08/04: Here is a great link to more up-to-date info than what we have below. It covers many of the latest tweaks for Win XP, ME, 98, etc...

http://www.pcmus.com/TweakXP.htm


The below info is now completely outdated, but we thought we would leave it up, just in case.

(We're not sure what the origin of this article is but it contains some very good info on optimizing your PC for the best performance in Digital Audio Recording... Please use caution on some of the recommendations as they get into some juicy configuration settings. Funk Logic provides this info with no liability, only the happy happy joy joy of sharing it).

IMPLEMENTATION OF TROUBLE-FREE PC AUDIO WORKSTATIONS

Transforming a PC into an efficient Audio Workstation is not an easy task. However, careful considerations as regards hardware implementation, system software settings and practical management of your machine can result in glitch-free audio streaming with around 80% less probability of computer crashes.

PC operating systems are by default designed to maximize the machine burst efficiency, which is fine if you are working in an office or graphic design environment, but will cause definite problems when working with continuous data streams, such as real-time playback of 3D animations, video or audio files.

The following text is designed to help you configure your machine for optimal use as an Audio workstation.


1. HARDWARE

Most recent software packages nowadays require a minimum of a Pentium II running at 450 Mhz, with AT LEAST 128 Mb of 100 Mhz ram.

Motherboards with dual BIOS can back up your BIOS from the secondary if the main BIOS gets corrupt. This has saved my life on a number of occasions. Make sure your motherboard supports ATA66 for IDE drives, enabling faster data transfer.

Today's Multi-track applications are very RAM dependent. Install 256Mb RAM or more (preferably at 133Mhz) to get rid of otherwise inevitable slowdowns and crashes.

If you are using IDE Hard drives, make sure they can speed up to 7200 r.p.m., otherwise use SCSI drives, preferably ultra-wide. The faster your drive, the faster will be your processing time if you are using linear audio editors, such as Sound Forge. 

Use three Physical drives. Windows should be installed on one drive, your programs on the other and your Audio data should be streaming to or from the third. This ensures that when Windows needs to access the system folder and your program during streaming, it does so with three independent heads, eliminating glitches. The first two drives (Not the data drive) can be partitioned and hold your data archives (which are dormant while your application is in use). This makes good use of otherwise wasted space.

As far as CD writers are concerned, use models recommended for audio recording, since audio requires a slightly deeper groove-cut. Using data drives to write audio can result in playback problems with cheap external CD players, ranging from taking long to cue up, mis-tracking or even not playing at all. Recommended CD writers for audio among others are the Yamaha, Ricoh and Philips ranges. Remember that cheap CD-ROM drives will have difficulty with reading domestic-burnt CD-R's anyway. If you are not using SCSI hard drives, put your CD reader and writer on a SCSI chain, to leave the IDE controllers free for your drives.

Creative Labs Soundcards are primarily designed for the home-use and games market, and do not work well with some audio applications - Cubase VST in particular. Install a true full-duplex, low-latency Soundcard with ASIO 2 drivers and wordclock support apart from MTC, otherwise you will have problems synchronizing your digital audio to external devices. Many models are available from Creamware, Digidesign, Event Electronics, E-mu, Korg, Lexicon, Sonorus, Terratec, Yamaha and others. Remember that balanced analogue outputs on 1/4 inch jack or XLR connectors via breakout boxes are always superior to unbalanced phono connections since they are not susceptible to interference and the signal at the outputs is twice as loud - therefore a better signal-to-noise ratio. 3.5mm mini-jack connections should be avoided at all cost.

Install an AGP video card with a fast on-board processor. This keeps your video data off the PCI bus, leaving it as free as possible for your audio data, and relieves your system processor of a load of work which it would otherwise have to do itself, thus making more processing power available to your main application and plug-ins. At least 16Mb of onboard RAM (possibly 32 Mb) will spare your valuable system ram, again making more of the latter available for running your application. 

Always use a UPS since on streaming stations, the probability that the drives are in use during a power cut is very large. Such an occurrence will probably damage your drive, resulting in loss of valuable data. 


