scope hangs.

PC Configurations, motherboards, etc, etc

Moderators: valis, garyb

karl
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:01 pm

scope hangs.

Post by karl »

i would really appreciate any help.
i have a scope pro board,A16 ultra,and cubase sx.
everything works until i move something in scope,then cpu starts to hit 100%,and scope hangs,cubase continues.
i have tried all tweaks to xp,bios,display,standard pc,but with marginal improvement.
creamware card has irq 3
usb disabled

motherboard: asus p4b
intel 1.7
rage fury pro graphics

do i need a new computer?
User avatar
astroman
Posts: 8452
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2002 4:00 pm
Location: Germany

Post by astroman »

of course you do, and the best is...
it will come with Windows Vista

sorry for the kidding

your description is not very precise, but from your words I guess the problem is rather 'new' to your system, which otherwise was reliable and rarely modified (?)
did you change anything recently (memory, software, updates, new devices) - aside from the fact that you 'tried everything', which can easily mess a system ;)

If you say the Scope graphic hangs (the audio seems to be running, as otherwise Cubase would crash), you may try another graphic card (if you have one around).

cheers, Tom
User avatar
bill3107
Posts: 786
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2002 4:00 pm
Location: Europe

Post by bill3107 »

some cracked software can lead to such bugs :D

Have a look on the temperatures because a fan problem can also take the blame. igh temperatures are bad for stability and performance....
User avatar
bill3107
Posts: 786
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2002 4:00 pm
Location: Europe

Post by bill3107 »

I remember that a host of vsti or effects can lmead to such pcu peaks... that's a problem within cubase.

Have a look on this : http://www.digitalfishphones.com/main.p ... &subItem=6
User avatar
garyb
Moderator
Posts: 23374
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ghetto by the sea

Post by garyb »

sounds like an irq thing, sharing with the video card?
is this a new installation or an old one with a new problem?
this should be in problem solving.... :D
karl
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:01 pm

many thanks for the replies.

Post by karl »

many thanks for the replies.
previously my computer ran 98se,1 gig sdram,with 2x 20 gig hard dives.i had the same problem, only worse.now i have xp home,seagate barracuda 80 and 250 gig drives.i downloaded ulysses and i can see cpu overload ,cpu queue,when i adjust anything in scope.for example,if it is close to hanging and i move the mixer, i see cascading mixers.i strongly suspect the graphics card,and may try an even older one i have.
i am mixing 15 tracks asio source to stm2448,masreverb pro,masterverb,multitap delay as aux sends.2x vinco inserts,other eq and compression on channel strips.i can bus a stereo master through psy q,and optimaster,back to cubase.i would love this if it didnt hang so often.the sound compared to my previous m audiophile 2496,is incredible.
is there any point spending more money on my computer,i havent even activated xp yet
User avatar
katano
Posts: 1438
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2003 4:00 pm
Location: Zurich, Switzerland

Post by katano »

have a look at your irq's. as already mentioned above, there could be an
irq conflict between your scope and your graphic card or else. also
disable all unneeded stuff beside usb, means wireless, ethernet...

For IRQ conflicts:
-> Start -> Run -> type winmsd and hit enter -> then look at the
hardware resources tab -> conflicts -> and post the result list here

you can also try to lower the priority of scope in the task manager, right
mouse click on sfp.exe -> priority -> low

cheers
roman
karl
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:01 pm

conflicts:

Post by karl »

thank you katano,
changed priority to low but no improvement.

conflicts:

1/0 port 0x000003c0-0x000003df intel(r)82845 processor to agp
controller-1a31
1/0 port 0x000003c0-0x000003df rage fury pro

memory address oxf3000000-0xf3efffff intel(r)82845 processor to
agp controller-1a31
memory address oxf3000000-0xf3efffff rage fury pro

irq 11 rage fury pro
irq 11 nec pci to usb enhanced controller(b1)

memory address 0xa0000-oxbffff intel(r)82845 processor to agp
controller-1a31
memory address 0xa0000-oxbffff rage fury pro

1/0 port 0x000003b0-0xooooo3bb intel(r)82845 processor to agp
controller-1a31
1/0 port 0x000003b0-0xooooo3bb rage fury pro
User avatar
astroman
Posts: 8452
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2002 4:00 pm
Location: Germany

Post by astroman »

obviously the usb is still active in Windows, as it shares with the graphcard.
The 'cascading' moving graphics are sometimes normal (at least on 'classic' graphcards). I occasionally observe it on a Matrox G450 Dualhead as well, without any load.
The 'full' disabling of USB in both BIOS and Windows will most likely solve it (even an idle USB port generates interupts), but it should not be necessary to have that as a remaining state.
Once you know that the irq sharing was the reason, you may consider a better graphic card (they are ridiculously cheap) and re-enable USB (of course you could leave it off as well, but it's sometimes a handy feature)

cheers, Tom
karl
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:01 pm

usb disabled

Post by karl »

thanks tom,
usb totally disabled,but no improvement.
could it be the motherboard,asus p4b. in the manual each of the 6 pci slots is used or shared by default.
User avatar
astroman
Posts: 8452
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2002 4:00 pm
Location: Germany

Post by astroman »

well, I have no experience with that specific board, and in fact the Intel 865 is much wider spread with Scope systems - yet I wouldn't expect it to fail to the degree you experience.
I would do the following:
shut down the PC, remove the wall power plug, remove the Scope card
connect to power again and start (it may complain about no hardware found - ignore)
shut down the PC, again remove the wall power plug, insert the Scope card
replug the power and start again.

