Setting up a PC or Laptop for Audio/Music production is a neccesity.
All these tips are XP based but some can be applied to Vista as well.
Here are a few tips…
I’ll update this one as I go.
If it’s possible do not use PC for internet. And only install Music Software.
If that’s not possible then follow the next steps.
1> If you have wireless turn that off while using Audio software. It can interfere with your sound.
2> Disconnect from internet while using software and shut down anything running in the background that doesn’t need to be running.
3> Disable Automatic Updates>>>
To turn it off completely and for good do as follows:
a. Go into Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.
b. Highlight the service called “Automatic Updates”. You will know when you have the correct one because you will see a description about it telling you what it does.
c. Right click once highlighted and click stop to terminate the service.
d. Right click on it again and go to Properties. Half way down the first tab there is “Startup Type:” change this to disabled.
4. Slim down your operating processes.
a. Get rid of that picture of your ‘cat wearing a spiderman outfit’ that sits on your desktop background.
b. Change all the poncy doobries –
goto start at the bottom of your screen,
‘RIGHT’ click –
goto ‘PROPERTIES’
click choose ‘CLASSIC START MENU’
c. Right click in a space on the desktop click ‘PROPERTIES’ choose In the tab ‘THEMES’ choose ‘classic windows‘ theme in the drop down menu. Click ‘APPLY’ Button, But Don’t shut it down yet.
d. Click the tab ‘DESKTOP’ in background list – choose ‘none‘ Click ‘APPLY’
e. Click the tab ‘Screen Saver’ in list choose ‘none‘ Click ‘APPLY’
You can shut it down now Click ‘OK’
5> Goto ‘CONTROL PANEL’ – Start – Settings – Control Panel
Find ‘SYSTEM’ double click.
Click ‘ADVANCED’ tab
In ‘Performance‘ click ‘SETTINGS’ button.
Choose ‘Adjust for best performance’ Click ‘APPLY’ button.
Click ‘OK’ to exit.
Watch Video—>>>
Optimising Pc – System Performance
6. Optimize Performance for Background Applications.
Back to ‘PERFORMANCE’ settings click on the Advanced tab,
Under -‘Processor Scheduling’ there are two radio buttons.
‘Programs’ and ‘Background Services’,
change the option to ‘Background Services’.
7. Disable Disk Indexing Service. Makes file searching slower but will help your audio softare run better.
Go to the desktop
Click on MY COMPUTER
you will see your HARD DRIVES
Right click on a drive select PROPERTIES.
UN-CHECK the box next to ‘Allow Indexing….’ and click APPLY.
A window will pop up asking for you to ‘CONFIRM ATTRIBUTE CHANGES’.
Select APPLY CHANGES TO X:,SUBFOLDERS and FILES.
“X” is the drive letter of the drive you chose.
The following process can take a few minutes to complete.
Apply this to all your Hard Drives.
9 – Defrag all your drives using windows as often as you can. I defrag every time I start up my DAW.
I use a program called Defraggler it’s free and easy to use.
I also use CCleaner to clean the gunk off my PC before I defrag.