Should I let Windows 7 Upgrade?

[McKellip]

Real quick.. Had been running PT8 with WinXP for years.

Just updated to Win7 64bit, PT 10.3.9, and new Waves V9...basically bit the bullet and EVERYTHING is new, fresh install.

My Quad Core machine, built with the help of fellow DUC members, now runs perfect ! Snappy, instant screen redraws etc.. it is wonderful !

Since I just installed Windows 7, it is sitting there waiting to update to windows explorer 11, and 146 other patches, updates, and security features. Should I let it? If you could look back into your crystal ball, would you have let windows update, or are your machines still running good?

I have always kept my recording computers OFF the Internet, since version 5x back in 2000. However, I decided this time that I am tired of running a laptop to the side with a thumb drive, downloading and transferring files back and forth...I figured Pro Tools 10 should be mature enough now to run the internet (and updates that come with it) along side PT.

Thoughts??

[Benoni]

You should at least update to Windows 7 SP1 since that is the approved version.

I personally always update my PC (manually, no auto install), but that's up to you if you wish to continue updating after you are on the approved version.

Keep in mind, if you are getting on the inter-tubes with this PC, and you do not install the updates, you will have security holes....

[The Weed]

BACK UP FIRST! Use Acronis True Image Home or similar to make an image of your system before any upgrade, update, install etc. so, if it goes south you can get back to a working system in short order.

Cheers,

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by The Weed

BACK UP FIRST! Use Acronis True Image Home or similar to make an image of your system before any upgrade, update, install etc. so, if it goes south you can get back to a working system in short order.

Cheers,

Yes, yes, 1 thousand times, yes^^^^. I image or clone BEFORE any update, be it OS, Pro Tools, or even adding a new plugin

[McKellip]

Thank you guys for the tips! I am on Service pack 1, so good there.

So I am up really late tonight stress testing my system...because I told you it was running pretty snappy...

Well I know the old Dverb test is probably not as valid as it was years ago, but check this out...

As I am typing this RIGHT NOW, I have 96 tracks RECORDING, with 7 dverbs on EACH channel...!! What??? I am at 86% -87% CPU (Native). That is like 672 dverbs, and I still have processor power! I set 3 processors and I am at 99% CPU usage limit. I did not realize Pro Tools 10 had this much extra juice?

Oh and it has been going strong for over 1:28 now.

[McKellip]

Ok, I really apologize, but it is 1:47am in Idaho and I must be doing something wrong..

I just filled all ten slots with Dverb X 96 tracks and it is still recording while I am surfing the internet??? That is 960 dverbs, and the screen zooms in and out quick..I can flip back and forth between mix and edit windows with ease.

I am going to save this session, exit out and see if I am just dreaming this...I have never seen performance like this in my studio.

Granted I have not installed all my plugins yet, because I am going slow. The only thing I have is the Waves Platinum bundle V9, SSL bundle V9, TL space..
So I still have Massey, URS, Pultec Bundle, Melodyne, Strike, and all my IK Multimedia to install yet.

I think I am really going to get an image backup going, because I have never experienced performance this good.

[Shan]

Originally Posted by McKellip

Ok, I really apologize, but it is 1:47am in Idaho and I must be doing something wrong..

I just filled all ten slots with Dverb X 96 tracks and it is still recording while I am surfing the internet??? That is 960 dverbs, and the screen zooms in and out quick..I can flip back and forth between mix and edit windows with ease.

I am going to save this session, exit out and see if I am just dreaming this...I have never seen performance like this in my studio.

Granted I have not installed all my plugins yet, because I am going slow. The only thing I have is the Waves Platinum bundle V9, SSL bundle V9, TL space..
So I still have Massey, URS, Pultec Bundle, Melodyne, Strike, and all my IK Multimedia to install yet.

I think I am really going to get an image backup going, because I have never experienced performance this good.

Is this a new system, or the same one in your signature? Try the Dverb 2.0 test, which adds the test tone, and also monitor your CPU usage(Pro Tools > Window > System Usage) when running the test:

The Dverb 2.0 Test

Please make sure that RTAS Engine Ignore Errors During Playback/Record box is unchecked

Start the computer. Create a brand new 24bit/48k Session on your audio drive for the Dverb test. Open up the system usage window in PT. Then, go to Setup > Playback Engine... > and make sure the RTAS engine: Ignore Errors During Playback/Record(may cause clicks and pops) is NOT checked. Also, Go to your buffer setting and select 1024(CPU usage must be 95% or highest possible). Set up your time line ruler for Min:Secs. You want to be in grid mode and set up your grid for Min:Secs and 1 second. Create one mono audio track. Take the selector tool, put it on the 5 minute mark in your audio track and drag this to the start of your session. You will now have 5 minutes selected in this track. Go to AudioSuite > Other > Signal Generator and click on the "process" but. You should now see a 5 minute test tone. Create another audio track and insert 5 Dverbs in all the inserts. Record arm the Dverb track. Click on the track name so it is high lighted white, and hit shift+alt+D then hit enter. Record arm the new track and continue this pattern. You want to be able to record WITHOUT THE TEST TONE BREAKING UP!! Keep adding Dverbs and recording. If the test tone starts to breakup, then delete some Dverbs until you can hear a SOLID TEST TONE for 5 MINUTES. This is VERY VERY important. The test tone has to be 100% solid!!!

