How to optimize windows 10 for Scope to avoid clicks and pops!?

[petal]

How to optimize windows 10 for Scope to avoid clicks and pops!?

This time I'm gonna freaking do it: create an installation optimized for audio and SCOPE without clicks and pops, and once I get there, I'm gonna image that disk.

So far I've reinstalled Windows 10, Scope 7.1 and Ableton Live and followed several "how to optimize windows 10 for audio", but I still get clicks and pops, not many, but I still get the occasional click or pop. What am I missing here?

Where is the sticky for this topic?

I don't know - yet, so please hit me with all your "Creamware" tips on how to optimize your Windows 10 installation to avoid clicks and pops.

Once I succeed in this most mysterious endeavour, I'll compile a list of "do this" and update this first post with the result.

Cheers!
Thomas

[garyb]

there shouldn't be that much needed.
if the usual tweaks from the pdf that accompanied v7 don't work, then there is another problem, either a plugin, a digital sync problem, or a background app(OneDrive?).

to check for a background app issue, open the task manager when there are problems, go to the "details" page and look for anything using significant cpu that is not your audio apps.

do you allow win10 to be connected to the internet? if not, DO IT. win10 MUST update, if it is frustrated in that action, it will continue to try and will use resources doing so. i always allow my machine to be on for 10-15 minutes before i use it, to allow all the apps that wish to check for updates to do so. if i do that, i am click free. if i don't, there are clicks.

[petal]

The motherboard I'm using is an ASUS H81-plus - which was recommended or at least mentioned as an example that should work with the XITE by SonicCore.
I have checked for IRQ-problems, there are none.
UEFI BIOS is optimized using the "SCOPE" guidelines mentioned elsewhere.

The installation I'm running here to test and cure for clicks is a fresh vanilla windows 10 install with Scope, Ableton Live only. I'm running as minimal as possible in order to exclude "other problems". All relevant pieces of software are up to date. and I still get clicks and pops.

I am not aware of any pdf that accompanied v7?

I have optimized Windows for Audio:
- Performance is set to max all the time, Visual effects adjusted for best performance, Processor Scheduling are set to Background services, Power Options are told to never turn anything off, I've uninstalled Windows Apps that are not needed like Skype and Xbox, I've disabled Background apps, turned off the screensaver etc.
- No cloudware solutions are running on this machine (OneDrive is uninstalled)

Windows 10 is still connected to the internet, but I've told windows update to only update, when I usually sleep. Because I'm still on the internet I'm running microsoft antivirus and firewall.

And I still get the occasional clicks and pops sometimes 3-5 clicks within a minute, sometimes with 5-10 minutes in between!?

When you say that you are click free. Do you mean as in 100% click free?

[garyb]

yes.

100%

absolutely.

the pdf was definitely sent attached to your v7 order.

most of what you have done makes no difference. what do you mean by no irq problems? there is certainly sharing. what shares?

scope_application_v7_build_1705_release_notes.pdf

(497.85 KiB) Downloaded 705 times

what is using cpu when pops occur?

[petal]

OK - Thx for posting the PDF for me! I had already done the tricks and tips mentioned in the pdf though.

The guides I've used to tune windows are these, but you are saying that all these tips make's no difference in order to avoid clicks and pops?
https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/artic ... -for-Audio
https://bandzoogle.com/blog/20-ways-to- ... production
https://support.presonus.com/hc/en-us/a ... Windows-10

About the IRQ's what I meant was that the IRQ that the XIte is on is only shared with one of my SCOPE-PCI cards, which I believe is ok?:

IRQ.png (30.33 KiB) Viewed 37368 times

I havn't been able to detect any CPU spikes or locate any suspicious processes when I hear a pop. Ableton is the most CPU hungry: 5-10%, nothing else gets over that:

Task Manager.png (46.85 KiB) Viewed 37368 times

[valis]

Close web browsers and anything else that may access the onboard soundcard when using Scope. Also go into your system sounds and set them to 'none' so that you don't have anything accessing the onboard soundcard when working, ever.

