Skip navigation
Line 6 - Support
Up to Discussions in Basic Home Studio Recording 101
2547 Views 6 Replies Latest reply: Nov 17, 2009 7:33 PM by Davey_D RSS
Davey_D Just Startin'
Davey_D
4 posts since
Oct 26, 2009
Currently Being Moderated

Oct 28, 2009 11:24 AM

Multi user Vista Laptop

Hi. This room seems to be the right room for me. I play guitar, and want to record it on my PC.

 

I have a POD Studio GX and a new Toshiba Laptop. I have read all the tips about freeing up windows resourses, and have no problem turning all the cute stuff off while I use the laptop as a DAW. Other times I will want to use the integeral sound card and some of the visual candy.

 

Can I set up two users on the laptop, one for the whole vista thing and one user as a stripped down DAW? I know I CAN do that, but am I adding extra work for vista to have more than one user, that offsets the extra performance turning everything off?

 

Thanks

 

Davey_D

  • Baldur2630 Just Startin'
    Baldur2630
    14 posts since
    Sep 26, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    Oct 28, 2009 1:18 PM (in response to Davey_D)
    Re: Multi user Vista Laptop

    I'm also a guitar player, but my profession is a Computer Engineer. It depends very much on how much memory you have in the laptop, how fast the processor is and whether you are using 32-bit or 64-bit Vista.

     

    Personally, for what it's worth, I wouldn't use a laptop for Home Recording, I would setup a dedicated desktop machine of the highest spec I can afford.

     

    Second, I certainly wouldn't touch Vista (of any flavour) with a sharply pointed bargepole. I would either use tried and tested XP Professional or try Windows 7, it's a zillion times better than Vista (but me, I'll stick with XP Pro until at least Windows 7 SP1 and even then I would need a VERY good reason to change).

     

    I'm using an Intel motherboard DG965OT with a 3.x MHz Dual Core Processor and 4GB RAM running XP Pro 32-bit. It works PERFECTLY. XP 32-bit only "sees" 3GB RAM, but what the hell, at least all the drivers for everything I can find, WORK!

     

    Of course, that's only my personal opinion as a computer engineer. Certainly not as a Line 6 Professional I'm fairly new to Line 6, but I've been a computer engineer since 1970.

    • Davey_D Just Startin'
      Davey_D
      4 posts since
      Oct 26, 2009
      Currently Being Moderated
      Oct 28, 2009 1:40 PM (in response to Baldur2630)
      Re: Multi user Vista Laptop

      Oh man I hear you on the dedicated powerhouse PC. I get to use what I have. The laptop is an AMD dual core at 2 mhz, 64 bit with 4 gigs of RAM. Its my first VISTA unit, and the big draw was the free upgrade to Windows 7. I purchased the POD and have not unpacked it yet. I am moving a few hundred miles on Friday so I just put it in a box. The laptop is new since I was not going to move the antique towers I had.

       

      Since I wont get anything unpacked for a week I decided to read the manuals (GASP!). I get the need to free everything up  as much as I can, so i figured the multi user login would allow me to easily pick between the eye boggling effects of aero and as much of a dedicated DAW as possible.

       

      I have no idea if a multi user computer takes up any memeory or if a single, stripped down, no password user would be THAT much better.

       

      As for Windows 7 I read there are some POD Farm isses with 7, so thats a bummer. I probably have until February or \march until I really feel the need to upgrade so hopefully the POD issues will be solved by then.

       

      I need all the help and advise I can get.... hey I even read the book of words.

       

      D

    • spaceatl Expert Line 6 User
      spaceatl
      3,833 posts since
      Jan 24, 2007
      Currently Being Moderated
      Oct 28, 2009 1:58 PM (in response to Baldur2630)
      Re: Multi user Vista Laptop

      >"XP 32-bit only "sees" 3GB RAM, but what the hell, at least all the drivers for everything I can find, WORK!"

       

      That is not correct...XP Pro sees all 4 GB...However, if you have not changed the boot.ini then your memory if split 2GB for applications and 2GB for XP...

       

      Sorry if this is what you were talking about...

       

      You can add /3GB switch to boot.ini and reduce the OS memory to 1GB and application memory to 3GB...This has a huge performance benefit on machines with 4GB of RAM...Doubtful that an DAW optimized XP instance would need more than 1GB for the OS...It's the applications that need the memory...

       

      http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb613473(VS.85).aspx

      • Davey_D Just Startin'
        Davey_D
        4 posts since
        Oct 26, 2009
        Currently Being Moderated
        Nov 17, 2009 7:33 PM (in response to spaceatl)
        Re: Multi user Vista Laptop

        ok, time for an update.

         

        I moved, waited for the cable company to get the internet up and running, unpacked and tried this puppy out.

         

        I read all of the optimizing tips and tricks, figured out how to set up hardware profiles and all that stuff. I did not do any of it. Like any normal guy I plugged everything in and tried it out. As for the sounds of the presets and the overall functionallity of POD Farm.... wow... its awesome. I do have the dreaded white noise pops so any serious stuff is out for now, but I do love the sounds you get. From what I have read in the support groups here, the random noise is not "optimized" away.... its related to compatability with some harware and current technology/

         

        It really is a shame the software has fallen behind the computer industry. I gather the random noise and instability is related to the software not being up to snuff in 64 bit or Windows 7 (I understand its not up to the latest MAC OS either)  Shame, the stuff sounds awesome but its little more than a toy at this stage in its life.

         

        I'll wait and see if Line 6 can rescue itself from falling so far behing, and hopefully they can fix things.

         

        Next I'll try running out the headphone jack to some serious power amps. I'll update later.

  • spaceatl Expert Line 6 User
    spaceatl
    3,833 posts since
    Jan 24, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Oct 28, 2009 1:47 PM (in response to Davey_D)
    Re: Multi user Vista Laptop

    Creating a new User won't really help...You need a DAW Hardware profile...

     

    Create a new Hardware Profile called DAW...Then reboot and select that profile on the boot menu...Then go to town disabling services, hardware or whatever while in that profile...My XP Pro system has 92MB of used memory when I land on the desktop...

     

    When you need it back the current way reboot and select the original profile from the boot menu...

     

    Control Panel->System (Hardware Tab)

     

    Click Hardware Profiles

     

    Copy the current one and name it DAW....Change the selection time and which profile is defualt if you like...

     

    At least that is where it was in XP...Might be different in  7 but I am sure it is there somewhere...

    • Davey_D Just Startin'
      Davey_D
      4 posts since
      Oct 26, 2009
      Currently Being Moderated
      Oct 28, 2009 1:54 PM (in response to spaceatl)
      Re: Multi user Vista Laptop

      Thanks. Ill figure out how to do that ONCE and be done with it.

       

      I'll be back once I get my POD and guitars unpacked and start installing everything.

       

      I have the guitar part covered, and Im not that bad on a PC, its the putting the 2 together that causes concern.

       

      Thanks again

      D

More Like This

  • Retrieving data ...

Bookmarked By (0)