely be coming off a bit short, but i've pulled out my hair with this one and i think you can likely relate to that =)

Post by **Guest** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:57 pm

right mouse click on my computer and go to properties.

select the hardware tab

click on device manager
select from the top menu view by connection

click the plus sign ion IRQ

symbiote · Post by **symbiote** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 1:08 pm

You can also use the Accessories -> System Tools -> System Information program-thingy to list all IRQs and devices using them.

okantah · Post by **okantah** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 1:33 pm

Hi comablack.
All you need to do is to reformat your HDD,Install all the programs fresh,and not to forget to install the mobo drivers.this is for sure.
cheers

Post by **garyb** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 6:33 pm

this isn't about dell, particularly. it's about YOUR computer. this machine should work fine with acpi, ht might not be the best thing. you can disable ht in bios, but if the os is set up with the multiprocessor hal, you might be better off reinstalling from scratch(format and reinstall everything). since you only havew a restore cd, a true clean reinstallation may be difficult. you may want to by an oem version of xp(about $80 here: http://store.viosoftware.biz/wixphoed.html). the dell version is a special version for their computers....

you need to look at accessories/system tools/ system information to see what is really going on with irqs. do this and post it first.

if you can eliminate hardware issues and it still doesn't work, then a fresh install of everything will definitely do the trick. this stuff works 100% for sure. i've done too many installs on too many computers to tell you otherwise.

Post by **Guest** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 6:58 pm

Gary is right in this regard. preinstalled OS's on systems like this one tend to cause problems that is very hard to pinpoint even if you were an expert on PC's. Actually an expert will rush to format the HD and put a clean OS instead of spending hours fuguring out a solutions that may be solved in 1/2 hour of reinstalltion.

I am sure more than few here have taken this route, and always be prepared to do a clean install in the future too.

comablack · Post by **comablack** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:06 pm

hi,

i fear that a re-installation of the OS might be the only thing that i can do. i found that the creamware *was* having an IRQ conflict with one of the USB ports, so i uninstalled that from the system, which (according to system information) cleared up the problem with the IRQ conflict.

it did not take care of the skipping popping problem.

to the person that posted the link to the OEM version of XP, i did not see a version there at the price you were talking about. can you send me a more direct link?

thanks,

Post by **garyb** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:31 pm

sure. use that link, click on microsoft on the navigation bar on the left. click on windows xp home choose w/ sp1(if you're gonna use no internet, a good idea) or sp2.

i did an install on a dell once, where usb was a problem because the machine had extra usb ports. disabling the ports that shared the irq solved the problem there(i had to disable one hub in the device manager and then checked system information to see if the shared irq issue was resolved. pretty easy). the actual number of tweaks really nessessary for good operation is very low. (turn of write cashing for hds, turn off all the xp visual gimmicks, turn off system restore, etc)

trying different pci slots really helps as well.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: garyb on 2005-03-18 19:42 ]</font>

comablack · Post by **comablack** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:16 pm

hi gary,

did you have to reinstall XP in order to make your dell work? i tried uninstalling the USB that was sharing the IRQ with the creamware card thru device manager, but that didn't seem to have an effect.

i've tried it in all the available PCI slots to no effect, save for the one currently occupied by the Radeon X300 card (i can't recall if that's in an AGP or PCI slot for some reason). i'll open the box up again this weekend and double check.

i have a few other thoughts which maybe folks here can provide feedback on.

i have a second system that cubase performs flawlessly on - it's an older P4 @ 1.8ghz w 512bm ram. windows XP home, SP1 at the latest. currently that system has an M Audio Delta 1010 for sound, and as i said, it has given me no trouble.

my ideas to try to meet the deadline (mar25) that i have approaching are as follows:

pull the scope card from the newer machine and put it in the older one, and see if it provides the same problems. if not, swap the card back, finish the mix, then put the card back into the old box to mix the session down, minus the popping and skipping that go along with the new box.

my other thought is - would it be possible (on either box) to install both the M Audio delta 1010 *and* the scope project card, using the maudio with its ASIO drivers (again, flawless) to run cubase and using the creamware only for XTC effects? is this even possible, and if so, what are the probable outcomes?

another thought: i loaded up adobe audition (which was our software of choice before upgrading to cubase to gain midi sequencing) and it has *no* problems with skipping/popping during audio playback.

Post by **garyb** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:52 pm

the scope asio deivers ARE flawless, or at least as flawless as the m-adio. i use them to make money in my studio. the scope card also sounds a lot better. you might try the card in the other machine.

uninstalling the usb bus is NOT the answer. when you restart the computer, windows recognizes it again and reinstalls it! instead, DISABLE it.

and lastly, yes, eventually i did reinstall everything on the dell in question because the owner had so many things installed and uninstalled on that machine that the os was a mess. 5 months later, it still runs like a top.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: garyb on 2005-03-18 20:54 ]</font>

comablack · Post by **comablack** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:38 pm

i disabled it as well, thru device manager, and it also had no effect.

Post by **garyb** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:57 pm

as i said before, if the hardware issues are nullified and it doesn't work, back your user files, devices, presets and projects up and format and reinstall the os and programs.

another thing that will really help is to have all your audio files, sx3 project files etc on a separate hard drive. this is pretty important to a high track count. use the secondary ide channel or a separate sata channel.

comablack · Post by **comablack** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:53 pm

i know that it's not a matter of high track count, because it will skip with 1 mono track with no inserts loaded. i think that you're right and that getting a fresh, non dell XP and re-installing is the way to go.

Post by **garyb** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 11:38 pm

yes, and get a second hd as well.

wayne · Post by **wayne** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:29 am

I wasn't aware that you could run cubase successfully with only 1 drive.

comablack · Post by **comablack** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:46 am

it runs fine on my older box with just 1 driver, and the newer has 2 internal. 1 ready to be firewired up as well.

Post by **garyb** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:01 pm

make sure the two harddrives are on different channels.

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:48 pm

i might be repeating sometrhing here, but anyhow:

skipping:

- external midiequipment connected? put a midi monitor in your project to see if it sends bogus messages, or disconnect it to see if this helps. same goes with USB/firewall equipment.

- any firewall/spyware remover/other port-monitors running? turn them off.

- load a single small wavefile and repeat it lots of times in an audiotrack (instead of a long audiofile). how does this work?

- i know this one has been said before, but ill repeat it: update bios and motherboard drivers. this is IMPORTANT.

oh, and if its a dell, turn off every "special" items in the taskbar.