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Author Topic: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...  (Read 10216 times)

Thomas W. Bethel

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Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« on: April 12, 2014, 07:12:31 AM »

Yesterday I turned on my computer to do some work. I am running Windows XP Pro SP3 and it is normally a very stable machine. As we all know Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP earlier this week. The first thing that happens is I get a message saying that my machine cannot connect to my ILOK. I reset my ILOK in the USB hub and try again and no joy. So I go on line and download the latest installer for ILOK and cannot get it to install. I uninstall the ILOK driver again restart the machine and try to install the ILOK driver again and this time it installs and I have my ILOK back. So I open up WL6 and I start to do some mastering but something is not quite right. Everything coming out of my speakers is reversed. The left channel, being playback on WL, is coming out of my right speaker and visa versa. I confirm this by un-linking my master faders and pulling them down one at a time and yes the channels are reversed in playback. I start to check everything going to and from my Avocet monitor controller and everything is fine. I also check all my settings on my RME card and all is well there. I shutdown my computer and reboot it and the same thing is happening. I reinstall my drivers for my RME card reboot the computer and PRESTO everything is back to normal.

I don't really want to switch to Windows 7 since there are no drivers for my sound card. Just wondering what others are doing as far as upgrades in their operating systems??? Without my knowledge or permission Microsoft uninstalled Security Essentials the day they stopped supporting the OS which kinda freaked me out. I am wondering what other problems I am going to have down the road. Having my ILOK driver and my sound card driver go wacky on the same day is not, IMHO, a good sign of things to come.

FWIW
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Thomas W. Bethel
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Acoustik Musik, Ltd.
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Doing what you love is freedom.
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Celebrating 29 years in business in 2024

When only the best will do...

Hermetech Mastering

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2014, 09:35:12 AM »

Well, XP is dead now, so you probably should consider upgrading at some stage soonish. I was on 98 and XP for ten years, but I switched to W7 3 years ago, with an SSD OS drive, and it's been the most stable windows I've ever used. I don't think Microsoft would have been able to uninstall anything from your system, if it wasn't connected to the internet. I've not had my studio PC connected to the internet even once in the last 14 years. Just something else that might be worth thinking about.

ArtSta

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2014, 01:39:17 PM »

I am running dual boot XP/W7 system and use XP pretty frequently- I have DDP software installed there and haven't transfered the license to W7 yet (W7 installed 2-3 years ago). Actually I am running such configuration because I wanted to switch to W7 as smoothly as possible so I have all the software installed on both systems (including iLok drivers etc.) in order to have possibility to work if one system fails.
I haven't found any issue with XP to date. The system is working perfectly. When I installed it and found it being stable I stopped to apply any updates. I must add, there is no connection to the internet.

What I would do in case of such problems as yours Thomas:
a) go through hardware tests (memory and hard disk) to find possible failures,
b) run antivirus scan,
c) check usb hub- some hubs have power problems with many usb devices connected (I am using hub with external power supply),
d) finally, check your PC power supply- maybe it is getting old and does not supply sufficient power. PS issues may often cause weird system behavior.

Let us know if you find a cause.

Art
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Greg Reierson

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2014, 09:44:00 AM »

My situation is very similar to Art's, though I have not actually booted my 7 drive in a long time. Maybe it's time to re-examine it again.

In the mean time, here are some tips on keeping XP running:

http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-57620758-12/5-tips-for-running-windows-xp-relatively-safely/?tag=mncol;txt
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Greg Reierson
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Thomas W. Bethel

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2014, 09:52:45 AM »

I am running dual boot XP/W7 system and use XP pretty frequently- I have DDP software installed there and haven't transfered the license to W7 yet (W7 installed 2-3 years ago). Actually I am running such configuration because I wanted to switch to W7 as smoothly as possible so I have all the software installed on both systems (including iLok drivers etc.) in order to have possibility to work if one system fails.
I haven't found any issue with XP to date. The system is working perfectly. When I installed it and found it being stable I stopped to apply any updates. I must add, there is no connection to the internet.

What I would do in case of such problems as yours Thomas:
a) go through hardware tests (memory and hard disk) to find possible failures,
b) run antivirus scan,
c) check usb hub- some hubs have power problems with many usb devices connected (I am using hub with external power supply),
d) finally, check your PC power supply- maybe it is getting old and does not supply sufficient power. PS issues may often cause weird system behavior.

Let us know if you find a cause.

Art

Thanks for all the helpful suggestion. I just put in a new power supply about a year ago and checked all the voltage and everything seems happy. My USB hub is powered but I have had problems in the past with Belkin hubs so I am ordering a new one off Amazon today just in case. I have run a complete virus scan of my whole computer and defagged the hard drive. Today I used it to do some mastering and it is working GREAT. I am going to take it off the internet just in case. I have a client that has 7 imbedded XPs in his POS system at his restaurant and wanted me to suggest what he should do to protect himself. I am at a loss to know what to tell him.
Thanks again. This is the kind of help this web board is known for and I am very greateful to be a member.
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Thomas W. Bethel
Managing Director
Acoustik Musik, Ltd.
http://www.acoustikmusik.com/

Doing what you love is freedom.
Loving what you do is happiness.

Celebrating 29 years in business in 2024

When only the best will do...

Thomas W. Bethel

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2014, 09:53:53 AM »

My situation is very similar to Art's, though I have not actually booted my 7 drive in a long time. Maybe it's time to re-examine it again.

