CPU spikes and dropouts on Quadcore WinXP system

vodka · Junior Member Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 22

yes mate, in the adaptec bios you just initialize the drives and crate the same type of array and the system will recognize your old partitions again. make sure you have installed the adaptec drivers on the old config before you do this. and maybe still consider to backup all your data before you do the migration.

Q-Baas · Junior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 37

A while ago I mentioned Prioritymaster. In the meantime I have tested it, and found it to be way too much overkill for what I needed it. I tested the program in a testbed only, but it brought it down to its knees too often. Sad

However I found a new one. Prio from www.prnwatch.com. This seemed to be just fine, however when implementing on my DAW after testing on testenvironment, I found that Prio sets the Cubase priority to realtime upon starting it, but Cubase sets itself back to High after a couple of seconds (which obviously is not working on my system with multiprocessing on and with ICH9Raid).

I wrote the author of Prio, and within a day, I received a version which should have the ability to reset the priority of tasks 15 seconds after starting a process. Now THAT is great support I guess! I still have to test the new version, but I have trust in it.'

I already had Cubase SX3 (and since two weeks also Cubase 4 (loving it, instrument tracks is great and export works for me)) running without spikes on a ICH9R chipsaid running RAID 1, but I might nearly be having it running spikeless without having to access task manager! Now that would be great! Smile

Keep you posted!

maraxalamanta · Junior Member Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Posts: 97

I'm on a Q6600 with a Gigabyte mobo (with the new X38 chipset). NOT running raid. I do however have one IDE harddrive connected. The DVD-burner is SATA, as well as the other 4 150gb WD raptor drives.

I'm getting intermittent spikes once or twice an hour, accompanied by what sounds like a buffer underrun (*DRR*), kind of like a BT stutter effect. If Cubase is playing back a sequence at the time of the spike, midi timing will be disrupted for approximately 10 seconds or so (it seems to re-sync relatively quickly - still very annoying).

I left a sequence running and recorded the live audio feed from the output of my soundcard onto my laptop in anticipation of a spike. After 15 mins or so I got it "on tape", so here's what it sounds like:

http://download.yousendit.com/419FCEC3643FEEDB

Annoying to say the least!! And I have absolutely no clue what's causing it. I wonder if there's software out there that can monitor CPU usage for each running application and log it to a text file. That way I can see what application/service is causing the spike. Thoughts/ideas?
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SX3, C4 (not using because the lack of DirectX support!!%¤%&"!!), X38, Q6600, 4GB OCZ, M-Audio Delta 1010, XP SP2.

b. sabbath · Member Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 795 Location: NY

moopyhog · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:11 am Post subject:

maraxalamanta · Junior Member Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Posts: 97

Thanks so much, moopyhog!! I'm gonna follow your suggestion and replace the PATA drive with a SATA. Also thanks for the warning on the device drivers.

Cheers!

hbuus · Junior Member Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 66

Like everyone else in this thread, I'm having problems with pops and clicks.
My system is a Quadcore 2,4 - not sure what motherboard I use, as it was replaced due to a faulty first one.
It's an ASUS board with an Intel chipset though, that much I know.

For now, my "solution" is to turn off multiprocessing.
I tried this with a "problematic" song just now, and the pops and clicks disappear.
When I turn multiprocessing back on, pops and clicks are back again.
So turning off multiprocessing appears to get rid of the problem for me.

Thanks a lot for this thread! - Cubase.net is a great forum. Smile

John Reid · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:48 am Post subject:

If you have a network enabled while using Cubase you could try this:

On my Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R I have found that the onboard Realtek NIC (network adapter) causes glitches. Try disabling the device "Realteck RTL8168/8111 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC" in device manager.

That will of course kill your network connectivity, but it explains these apparently random stutters ... try Googling something while Cubase is playing and you should be able to reproduce it. I've found that you don't need to disable the hardware NIC in the BIOS, it's enough to just disable the device in Device Manager. Hopefully Gigabyte or Realtek will update the NIC driver sometime and address this problem.

Personally I wouldn't recommend having a network enabled at all on a DAW. A compromise is to dual-boot, with one partition for internet and general stuff, and the other for Cubase only, with no network or other drivers. Another advantage of this setup is that you don't get distracted from making music ...
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C5.1.1.120/5.5 | WL6.11.353 | HSO | eLC 6.0.2.7030 | W7x64 Q6600 4GB | RME RayDAT + MOTU 828MkII FW + Behringer ADA8000 | AlphaTrack

maraxalamanta · Junior Member Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Posts: 97

Networking is crucial to people running FXteleport, MidiOverLan and a host of other similar products. This is not exactly a good solution, but thanks for the find anyway.

