Tips for a guy who's getting very p!$$£d off!

[Burner]

I have an HP Laptop with a 1.4ghz Pentium 4 M processor, 256MB DDR SDRAM and I'm getting no-where with trying to create large arrangements with virtual instruments like Stienberg's Hypersonic...

In other words, my computer keeps freezing/crashing all the freaking time!

I've been working with one string sound for one of the tracks, and because of that, I used multiple MIDI tracks routed to the one instrument which should have taken away the strain that using multiple VST instruments normally causes...it has not sorted things at all though.

I know the obvious solution is to upgrade, and I will soon, but for now, I can't get my stuff even close to being fully realised because my system won't let me!

I've messed with virtual memory, hard disk paging file size etc etc to no avail.

Does anyone have any expert tips for me? Or even just any non-expert tips that will help?!

Please..!

I've been using Cubase SX for a long time but when I got Live, I almost stopped using Cubase all together! Now I'm going to have to go back to it full-time until I get this problem sorted!

So can someone help please?!

[Liam]

You need to provide some more info like which OS you use.

Windows I assume?

How big is your hdd? What speed is iit? 5400rpm or 7200?

Is the hdd nearly full / in need of defragging?

Do you perhaps need an external USB hdd? Use solely for audio (and midi) recording

Can you afford some more memory. Your existing 256 mb would be the minimum amount I suspect. Can you get to 512mb?

Do you have onboard graphic (how much memory is shared for that?) or PCI card or an AGP card?

Try to clean your fan (switch off first) Vacum out the air intake when the fan is stopped. Dust may cause overheating / crashing.

Let us know how you go.

Regards,

[wilsonrx]

Uninstall any crap you don't need such as games or office applications. Disable virus protection. Disable all those Windows services that run in the background that you don't use (www.tweakxp.com). Backup old music projects onto CD/DVD to free up disc space (hard discs run at their best when atleast 50% empty!).

Try uninstalling any VSTs that you don't use all the time, as I believe these will slow down Live even if not in use.

[Burner]

Liam

My OS in Windows XP Home. I've already set the graphics to their standard or 'classic' look.

HDD is 20GB, 5,400

The disc has 7GB remaining! I defrag it all the time (at least once a day)

I am thinking of using an external HDD, but again money is an issue at the moment.

The next upgrade I is to get a 512k module and use it with the existing 256k to make 768k...

No graphics card...just chip I think...

Will clean my fan/vacum

Thanks for the tips!

Wilsonrx

Will do all of that - thanks for the tips...

This is an off topic question, but I thought I'd ask why one of my VSTs (Steinberg Hypersonic) works in Ableton, but not in Cubase SX - all locations for the VST are correct - WEIRD! Suggestions?

Thanks again!

[Liam]

Your hdd definitely needs an upgrade - get an external hdd Make sure it is 7200rpm with 8mb buffer.

I just bought a 160Gb hdd with an external kit for $60 usd

More ram would be great - check to see what you mobo can handle and get the correct DDR type (eg 2700???)

Some mobos can only handle certain amounts of ram in Slot 1 if the other is a different size / speed etc etc

Us ethe external hdd for audio / midi only.

Re the Steinberg problem - check their web forums and FAQs.

.

[moostapha]

Go buy more ram. Don't screw with virtual memory or page files, in the words of Seymore Cray, "Computer memory is like orgasms: they're better when they're real."

Seriously RAM is cheap. Go buy some. Also, try defragging your hard drive and applying audio optimizations if you haven't yet.

[AdamJay]

add 1GB stick of ram.

all your dreams will come true.

[Burner]

160GB for $60?!! That's an amazing price! Where from? I live in the UK by the way...

RE: RAM - I emailed about my RAM type and it's SDRAM DDR 400 so I'm going to get a 512k mod as my laptop's max is 1GB. Once I've got more money, I'll get another and "all my dreams will come true" for certain!

Thanks so much to everyone who's given me some tips and advice. Perhaps I won't feel like I want to throw my laptop out of the window so much now...!

After upgrades I'm getting an M-Audio Ozone which really will make all of my recording dreams come true!

Thanks again

Burner...

[Liam]

The 160Gb hdd (with an external case kit - very simple to install the bhdd) was bought from a CompUSA store. Its USB 2 of course.

Santa Rosa CA

They had a similar deal this week.

[studebaker hawk]

Something I do since I am in a similar predicament until I upgrade my machine-

Install BBLean (I believe www.bblean.com) and kill explorer
It is an alternate windows shell that takes about 1/2 the resources the explorer.exe uses

but yeah get more ram

[faf_creightor]

umm. if you have your string parts how you want them then record them to audio. also if you have reverbs and other effects running turn them off, bounce the track dry and then rerecord with effects on. that might work,,, just a whim though.

[MrYellow]

Crashing....

Another possibility is the RAM has a problem.... u can test it with memcheck
or whatever it's called.

-Ben

[AdamJay]

memtest

[olafalafel]

I'm a little late but just registered

you might want to tweak you XP system check out the tips on http://www.musicxp.net/

It made my PC work much better for music

Hope it helps ya

Olaf

[subterFUSE]

You need more RAM to run the types of stuff you're trying.... and a faster HDD. External 7200 rpm. Lacie makes nice drives. Small size case for the capacity. Great for mobility.