2. OPERATING SYSTEM

It's still too early for Windows NT - Most audio applications, unlike their graphics counterparts are not yet optimized for NT. Some applications and third-party DirectX plug-ins still do not have NT drivers available. You will find that some programs will not work at all, and those that do, with the exception of a selective few, are still in the early stages of implementation, which means that in most cases, you are the testing guinea-pig.
The best operating system for use with audio workstations is currently Windows 98 Second edition. If you do not have access to this, use Windows 95 rather than Windows 98 (First Edition) since this presents a few bugs to Audio application resources, in particular DirectX and screen redraw. 

Never install anything on your 'C' drive except Windows and associated utilities. Partition this drive if you need to use the space available.

Never have a multi-desktop system configured for more than one user. This takes up system resources and will most probably result in many more crashes. Use one desktop and one password

Use the latest version of DirectX (Currently DirectX 7a) and DirectX media runtime (Currently Version 6.0). Both are freeware and downloadable from the Microsoft web-site.

Do NOT put your audio workstation on a network if you can help it - this takes up resources and increases the probability of crashes.


3. SETTINGS

A. Virtual Memory
By default, Windows 98 manages all virtual memory in what is called a "swap file" This file is resized dynamically as the operating system runs. Windows does this when it sees fit to resize. Other disk activity during audio playback can produce undesirable results. 
Setting a permanent size for the swap file will improve overall performance of systems that run from one hard drive. Running the operating system commands, application files, recording and/or playing audio direct form the disk, and dynamically resizing the swap file on a single drive (regardless of its speed) greatly impedes performance. 
By setting the virtual swap file to a fixed size, the need for Win'98 to resize this file is eliminated and disk activity during playback will be minimized substantially.


To Set The Swap File Size Permanent: 
Click Start on the Windows 98 Taskbar. Click Settings and choose Control Panel. 
Double-click the System icon. 
Click the Performance tab. 
Click the Virtual Memory button. 
Click the option Let me specify my own virtual memory settings. 
Choose the drive that will contain the Swap file (If you have a multi drive system, you can partition one of drives to include one at the size you wish for the swap file) 
Set both the Minimum and Maximum values to twice the size of your installed RAM preventing repeated resizing of the swap file. 
Click OK to keep your changes



B. Write Behind Caching 
By default, Windows 98 is set to enable disk write behind caching. This function allows Windows 98 to write disk files in the background at some later time, rather than at the moment you initiate a disk write procedure. When recording sound files, the data is written to the disk in one continuous stream of data. Any background writing operations have no chance to write their cache. When write-behind caching is active, Windows 98 tries to put the data in RAM first, waiting for an opportune time to write it to disk in the background. This opportune time never comes, and Windows 98 runs out of RAM space, interrupts your application, trying to quickly empty its cache to disk, and potentially loses incoming data, causing audio problems in the recording. 
To Turn Off Write behind-Caching: 
Click Start on the Windows 98 Taskbar. Click Settings and choose Control Panel. 
Double-click the System icon. 
Click the Performance tab. 
Click the File System button. 
Click the Troubleshooting tab. 
Check the Disable Write-Behind Caching For All Drives checkbox. 
Click OK to keep your changes.



C. Vcache
By default, Windows 98 caches all disk reads to RAM. Read caching can be an advantage for your application. Problems can occur, when Windows 98 dynamically resizes the amount of space allocated for the read-cache buffers. This can cause audio performance compromises during playback and CD burning. 
To fix the file Read-Cache Size: 
Editing this parameter requires that you add some lines to a critical windows file. If you are unsure or uncomfortable with this at all, ask for help from someone who knows Windows 98. Before you begin make a copy of the system .ini file on floppy to restore from should you inadvertently modify another setting. 
1. Using Windows Explorer, navigate to your Windows folder, and double-click the System.ini file to open it into the Notepad application. 
2. Search for a section labeled [vcache]. 
3. Create another blank line under the [vcache] heading and type MinFileCache= 4096 and another line with MaxFileCache = 4096. If this entry already exists, just change the size value. Make sure the upper case and lowercase letters are maintained, otherwise this line will not work. Some programs will set a limit for you depending on their needs. These values are a starting point. 
[vcache] 
MinFileCache=4096 
MaxFileCache=4096 
(This fixes the file cache size at 4096 Kilobytes (4 Megabytes). You can experiment with different sizes, although the above setting is recommended for 64Mb RAM, but the size specified should be in increments of 1024 and it is recommended that the size not be made less than 2048 or greater than 8192 for 128Mb RAM or more). 
4. Save the file and close Notepad. Restart Windows 98 for this change to take effect. 


