Process priority settings

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:08 pm

I forgot this; too long time since the last time I performed a full reinstallation.

I can't get noise free sounds from my VST host without setting it as real time priority process (it has the 'high' setting by default, but that's not enough).

I set the priority within the XP task manager, but every time I close the VST host, the setting is lost.

How can I make the setting definitive?

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:29 pm

I know 'real time' is an hazardous setting, since I probably should gonna lock the machine if the real time process will engage the whole CPU resources.
But Xp sometimes performs disk accesses breaking the sound thats playing (with 'break' i mean the sound is like passing trough a VCA modulated by a square LFO at a quite high frequency rate; the same frequency the HDD led is flashing.)
I've no idea about what the OS is doing, since the tasks I'm performing don't require any disk access afaik (just monitoring synth sounds, no recording neither playback of tracks). I think that OS action, whatever it is, might not get so high priority, since all seems to run fine when the sequencer is set 'real time' ...

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:57 pm

stardust wrote:check with msconfig which kind of autoruns are on your machine.

Maybe you find some recent entries that steel the CPU cycles.

Thx Stardust, I'm gonna have a look.

I'll also have to check again all services running.

Sorry, I was probably editing the 2nd post while you answering.
I added further details.

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 3:50 pm

Autorun looks OK.

And I can't find out anything between running processes ( no audio software running in the screenshot ).

I wish to post the services list, but i've to translate it before. I'll add it next time.

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:04 pm

i cant say its the reason for your troubles but you should avoid monitoring utilities, like antivirus etc, and in this setting there is no need to use the Asus Probe. Run it manually if you for some reason run into stability problems.

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:06 pm

I'm still monitoring temperatures ( have a look at the thread 'Reinstalling SFP' in this forum ), however I tryied closing it ( although PCProbe usually wouldn't write/read anything to/from HDDs ), but it's the same; if I right remember.
I'll remove it from startup when environment temperatures here will be lower.

I could probably remove ctfmon and set manual the spooler service.
I'll do it tomrrow, but i'm not convinced the problem has any connection with this...

What about all those servicehosts?

=ADDED=

No. svchosts have normal priority.
I've checked AsusProbe and it has normal priority too.
Just winlogon and csrss show high priority tag

Any advice about storing the 'real time' setting for the sequencer?
After all, if it correctly works, it could has peaks of 100% CPU engagement; it's unlikely imho that it will constantly and completely steal all the power...

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 4:48 am

I know I've to change a registry key for that, but don't remember the path

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:15 pm

Cochise wrote:I know I've to change a registry key for that, but don't remember the path

I'm probably wrong; I had extensively searches inside the registry and on the web and:
- I didn't found any related key in the registry;

-on web I'd just found a process priority optimizer that act on the psapi.dll file.
I'd also found some instructions about creating a batch file that starts a process by a DOS command line using the command 'start' followed by the priority level and by the exe process name.

I had some try creating a registry key for boosting IRQ8 (cmos clock) priority, but was useless.
Also useless running without AsusProbe in background.
The problem seems to disappear only when Nuendo3 runs with real time priority.
I'll have a last try disabling indexing service.

Post by **garyb** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:35 pm

i never needed to do all that.....

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:10 pm

It looks like I'll have to manually set priority each time I start Nuendo.

The batch trick won't work. Monitoring the process in Task Manager, the priority is real time just at the beginning of the initialization stage at Nuendo startup, then it suddenly switch back to high.

@ garyb
Do you also use Nuendo 3.0.0.2?
Any idea about probable causes?

Post by **garyb** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:38 pm

no, i use cubase, which is the same engine.

something is hogging resources.

number one-how many instances of what vst fx/vstis until you have problems?

btw-i would never use a "process priority optimizer" program.

number two-once more, what are your machine's specs? just setting control panel/system/advanced/performance to "adjust for best performance", should be enough for trouble free computing. something hasn't been right from the very beginning. perhaps there is a hardware problem. it's hard to say, i don't have enough data. i thought the heat thing was strange, perhaps there has been damage.

at0m · Post by **at0m** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:58 am

What about all those servicehosts?

These are programs running from the command line, like cmd and some stuff used by Windows normally.

Tried running Scope using start /low "C:\...\sfp.exe"? I've put that in a batch file, which I commonly use to start Scope. I remember Logic users doing the same but start /high logic. If your command line doesn't work, try it from cmd (command line).

Still, as Garyb says, changing priorities shouldn't be necessary to avoid noisy VST, it's just to squeeze some more out of your pc. If you use Cubase, it has a setting that does this from within Cubase.

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:48 am

Just had some other try monitoring a sound signal coming in from Scope hardware (Z-link).

No problem when Nuendo isn't running.

With Nuendo, even loading a single mono audio track and no VST at all, I get the fault if running at high priority. Fine when real time.
Nothing change if I set SFP low.

The only certain thing is the problem is associated to a HDD access (but not to ALL disk accesses), and it looks probable to me that such disk action is requested by a process also running with high priority.