In the mean time, here are some tips on keeping XP running:

http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-57620758-12/5-tips-for-running-windows-xp-relatively-safely/?tag=mncol;txt

Thanks Greg a very helpful article. Thanks again for the reply.
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Thomas W. Bethel
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Acoustik Musik, Ltd.
http://www.acoustikmusik.com/

Doing what you love is freedom.
Loving what you do is happiness.

Celebrating 29 years in business in 2024

When only the best will do...

ArtSta

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #6 on: April 15, 2014, 04:07:24 AM »

Thanks again. This is the kind of help this web board is known for and I am very greateful to be a member.

Wow! As a newbie here I am honoured  :)

Art
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Thomas W. Bethel

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2014, 07:23:52 AM »

Things with XP are still weird. My office machine, which is also running XP Pro, suddenly lost all audio. After I checked the drivers and the hardware everything was where it was suppose to be so I restarted the machine and I had my audio back. This same machine earlier in the week declared, after I had turned it on, that "your hardware has changed and you need to reauthorize your computer with in three days" I followed the instructions and it got "reauthorized". My main mastering computer, which I documented above, has been running well with no real problems except that it suddenly went back to some other screen saver for some unknown reason and it took the RME sound card and changed the clocking from Master to Auto. I ran virus and malware checking programs on both machines and everything was fine. I really don't know why two machines that have been very stable can all of a sudden start having weird problems.

Anyway everything is back to normal for now.

Thanks for all the helpful replies.
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Thomas W. Bethel
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Acoustik Musik, Ltd.
http://www.acoustikmusik.com/

Doing what you love is freedom.
Loving what you do is happiness.

Celebrating 29 years in business in 2024

When only the best will do...

ArtSta

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2014, 04:46:26 PM »

Thomas, if you're i.e. running automatic updates some shared libraries might be installed/uninstalled/upgraded and it may be a cause for some issues with 3rd party software/drivers. That's one of the reasons I did all the updates manually and have 'frozen' my stable configuration.
A few times I lost clocking due to screen saver upon video wake-up (I am not using system screen saver, but the monitor's one- so it's even more mysterious).

Art
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Thomas W. Bethel

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2014, 07:00:27 AM »

I finally figured out what was wrong with my office machine. It is a program called "BitDefender" , which I installed, and it was causing havoc with my machine. I took it off and everything returned to normal. BitDefender is a top rated as a virus protection software. I am currently trying to get my money back from the software company. It caused so many problems including lost audio, my network connection and it finally caused my machine to basically stop working al together. My mastering machine has been very good with no real problems after I turned off auto update and ran a defragging program on all my drives and checked all my drives for viruses. So far so good. (loud sound of Tom knocking on wood)

Thanks for all the help.
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Thomas W. Bethel
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Acoustik Musik, Ltd.
http://www.acoustikmusik.com/

Doing what you love is freedom.
Loving what you do is happiness.

Celebrating 29 years in business in 2024

When only the best will do...

Hermetech Mastering

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2014, 07:29:16 AM »

Glad you got it sorted, Thomas! I learned early on never to have any virus software installed on my audio PC. Think the last I used to was Norton around 2002. Caused loads of problems. Never have my audio PC connected to the internet, and never have Anti-Virus software installed. Of course, then you do run the risk of getting a virus if you are often moving files to and from an internet computer with a USB stick (as I am). Touch wood no problems so far, but would be interested in how others might approach this possible problem.

ArtSta

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2014, 04:12:36 PM »

Of course, then you do run the risk of getting a virus if you are often moving files to and from an internet computer with a USB stick (as I am). Touch wood no problems so far, but would be interested in how others might approach this possible problem.

I have fully secured internet PC (laptop actually) and when I use a USB stick I scan it every time it is being inserted (the scan process is issued automatically- I just need to press OK to run it). All the downloaded files are also scanned just right after download, so the risk is minimal here.

Art
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Jerome Malsack

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2014, 02:34:03 PM »

Another trap starting to show up is the cloud software.  Purchase your software and run off the cloud.  I hope your IP provider has good bandwith along with the agreed data transfer limit.    Ooops  we upgraded that software and it is no longer available on the cloud but for another 150 dollars we will give you the upgrade that can open and work on your older files. 
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Thomas W. Bethel

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2014, 06:55:41 AM »

Another trap starting to show up is the cloud software.  Purchase your software and run off the cloud.  I hope your IP provider has good bandwith along with the agreed data transfer limit.    Ooops  we upgraded that software and it is no longer available on the cloud but for another 150 dollars we will give you the upgrade that can open and work on your older files.

We are using Creative Suite from Adobe via the internet. All programs reside on my computers here but updates are done via the internet (cloud software) so far it is working out GREAT with no real problems. Of course the software is here and not on the cloud so that makes a BIG difference, What software is 100% cloud based where you do not have it on your computer? Just wondering??? All of our files reside here as well but I can see in a very collaborative world where it would be good thing to have the files on the cloud for someone else to have access. My problem with the cloud based world is someone hacking into the cloud and gaining access to my creative work.

Back on topic my audio computer has been running very well (knock on wood) and I am very happy about this. My office computer is also working well since I got rid of the antivirus software that was causing all the problems...
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Thomas W. Bethel
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Acoustik Musik, Ltd.
http://www.acoustikmusik.com/

Doing what you love is freedom.
Loving what you do is happiness.

Celebrating 29 years in business in 2024

When only the best will do...

Jerome Malsack

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Re: Windows XP and some strange audio related things...
« Reply #14 on: June 13, 2014, 03:21:18 PM »

at the moment it is Office 361?  If that works well you may be seeing it migrated by the others.   
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