John Reid · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 12:19 pm Post subject:

Q-Baas · Junior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 37

John Reid · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:46 am Post subject:

jpgears · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 6:08 am Post subject:

I established a thread several months ago dealing with this issue and it did not receive much support. the link is here for those of you who might want to check out my initial observations.

http://forum.cubase.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=80741&highlight=

As of this time I have not solved my problem with spikes utilizing the multiprocessor mode in SX 3. When I contacted Steinberg support they told me to disable the multiprocessor mode in device management. This does in fact stop the spikes but at a severe cost in CPU overhead. By using workarounds (mixing stems etc.) I have made it work, but am now at a place where I want/need to access the full capability of my q6600 CPU, and am no closer to doing it.

I have gone through all the optimization's for an XP OS. I initially had assumed that my problem was with RAM; then the video card or XP itself (I cannot keep an XP visual theme constant; I like to use the Windows classic view, but the OS continually switches to XP view) but OS reinstall and switching video cards has not helped the problem.

When I run a project with 50-70 tracks, a ton of plugs at 2ms latency with my Firepods, I am at 80-90% with multiprocessor mode off (much better than my P4 3.0Ghz processor could do)--with it engaged, I run at 35-40%. Of course I then have to deal with the spikes. I find that the spikes come and go with no rhyme or reason--it will spike when I initiate record, but then will be fine as I punch in and out on a track. Then I might disable a track and it starts to spike seriously for a bit then goes away. This observation is what has led me to concede that there is much validity in this treads contention that the RAID array and the ICH9R could be the source.

I have tried searching for threads that discuss RAID arrays and Cubase to determine how many systems are running it with no problem, but the filtering on Cubase .net is so poor that it becomes difficult to wade thru the BS to find anything useful. Any help in pointing a direction to relevant threads would be appreciated.

I also have noticed that the moderators have not paid any attention to this thread, and as it seems to me to be an exteremely important subject this disconcerts me. I have been PO'd that Steinberg support's only fix option was to shortcut my system. I have dealt with TC in regard to issues with powercore and the ASUS MB and they actually did real tests and gave me real info that was helpful. IF ONLY!!

Anyway not to flame Steinberg--Cubase works very well for me in general; as long as it works. Just help us with this problem! It is not just one or two people.
_________________
C5.01; XP PRO SP2; ASUS P5K deluxe; Intel Q6600 @ 2.40GHz; Intel P35 chipset; 4G OCZ DDR 2 6400 RAM; Seagate 7200.10 250G drives (x6); ICH9R SATA Raid controller 2 partitions RAID 0, 3 non-RAID); Nvidia NX7300LE; RME Hammerfall 9652, Onyx 800R, Digimax FS; Aardvark LX-6. Waves Renn Maxx + IR1; TC Powercore w/MD3 mastering suite; URS Consle Strip Pro; Sonnox; Antress; Melodyne plug; Ivory 1.5; DFH Superior; Drumagog; GPO, Stradivarius and Gofriller; Atmosphere; Trilogy; Culture; B4II.

hbuus · Junior Member Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 66

I didn't buy a quadcore to run with only a single core in my most demanding application either, but as I could see that this particular problem occurred to many Cubase-users besides myself, I (naively maybe) thought that the nice people at Cubase would work hard to find and fix the problem.

Turning off multiprocessing for me was never meant to be anything but a temporary "solution" - and with solution in "'s, because obviously, it's not a solution at all! But at least I can make music now.

Q-Baas · Junior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 37

Way back when struggling over this problem I dropped Intel Support a note about it, asking for more in depth information about their ICH9R Matrix Storage driver in order to fix it from that side. I was hoping for some registry tweaks they'd share with me, but in reply they wanted me to sign a confidentiality agreement, before I would receive more in depth information about their hardware and driver information. Because of that I thought that the information would be too much in depth for what I aimed at, and by that time I solved it with prio.exe from prnwatch.com (Great tool). I never signed the agreement, and the case closed. I was pleasantly surprised by Intel Support however!

Today I found out that installing Intel Matrix Storage Console / Driver version 8.5.0.1032 fixed the spiking caused by ICH9R even when running Cubendo at default priority. Intel have listened! Wink

I think this might be a good solution for lots of people. Any confirmation or denial on this would be very welcome!

vodka · Junior Member Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 22

Thanks for letting us know Q-Baas, i have to try this right away! If it works, i can sell my Adaptec SAS Controller.

Raphie · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:30 am Post subject:

Runnig Vista Ultimate SP1, had spikes on my 9550 as well (using Intel raid) reinstalled system with AHCI and latest Storage Manager drivers and spikes are gone. Smooth as jelly
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Cubase 4.5.2 on Q9550, 4GB, ATI 2400HD, ASUS P5Q Pro combo

Raphie on mp3unsigned.com

vodka · Junior Member Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 22

Raphie · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject:

Yeah, rather no raid, then unintended 80'ties sampler FX: d.d.d.d.dJeee!!!... The stuttering and resyncing really got on my nerves....
_________________
Cubase 4.5.2 on Q9550, 4GB, ATI 2400HD, ASUS P5Q Pro combo

Raphie on mp3unsigned.com

Q-Baas · Junior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 37

You might be able to go back to the raid setup you originally wanted! You'd be happy you did it in the unlucky event of a hd-crash!...