Shane

[McKellip]

Thanks Shane,
I figured you might show up!

This is the same old computer in my signature. Built in 2008, no changes have been made to this machine other than a complete re-install of software..clean slate, but I did not allow windows update to do any of the maintenance updates that you always get when updating the operating system. It is about as new and lean as it gets software wise. I think I installed Flash, Chrome and Adobe reader that was it.

I think I am on to something here...not letting the computer bloat up and get bogged down as you know always happens over time. What I am wondering is, could we load a machine up, and not let windows do the first round of security updates, and just keep it that way, then disable the internet, and leave the machine in this raw, untouched form? I wonder if there is a huge performance boost associated with doing this?

In my blurry eyed state last night, I realized that my dverb test was invalid, because I did not follow the proper procedure. I did not have a test tone running, and I was not monitoring the audio for break up in signal. So I will do that this evening and re-run the test and report back.

I have been limited to 48 tracks in the past, and when I realized I could now have 96, I just got all excited and tried to max out dverb instances. The machine just RAN, with about 90-95% CPU usage...it even hit 100% a couple of times but never went red.

The interesting thing is, even though I did not have the test tone going, the machine was STABLE with 960 instances in record mode, and I was scolling around zooming and the screen, redraws were instant, minimize pro tools , jump on the internet etc... Before my machine was slow and unresponsive when stress testing to the max.

On a side note, I will have to dig up my old dverb test done with Win XP Pro and Version 8.0.3, but I believe I was hitting about 260 before..that is why I got so excited..The clean install of everything at once DID something. I rarely update, but those darn Waves Platinum bundle prices were so enticing, I bit the bullet. Then had to update WUP, Win7 64bit, Pro Tools 10/11, and Waves V9...it was over $1000 when I got done

[McKellip]

Ok,
Did an image of my drive at this point in time. I will follow everyone's advice and create a new image as I add plugins. I may even experiment with letting Windows go ahead and update most of the security patches, and see where that lands me !

Dverb test 2.0. Ok, the True official dverb test put QUITE a strain on the old Quad machine. I followed to the letter and was only able to put 122 dverbs on. CPU meter was bouncing back and forth between 92% and 94%.

..123 dverbs and the audio would break up every few seconds. So there it is. Is that Good? Bad? average? I'm not sure?

The GUI was still very snappy and responsive. which I think is a BIG change from my former 32 bit system and XP. So I think there is good progress here on version 10.. even though the pro tools resources are almost tapped, the machine still responds well and does not totally come to a halt.

What is interesting though.. I went ahead and kept adding dverbs anyway, even with the audio breaking up, and when I got to 126 dverbs the CPU meter dropped down to 55%. I kept adding and recording (Audio breaking up) until I got to 670 dverbs and the CPU hit 99%-100% but did not go into the red, and did not throw up any errors. So what is the significance of having a pure audio tone? is it to simulate more of a real world usage?

Now that I have my Image made, I am going to start installing plugins etc.. and get everything back up to speed.

Thanks,
Randy

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by McKellip

Real quick.. Had been running PT8 with WinXP for years.

Just updated to Win7 64bit, PT 10.3.9, and new Waves V9...basically bit the bullet and EVERYTHING is new, fresh install.

My Quad Core machine, built with the help of fellow DUC members, now runs perfect ! Snappy, instant screen redraws etc.. it is wonderful !

Since I just installed Windows 7, it is sitting there waiting to update to windows explorer 11, and 146 other patches, updates, and security features. Should I let it? If you could look back into your crystal ball, would you have let windows update, or are your machines still running good?

I have always kept my recording computers OFF the Internet, since version 5x back in 2000. However, I decided this time that I am tired of running a laptop to the side with a thumb drive, downloading and transferring files back and forth...I figured Pro Tools 10 should be mature enough now to run the internet (and updates that come with it) along side PT.

Thoughts??

Update to 7 sp1. Get all the current updates available (it will take awhile) then shut off auto update. You should be good to go for awhile.

What is interesting though.. I went ahead and kept adding dverbs anyway, even with the audio breaking up, and when I got to 126 dverbs the CPU meter dropped down to 55%. I kept adding and recording (Audio breaking up) until I got to 670 dverbs and the CPU hit 99%-100% but did not go into the red, and did not throw up any errors. So what is the significance of having a pure audio tone? is it to simulate more of a real world usage?

The CPU usage metering in PT is not 100%. After it reaches a certain level, it will become unstable and inaccurate, and that for you was at the point when the CPU level all of a sudden dropped. All kinds of crazy things will happen after this point, but all in all the system and audio will be unstable and intermittent.