Some random, unrelated computer questions

[JASIII]

Instead if starting separate threads for each one, I'll group them all together. if any one has any insights into any of them, I'd love to hear it.:

Preface: I have a Dell PC with 1 G RAM and 2.8 Ghz processor. I run Sonar 4 Studio edition. I use a Tascam US 2400 USB control surface. Edirol 10 x 10 FA-101 firewire soundcard.




1. When I power up, right after I push the power button, there's a sort of a harsh sound like moving parts that are rubbing or grinding, (or a automobile engine starting without any oil). Like a 'grrr'. This is a recent thing, maybe a month. Seems ok after it's running. sound only occurs for a split second at power up.

2. Recently, I've been recording a project for a band. Went back to a song to overdub guitar. When I open the song file in Sonar, I created a new track for the guitar overdub. If I set the track input source to the soundcard input I'm using, and arm the track for recording, everything is fine. The meters show input signal. IF I stop, un-arm for recording OR change the track input setting to a different soundcard input and then change it back to the correct input, NO LEVELS SHOW ON THE TRACK INPUT METER. I then have to close the song file or sometimes close and restart Sonar, reopen the song file etc. Sometimes it takes several tries at closing/reopening before it responds. I get only one shot at arming everything correctly or the track doesn't get input levels. I've tried recording and nothing gets recorded to that track unless it's showing input. It was only on one song at first, now I've noticed a second song file is doing it too. Sounds like a software issue to me. Anybody?????

3. Sometimes, seemingly at random, my computer stops recognizing my soundcards drivers. I always have to uninstall them and reinstall. Happens once a month or so.

4. Yesterday I was mixing. I stopped the track. Went to get my roomate for some advice on the mix. 2 minutes later we sat down, I hit "play" and....nothing. control surface didn't work, mouse on the screen didn't work. Moments before it was working fine, left the room, came back...didn't work. I tried to close the project, got a nonresponsive program message and sonar had to shut down. I had to re-start the computer, then it worked fine. Weird.

5. CPU usage has seemed to increase recently. I use quite a few VST plugins at one time, but things had always chugged along ok as long as I had my latency turned up a little. Now, with only one or two additional plugins open, the same songs won't even run without dropouts unless I have my latency set quite high and then it operates really slowly, like long pauses between hitting "play" and the track actually beginning to play.


Are these all symptoms of one particular problem? Any input is appreciated.

[;ivlunsdystf]

Spyware? If your rig is always online, have you run spybot search/destroy lately? Have you defragmented?

Have you used msconfig to get your startup down to the bare essentials so there aren't a bunch of background processes/apps taking up processing power?

That first thing sounds like a tired fan inside the tower. Those can be easily replaced, although maybe you can lubricate that somehow. I don't know what you'd use - 3 in 1, maybe? Google that before you try it.

[JASIII]

Thanks for the reply. I don't have this computer connected to the internet. I don't even have internet access at my house. I do have an external hard drive that has some audio and video files that were downloaded, maybe it's getting spyware from there?

I defragged yesterday when these problems really pissed me off.

I thought maybe the fan was making that noise too. time to look inside.

[qball]

You should replace the fan in your PC case. It's failing and won't keep things cool. In fact, based on your descriptions of the other problems that you're having, it sounds as if things are already overheating which is causing the crashes and lockups.

[wedge]

If it *is* the fan, and it's the fan for the power supply, you definitely should replace it asap! The fan to my power supply started making noises once, but they were intermitent, and I mostly ignored it, until one day I started smelling that wonderful smell of burning electronics. At that point, I was keeping my computer on all day, so I was *very* fortunate to be home the moment the power supply was on the verge of melting down. I stopped it in time. No fire, and the computer was ultimately fine, with a new power supply...

Also, the grinding sound can be a hard drive arm that's having problems... In fact, if you hear the sound only on start up, that's probably what it is... When it's off, the arm can get "glued" to the disk with moisture and dirt, etc., and it has to take a moment to violently disengage when it's started back up...

[Zoltar]

I have had similar grinding sounds, although mine are more like crackling from the power supply.

I think the problem is the CPU overheating. Check your sink, vaccum out any dust, that sort of thing. I suppose it could also be a RAM issue, you could pull each chip to see how it affects the performance.

[qball]

Also, the grinding sound can be a hard drive arm that's having problems... In fact, if you hear the sound only on start up, that's probably what it is... When it's off, the arm can get "glued" to the disk with moisture and dirt, etc., and it has to take a moment to violently disengage when it's started back up...

In my experience, every fan failure I've had made the sound at startup. When it warmed up a little, it would stop making the sound. Eventually it would stop - FOR GOOD.

As suggested in the previous post, check to see if your fans, RAM and heat sinks need to be cleaned off. Use a can of compressed air and blow those areas off good.

[JASIII]

Thanks guys. I pulled the side panel off and fired it up while looking inside, the fan appears to be fine and not noisy when running. There was a some dust and lint on the screen where the fan takes in air, so I cleaned that off, the fan blades had a similar layer of crap on the leading edges. Heat sink was fine, not getting hot, although the sink on my dual video card was a bit hot, but I could still leave my fingers on it without any pain.

I think the person who pointed out the hard drive arm "sticking" may be onto something. Also, it doesn't make that noise EVERY time I startup either, maybe half the time.

I found a few pieces of spyware that I removed (very strange considering I bought this machine only for recording, don't have it hooked up to the internet. In fact I only put it online once to download all the Windows updates since I bought it.)

I'm ready to chalk these problems up to:
a. the little spyware I did find
b. trying to get a PC to interface the following: Sonar, Edirol soundcard/interface, dual video monitors, and tascam us2400 usb control surface.
c. Too many vst plugins running! I need to rethink how I'm using plugins and do more parallel effects/bussing to manage my CPU use better. On a particularly troublesome track I'm using more than 30 individual applications of plugins spread over 17-19 audio tracks. Some of my plugins seem to suck a lot of CPU (esp. the Pushtec eq)

I guess I had fantasies that 1 G of RAM and a 2.8 processor would allow me to run hog wild with plugins, number of tracks, etc. Ah well, live and learn!

[wedge]

do more parallel effects/bussing to manage my CPU use better.

Great idea! I learned this the hard way, too, and it's freed up my DAW considerably...