D. Double Buffer *** USE with Caution***
I found reference to this item at the WinAnnoyances site. In some cases, depending on your disk configuration, Windows 98 may create a double buffering scheme for handling disk transfers. This can cause serious audio problems during record and playback. 
To Disable Double Buffering: 
This is another setting that you make to a core system read only file. Without this file your system will not even start! This is better left to someone with a good working knowledge of Windows 98 like your computer technician. 
1. Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the root directory of your boot drive. 
2. Right-click on the MSDOS.SYS file and select Properties from the popup menu. 
3. Uncheck the Read Only checkbox. 
4. Click OK. 
5. Double-click on the MSDOS.SYS file and choose Notepad to open the file. 
6. Scroll through the file looking for a section labeled [Options]. 
7. Create a blank line under the [Options] heading and type DoubleBuffer=0. If this entry already exists, make sure it is =0, not 1. Make sure the upper case and lowercase letters are maintained, otherwise this line will not work. 
8. Save the file and close Notepad. 
9. Right-click on the MSDOS.SYS file and select Properties from the popup menu. 
10. Check the Read Only checkbox. 
11. Click OK. 
12. Restart Windows 98 for changes to take effect
. 

E. CD-ROM Auto Insert Notification
Win98 default setting for any CD ROM drive is set to constantly check the CD-ROM for the insertion of a CD so that it may automatically run the CD setup program or play your favorite CD as soon as it is put in. To do this it reads the CD drive at frequent intervals to check if you have inserted something new. This can result in audio performance problems during playback and recordings because it forces Windows 98 to stop all other running applications when it does its duty. This will also interfere with the ability of a CD-R burner to write a CD by causing the SCSI controller to check the CD-R at the same time a CD is being burned. 
To Disable CD Auto Insert Notification: 
Click Start on the Windows 98 Taskbar. Click Settings and choose Control Panel. 
Double-click the System icon. 
Click the Device Manager tab. 
Click the plus sign next to the CD-ROM listing to expand the list of CD-ROM devices. 
Select your CD-ROM and click the Properties button. 
Click the Settings tab. 
Uncheck the Auto Insert Notification checkbox. 
Click OK to keep your changes. 
Follow this procedure for all CD-ROMs installed.


F. Video Cards
Some video cards can interfere with the PCI bus and/or DMA operations. Many of the newer hardware accelerated video cards will install with their own own program and augment the settings tab in the Windows 98 Display Properties control panel. Find a reference to PCI bus retries or DMA bus mastering, and try disabling this option. If you see any references to 3D acceleration disable the circle, eclipse, and rectangle draw. Reduce the colors to 256 and set your resolution to 1024x768. If you have trouble seeing the screen, use 800x600. You may not get to see everything in your window you would normally see at the higher resolution. 
Graphics Hardware Acceleration 
Some video cards hardware acceleration interactions can be controlled directly from the Control Panel in Windows 98. 
To Reduce Graphics Hardware Acceleration: 
Click Start on the Windows 98 Taskbar. Click Settings and choose Control Panel. 
Double-click the System icon. 
Click the Performance tab. 
Click the Graphics button. 
Adjust the Hardware Acceleration slider control one notch to the left to lower the setting. 
Click OK to keep your changes.


G. Computer Role
Windows 98 allows you to select different role types for your computer system, and it appears that memory and disk handling may be treated differently depending on the type selected. Selecting a different role type may be the solution.


To Change the Computer Role Type: 
1. Click Start on the Windows 98 Taskbar. Click Settings and choose Control Panel. 
2. Double-click the System icon. 
3. Click the Performance tab. 
4. Click the File System button. 
5. Change the typical role of this machine to Network Server. 
6. Click OK to keep your changes. 
After restarting Windows 98, if the problem persists, try adjusting this setting one notch lower, until the desired results are achieved. If the lowest setting does not work, it is recommended that you reset the control to back the highest setting. *PII or PIII CPU's should have the "read ahead" set to full* 