[petal]

I'm only running Ableton, Scope and the task Manager while trying to hunt down this problem.

System sounds are set to none. I have been considering to disable the onboard soundcard completely, not sure if it will make any difference though.

[garyb]

check for irq sharing in system information, not the device manager.

something is not right. it shouldn't be this hard.
something pulling power in the house?

[valis]

If the onboard sound is the only thing shown to share with the Scope in System Information, it's fairly easy to disable it right there and see if there's any change with the driver not accessible...

Another suggestion: Either make sure you're loading CPU to 50% or more as well when testing, or have your clock states set to a reasonable performance profile in your EFI/Bios (rather than energy saver or etc). There's of course your current Windows power profile and it's attendant settings, and on some systems one or the other has more of an effect on keeping your TDP up so the CPU doesn't clock portions of itself down to where you have issues.

Test one thing at a time, of course.

[petal]

I guess this is where you suggest to look for IRQ-sharing?

Conflicts-sharing.png (78.88 KiB) Viewed 37330 times

No power is being drawn out of the ordinary: Fridge (it's on a different power group though), this computer.

It is not the onboard sound that is sharing the IRQ of the XITE, it's one of my SCOPE PCI cards, but I haven't installed the drivers yet.

The Bios has already been set to "best "power-hungry" performance". Windows as well.

[Bud Weiser]

disable HD Audio Controller IRQ #17.

I doubt it´s your SCOPE PCI.

"HD Audio" normally means "Realtek" or such.

I hope I´m right ...



Bud

[petal]

You are right. I just checked my "trash" installation that I have running on a different HDD and the HD Audio seems to be the onboard. There's also a Scope card, but they aren't shown on the new installation since the driver hasn't been installed.

I'll disable both HD audio audio controllers and cross my fingers.

[petal]

Well, it seems to work better now, but I still get a few clicks from time to time.

[valis]

There may be other issues. Have you run DPC Latency Checker?

Also, there are tools that can check our drivers and software for updates, I used to use Secunia but now it's Sumo and a few others.

[petal]

Nope - that is something I am not familiar with, do you have a link to a guide on how to perform that test and what to look for?

[valis]

https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/solving-dpc-latency-issues/

[petal]

Thank you for helping me hunting down this problem it is very much appreciated!

I ran the Latency check and it reported that I had some issues, and it made me focus on my GFX card. Searched the web for a solution and ended up finding out that the GFX was still throttling, so I did this:

Set NVIDIA Graphics -> Manage 3D Settings -> Power Management Mode -> Prefer High Performance

And ran the latency test again, which now looks much better. I almost had my arms over my head in success and then: pop...

LatencyMon looks like this now:

LatencyMon - bad verdict - after Nvidia set to max perf..png (33.03 KiB) Viewed 37227 times

LatencyMon - Drivers 2.png (83.44 KiB) Viewed 37227 times

Not sure what to try next?

[garyb]

bios update?

[petal]

Bios is updated to the latest version.

[valis]

One thing at a time, right? Try setting other items to max performance in your windows power profile. Right click on start menu (Win10) and choose "Power Options" then "Additional Power Settings" on the right. You'll see the current--and last used--power profiles here. For Audio work you really should be using "High Performance". Click "change plan settings" on your current plan and then "Change advanced power settings". In the dialogue that pops up you want to make sure things are set to max like:

• "Wireless Adapter Settings" = Maximum Performance (just to keep it from stealing cycles as it changes states)
• PCI Express - Link State Power Management - Off
• Processor Power Management - Minimum processor state = 100% (on high performance this should be set already)
• Graphic Processor - GPU Power State - Max Performance

In addition, I use scripts or shortcuts to automatically toggle between "Balanced" and "High Performance" power modes so I can quickly change them when working. I've attached shortcut versions as a zipfile (so we don't have to dig into powershell for now). You can simply extract them to your desktop and double click the one you want to change to that setting. Check the above settings after using the High Performance one the first time just to make sure it's set.