These are the specs of my machine

Asus P5GDC deluxe MOBO
P4 530 3Ghz hyperthreading enabled
2 x 512 MB Twinmos DDR2 533MHz
Enermax Liberty 500W PSU

HDDs
WD Raptor 74GB
2x Maxtor Diamondmax plus 9 80GB SATA RAID 0 (Intel Matrix Storage)

Asus AX600 graphic card PCIe 256MB

2 x CW Luna II

Post by **garyb** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:42 am

turn off hyperthreading. does that help?

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:19 pm

No way, also without hypertreading.

I'll go reinstall without the Intel Matrix Storage Technology ICH6R RAID controller.
The OS is actually running on the single Raptor, but, enabling the SATA RAID option in the BIOS, all the SATA disks need the RAID controller driver in order to work with XP.
Just... I'll need to backup all the data on the RAID stripe if this solution will work... and that's a busy thing, since installing the OS without RAID enabled I can't access the data, and enabling RAID the system won't boot, being installed without driver. the only luck is the stripe is bootable and has the OS installed on it; but the data amount is quite huge; I'll have to burn some DVD or choose what I can delete.

Among the others, before installing Nuendo, I had a bad installation of a video editing software gear (there was some OS instability and I had to reinstall Scope), so if I don't reinstall with RAID again, I'll never know what really the problem is.

Post by **garyb** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 2:40 pm

who cares what the exact problem is.
you want a stable system. i'm sorry to say this, but i'd start over. from your description, there's a 50/50 chance it's the os itself. also, there really is no reason for RAID if you're only doing audio with less than 40 tracks......

bassdude · Post by **bassdude** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:18 pm

Nuendo 3.0.0.2 is not the latest version. Did this version use to work or is this the first time you are using Nuendo?

Cochise · Post by **Cochise** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:50 pm

garyb wrote:who cares what the exact problem is.
you want a stable system. i'm sorry to say this, but i'd start over. from your description, there's a 50/50 chance it's the os itself. also, there really is no reason for RAID if you're only doing audio with less than 40 tracks......

It's not perfectly clear to me the 50/50 thing, however yours is a wise advice: I don't need RAID, and also I don't need all those disks inside my cabinet. It's useless I go reinstall with RAID again; I should had to do that backup sooner or later...

bassdude wrote:Nuendo 3.0.0.2 is not the latest version. Did this version use to work or is this the first time you are using Nuendo?

Yeah... thx I was almost forgetting about it. I was using Nuendo 3.0.02 before installing the Raptor, running the OS from the RAID 0 stripe, and I had a similar problem, but much less marked and much less often. It was happening something like one time each 40-50 min for a duration of 2-300 ms. Now it happens each 10 min about for a duration of 4-500 ms.
It actually may sounds more like a dirty/damaged audio CD having a brief loop anywhere (but faster than what I usually hear with CDs).

And that's not a nice thing while playing

BingoTheClowno · Post by **BingoTheClowno** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:58 pm

Cochise wrote:

I had some try creating a registry key for boosting IRQ8 (cmos clock) priority, but was useless.
I'll have a last try disabling indexing service.

Right in that section there is key called Win32PrioritySeparation that you can tweak according to this rule:

The bitmask is divided into three, two-bit pairs (AABBCC). Each bit-pair corresponds to certain behavior. I've broken it down below:

The highest bits (AABBCC) specify whether the processor interval (the amount of time allocated to the threads of a process) is relatively short or long. The "middle" bits (AABBCC) specify whether the interval is fixed or variable. The lowest bits (AABBCC) determine the ratio of foreground threads to background threads. Certain values cause different behavior, depending on whether you are using Professional or Server. Here's a table that breaks down each bit-pair.

Value Meaning
Highest Bits Interval
00 or 11 Shorter Intervals (Windows 2000/XP Professional); Longer Intervals (Windows 2000/2002 Server)
01 Longer Intervals
10 Shorter Intervals
Middle Bits Fixed or variable
00 or 11 Variable length (Pro); Fixed length (Server)
01 Variable Length
10 Fixed Length
Lowest Bits Ratio of foreground to background threads
00 Equal and fixed. This value also overrides the Fixed/Variable value to Fixed.
01 2:1. Foreground processes receive twice the processor time of background processes.
10 or 11 3:1. Foreground processes receive three times the processor time of background processes

References:
http://blogs.msdn.com/embedded/archive/ ... 43141.aspx

Read this Win 2003 server optimization guide,

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpapers/pdfs/redp3943.pdf

you can apply many of the tweak to WinXP.

Disable services (if you have ATI keyboard poler service running, disable that sucker). If you don't use your PC for Internet access, you can disable many related services.

TimingLess · Post by **TimingLess** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 12:03 am

Hi Cochise,

I have a RAID 5 SYSTEM with three Harddisks and while reading your post, I recognized that we have the similar problem.

Maybe the RAID Drivers are take to much.

Does anyone know, if it is a big big problem to make an Image and go back to
three Harddisks without RAID and playback the image.

Thanks a lot

DT