H. Media Control (only if necessary)
Earlier system with little RAM (16 or 32mb) could cause some resource difficulties. By default, the Media Control Interface (MCI) will allocate a certain amount of memory to buffer from 2 to 9 seconds worth of audio for the default audio wave device. This can introduce a double buffering condition and may cause glitches when using your application. 
To Disable the Wave Audio Device: 
1. Click Start on the Windows 98 Taskbar. Click Settings and choose Control Panel. 
2. Double-click the MultiMedia icon. 
3. Click the Advanced tab. 
4. Click the plus sign next to the Media Control Devices listing to expand the list. 
5. Select the Wave Audio Device (Media Control) and click the Properties button. 
6. Select the Do not use this Media Control device option button. (OR click the Settings button, and adjust the slider control all the way to the left to the minimum setting.) 
7. Click OK to keep changes.


I. Virtual device Drivers
Windows 98 omits to install six important files during setup, which can make some systems unstable. The files are virtual device drivers needed for mouse, video display, DirectX and other goings-on that run in the background. When these files aren't present Windows uses alternative drivers, which are not so stable.

One such driver is vmouse.vxd. If you take a look at the driver file details for your mouse in the control panel system device properties, you will notice that vmouse.vxd is in brackets, indicating that the file cannot be found. This file, along with vcomm.vxd, vdmad.vxd, vdd.vxd, ntkern.vxd and vflatd.vxd can be found on your windows 98 disc somewhere in cab 48-54, depending on your version.
To install the Virtual Device drivers:
Simply extract these files and copy to C windows\system and again to C windows\system\vmm32 and reboot.

You should noticeably experience a lot fewer system crashes following this amendment.


J. Temporary Files
Windows uses a folder, namely 'C Windows\Temp' to store temporary files. Such files are created by installs, applications requiring a temporary bin for management, and also by computer crashes. Windows in many cases does not remove these files automatically; this often results in a build-up of no-longer required files in your boot drive, causing fragmentation and eventual system slowdown due to lack of space for file allocation management.
A simple solution is to delete these files manually at the start of each session. An even better solution is to get your system to erase these files automatically at every machine startup by modifying your autoexec.bat system file.
To modify Autoexec.bat for automatic deletion of temporary files:
1. Click Start on the Windows 98 Taskbar. Click run and type 'Sysedit'. Click OK.
2. Add the following lines at the bottom of the autoexec.bat command sequence:
@DelTree /Y C Windows\Temp 
@MD C WINDOWS\Temp
3. Save and exit.
Remember to delete these commands from Autoexec.bat every time you carry out a program install, since most programs use this temporary folder following a restart to finish installing.

4. MANAGEMENT

Avoid using freshly released software packages - These are almost certainly full of bugs - save yourselves the headaches, let others be the guinea-pigs, wait for the second or third re-pack and then, and only then, take the plunge.

Configure your audio applications to write and save to your data drive. If you do not do this, they will by default write to your programme directory causing havoc fragmentation, apart from guaranteed glitching.

If you install a virus scanner, never install it in auto mode. It should never be active during streaming as it will most certainly cause the audio to glitch.
Run your scanner periodically to check your system - BUT IT SHOULD BE DONE MANUALLY.

NO INTERNET - Use another computer for this, as temporary files and cookies from the internet fragment your drives, causing problems.

Disable your screen saver - most screen savers, certainly the ones supplied with windows, detect only mouse and keyboard activity and will cause glitches on your recordings or ruin your CD-R transfer if they decide to step into operation during streaming. Moreover screen savers use up valuable system RAM, which you need to run your applications smoothly.

Don't use scheduled background tasks - Functions operating in the background use up valuable processor time needed for processing audio. Stop your task scheduler from running at start-up - open it from the system tray and choose 'stop using task scheduler from' the pull-down menu.

Turn off the Microsoft FastFind option, since its activities can interrupt all audio processing in the system.

Run your display at not better than 'High Color 16 bit', and possibly in 256 Colours. This takes a considerable load off the system processor.

Use a utility such as Wintidy or perform a manual search to remove your temporary files - make a habit of it and run this every day when you start up. It only takes two minutes and can save you hours of problems.

De-fragment your drives once-a-week. Fragmentation in recording workstations builds up frighteningly quickly.


· Careful implementation of the above will mark a 60-80% improvement in the performance of your machine as an Audio workstation, depending on your processing power and the amount of on-board RAM installed.