Hopefully Windows will re-assign the card's resources and it isn'rt shared with anything. Sometimes system keep (erroneous) values buffered because power is not completely discharged during reboots - thus the unplug.

If it still refuses to work, I'd consider a fresh re-install of the OS and Scope from scratch, though I'm afraid you're already through this...

It could also be a 'local' incompatibility with that specific graphcard, or the graphic driver has become corrupted for obscure reasons.

There's another test you may perform if Scope is running.
Route a disonnected analog input to the mixer. Reset mixer margin and read the channel value for noise (preferably this should be lower than -80dB)
If it reads (for example) -64 dB and the value changes with mouse movement, menu activation, window dragging etc (you can also 'listen' to those events if you push the fader up), then it's almost certain that it's a messed installation.

Dunno why this happens, but I've had it a couple of times myself - I've had a change in noise level for almost 30dB once, just by re-installing... :o

cheers, Tom
User avatar
garyb
Moderator
Posts: 23374
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ghetto by the sea

Post by garyb »

try a driver update on the rage card.
have you turned off graphics accelleration? don't.
karl
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:01 pm

no change

Post by karl »

tom,i tried that,but no change.the noise level went from -63 to -83.but no change with mouse movements etc.
gary,i already upgraded the rage driver,i've tried graphics accelleration on and off.the scope 4.5 manual says turn it off !

maybe its the rage card,the motherboard,maybe its the scope card
User avatar
astroman
Posts: 8452
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2002 4:00 pm
Location: Germany

Post by astroman »

the noise level is ok and it seems to be a proper install.
Any chance there is midi data involved in the recording or do you process audio tracks only ?
How old is the mobo, or better how long have you been running it ?
If it was in use for more than 3 years this might be (the first) wear out symptoms.
It doesn't happen too often, but occasionally - in that case other applications that put the system under heavy load should also reveal one or the other problem.

cheers, Tom
User avatar
bassdude
Posts: 1004
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ACT, Australia

Post by bassdude »

Running a p4b266 here with no problems. Can you post the actual IRQ list showing what IRQ is allocated to each device.
Stuart.
karl
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:01 pm

motherboard

Post by karl »

tom, the motherboard is maybe 5 years old.i suppose that might explain a lot,but it works fine with cubase,its just that the computer crashes with a few reverbs or a sampler,not enough cpu,which is why i bought scope.after my original post i expected any replies to say a newer computer is a must.i have to thank you for all your help.if i can get this to work,i will buy you all a drink.

i do use midi a lot.i have found modular unusable,it hangs very quickly,and minimax almost the same.very frustrating as you can imagine.
cpu hits 100% by moving any window in scope to and fro in the start up project, without cubase or my controller keyboard.ive checked midi monitor,and there is no midi input with the key board turned off.

stuart,its reassuring ti find someone else with this motherboard,maybe theres hope yet irqs:
0 system timer
1 pc/at enhanced ps keyboard
3 scope
6 standard floppy
8 system cmos rt clock
11 rage fury pro
12 mouse
13 numeric data processor
14 primary ide
15 secondary ide
User avatar
bassdude
Posts: 1004
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2001 4:00 pm
Location: ACT, Australia

Post by bassdude »

I wanted to see for sure that there was no conflict with the video card because symptons you describe with the windows are indicative of a conflict but according to your list your irq allocations look ok.

It also looks like you've installed windows as "Standard PC" which is the same for me as well. I put this board alongside the famous CUSL2-C boards as far as stability and reliability as I have never had a problem with mine.

My next choice would be to replace that video card with a known daw friendly card like the Matrox g450.

There seems to be an awful lot of posts with rage fury pro and "freeze" on google groups!
Last edited by bassdude on Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Stuart.
karl
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:01 pm

graphics problem

Post by karl »

thanks stuart,it looks like a graphics problem,i'll try a new one.
karl
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:01 pm

graphics card

Post by karl »

tried a kyro 4500 graphics card and have a slightly better performance.the card sucks though,it has a fan that is noisier than my entire computer.
anyway,halfway through the song,adjusting channel levels, scope hangs!
User avatar
astroman
Posts: 8452
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2002 4:00 pm
Location: Germany

Post by astroman »

that leaves a worn out mobo and midi as candidates.

the worn out thing is easy to check: inspect the top of the small back tubes mounted vertically on the board, preferably around the CPU (electrolytic capacitors)
Any of them shows a bulky (top) surface or traces that some brown stuff leaked out ?
I don't think it's very likely but it should be ruled out at a board of that age.

midi is not that easy - it seems to 'drift' a bit, and sometiimes it works flawless, but a couple of days later you can almost ajust a clock by the interval at which it hangs. ;)
Try to setup a 'fake' project that completely avoids midi data to rule this out.

cheers, Tom
Post Reply