No comments from other users who updated to latest Intel drivers yet? I want to know if it's really the driver only who fixed it, or if it's still a combination of hard and software maybe. I solved the spikes on three machines, but all were built with the same hardware (except audio interface)... Any reports from other users are very welcome!

hugol · Junior Member Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Posts: 28

Thanks for the heads-up Q-Baas Smile

- I haven't tried the new drivers yet but certainly will. My ICH9R board is much less click and pop prone running in Native IDE mode rather than AHCI. The other thing I found is over-clocking my Q6600 to 3.0GHz (just up FSB to 333MHz) also improved things somewhat.

Also in case anyone hasn't mentioned this some Gigabyte motherboards (such as my P35-DS4) have BIOS issues that caused Deferred Procedure Call spikes that killed audio performance. A special BIOS upgrade from Gigabyte solved this one.
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Cubase 4.5.1 | Gigabyte P35-DS4 | 2GB 1066Mhz 5-5-5-15 | Q6600 3.0GHz | 3 x UAD-1 | Liquid Mix | Access Virus TI Polar | NI Komplete 5 | JBL LSR4326 | 250g sugar | 2 eggs | 500g self raising flour

Oscat101 · Member Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Posts: 201 Location: London. UK

Q-Bass many thanks for this --- it has indeed removed the need for Prio (see http://forum.cubase.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=93089 for all the stuff I had to do to get a working PC for Cubase)
I am still running in ACHI and am happy, so wont be going back to raid, though I may give it a go when I reformat my HDD's, by then it will be Cubase 5.
I have run Cbase for three seesions of around 3Hrs and not a stutter or a dropout. I still dont understand why Stienberg could not do a patch to change the priority to realtime for those of us who have had problems.
Great that it is fully resolved now though.
_________________
Chipset is IP35 pro on an Abit board IP35 Pro (ICH9R Raid)
2 x Samsung HD501LJ ACHI
MSI passive nvidia 8600
Q6600 at 3.06 Ghz
8 Gb G-Skill PC8500 DDR2 at 1020
Windows 7 64 bit
Samsung SATA DVD Drive
SATA DVDRW Drive
TC electronic Konnect 24D, Alpha Track and M Audio axiom 49 ----Cubase 5.1.1, ProteusVX (free), Amplitube2.2.1.4, JimiHendrix 1.0.3, Metal 1.0.3 AmpegSVX 1.1,3, X-Gear and SampleTank 2.5.2. T-Racks 3 Deluxe 3,1.1, CSR, Steve Slater Drums and a few others.

vodka · Junior Member Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 22

Yes i can confirm that spikes are gone with the new Intel Raid drivers.

Gemini · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:11 am Post subject:

Hi guys.
I've just bought a new PC (Dell Studio 540) with a QuadCore Intel Q8200 and 6 GB of RAM.

Same problem here: spikes on Cubase 4, but not always.

My setup is composed by a network of 7 PC, 1 master (the new Dell) and 6 slaves (Shuttle X100-HA). Before the new master, I used for a couple of years an E6600 without any problem. Now... these spikes!

The main situation is that: I run an orchestral template of 60 instruments (basically, the new Vienna Instruments) through FX Teleport. The system works great, but when I open the video window ( F8 ) with a quicktime and I try to double the size of the video, these spikes start. If I extended the video to full screen, the audio is completely muted.

I tried to disable the multiprocessing flag and obviously these spikes are gone, but my CPU usage raised from 25% to 50%!

My system is only ATA (no RAID).

Any suggestion is really appreciated!

Gemini · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:47 am Post subject:

Another interesting test.

I tried to load a QuickTime video into an empty project.
Guess what?
Regardless of the number of tracks I have in the project (no tracks at all, during this test!!!), when I open the video window (QuickTime) at more than the actual size (double or full screen or custom size bigger than actual), the CPU gets crazy! The bigger the video, the more spiked is the cpu...

Sometimes I also have the problem of the video not showing and the playback not updating (no cursor and both stop and play buttons lighten during playback until the end of the video... really annoying, especially if I imported the entire reel, I'm working on the first cue and I have to wait 20 minutes until the end of the video file...).

All the software is up to date.

As usual, I appreciate any kind of solution!

Gemini · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:02 am Post subject:

New test.

Apparently the problem is related to QuickTime.
I converted the same movie in a format readable by the DirectShow driver... and now nothing happens to the CPU meter, with any size I use for the video.

vodka · Junior Member Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 22

Yes Quicktime is crap and also Dell Laughing

Gemini · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:37 am Post subject:

I've just finished installing QuickTime Alternative (even if I bought an QuickTime Pro key just some weeks ago...) and this problem magically disappeared!

Now, Cubase is using the normal QuickTime player with the alternative codec, but without any of this weird spikes on the CPU usage...

And obviously... my Dell... is... absolutely... FLAWLESS!!! Laughing

Lasso · Member Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 203