Windows 10 optimization script - A community effort?

[Lauritsvd]

Hi edbk.

Any progress on the scripts lately ?

 

[edbk]

Nope, been busy with some other projects, will do some more work on this but its priority is below realtime ?

[Robert_h]

So is it generally recommended to upgrade from win 7 to win 10?

i have a pc closely modelled on caps topanga (not exact but mostly the same) with 7 as i owned it instead of 8. Theres nothing wrong with it, the os is tweaked to "safe" according to the black viper website, and it streams all my media without any problems.

now that win 10 is a free download, should i do that or just stick with my pc as it is, in the "if it aint broke dont fix it" mode of thinking.

thanks, robert

[edbk]

If you're after better sound you should most definately upgrade. But its also definately not as convenient as leaving things as they are if you're satisfied.

[Ianmac]

Firstly, many thanks for the work you have done.

I have a CAP3 Carbon variant, using a Paul Pang USB card and a Murata filter in the SSD power rail. It runs on a Linear PSU I built Software is W8.1 and Jriver with a driver for the PP USB card and my Benchmark DAC2. Audio Stream is from a NAS and remote Jriver control via an old ipad

I am about to try an upgrade to W10, if OK I will follow your advice and disable the appropriate W10 services to reduce the unwanted activity in the PC electronics.

Not being a PC expert and always reluctant to tweak Windows in case i ** it up,I will proceed with caution, perhaps i'm in for a steep learning curve.

Will follow this thread closely.

[edbk]

Hi Ianmac,

 

When using a nas you probably will have to re-enable one service, its a few posts down from the start, lmhosts from memory. Im planning to make actual scripts for all this so you can disable/enable everything just by running the scripts but I havent found the time yet. The cause if which is actually experimenting with several versions of linear power supplies and actually mainly filtering. So can you tell me a little bit about your solution? What murata filter are you referring to? One of their small chokes would be my first guess?

[Ianmac]

Im using a Tranquil SQA-5H NAS running Windows Home Server. It linked to my 3 PC's for back up,CAPs3 and an old SqueezeboxTouch and holds all my Music files.

I'll look at Imhost. Trying to get some info to hopefully help me better understand the structure of Windows 10.

 

My CAPs 3 used the PP USB card and Murata filter to reduce its cost. (Sotm in the UK is expensive). Likewise my PSU was a budget concious build. Both Caps and PSU are built into the same size cases,approx 200*220 *65mm each. They sit as a pair one on top of the other with convection cooling.

Filters

I used a Murata BNX002-01 to filter the 5v supply from the MB regulator to the SSD. This is rated at 50vDC up to 10A

I used a Schaffner FN9244-1-06 combined IEC /mains inlet filter. Rated 1A at 250v max 1.3A

Power Supply

For applications where a high current is needed I use the tried and trusted LM338, but I use two. The first as a Floating Pre Regulator the second the as a more conventional 3 pin set up with LED's to provide the reference voltage to minimise noise.

Hum and noise are usually at least -100db.

The floating Pre circuit is on most manufacturers application sheet but if you need more info I can provide.

The usual bugbear in building your own power supply is getting an off the shelf transfomer with the correct secondary voltage to keep the regulator heat dissipation to a minimum.

With two regulators one can share the power dissipation across the two devices giving one a little more flexibility with transformer secondary voltages. I also used the LM338 in its TO3 case for optimum heat transfer to the heatsink.

If you need more info let me know

[Deaf Cat]

Many Thanks edbk for starting this thread, just got round to upgrading my music server to windows 10. I have been wondering if it would sound better than 8...

 

At the moment I have just about worked out how to get SlimServer LMS up and running again. c++ had to go and re-install?? and fidelizer won't allow LMS to start, so no fidelizer.

 

Win8 had page file stopped, services and apps gone or disabled and fidelizer(free) running and sounded better than the 'from the shop' windows10 upgrade

(win10, soundstage gone, bass not controlled, top end no body - fingers crossed for tweeking - i did image my win8 drive before upgrading just in case ;-) difficult to understand how the tweeking of win8 makes such a difference)

 

 

So, I'm going to work through your list of bits, and see what happens :-)

Cheers!

[edbk]

I also used the LM338 in its TO3 case for optimum heat transfer to the heatsink.

If you need more info let me know

 

Hi Ianmac, missed your reply somehow ? thanks for the information. Im currently playing around with unregulated (!) choked supplies unregulated into a wide range dc-dc atx converter. Its a bit of a hassle to keep the supply voltage into the accrptable range but at this point its much better sounding (to my ears) then fully linear regulated supplies despite the switching dc-dc converter. I gues the triple choked CLCLCLC supply line provides enough filtering to offset the switcher garbage. ?

[edbk]

So, I'm going to work through your list of bits, and see what happens :-)

Cheers!

 

Enjoy I can also recommend installing process lasso, ive changed hqplayer's priority to realtime and its an significant uptick! You can use the free version if you dont mind the nag popup at startup ?

[Ianmac]

Followed the instructions on the set up guide. Copied item 16 into powershell (edited out Imhost as advised) via notepad. Lots of red messages on powershell on completion.

Jriver could not access my remote NAS and I could not get Remote Desktop to access my CAPS 3. Removed my CAPS3 from my music system so I could get a keyboard, mouse and monitor onto it. Still couldnt resolve the issues.

Tried to reset W10, sytem started to reset but would not go beyond 2%.

Downloaded a USB flash with W10 and did a clean install. Eventually got my system up and running again.

Dont know what I did wrong

[dtb300]

An excellent site when looking at services and what they do for most Window's OS's

 

Black Viper | www.blackviper.com

[AudioPhil]

An excellent site when looking at services and what they do for most Window's OS's

 

Black Viper | www.blackviper.com

 

100% agree, was visiting that page often as well

[edbk]

Ianmac,

 

The red messages are errors on components that cannot be removed or do not exist in your system, those can be ignored.

[Ianmac]

Thanks edbk

Perhaps something I did incorrectly but more likely my lack of knowledge stopping me identifying the problem.

 

I have bought a Dell Inspiron micro 3050 (On offer in the UK for £99) to use as a work unit.

Its running W8.1 so my first task is to fit an SSD and get W10 onto it. It only has a 30 Gb (approx) M2 card and I'm unable to load W10 due to the space the W8.1 recovery is using. Made USB recovery but so far havent cracked how to get the bios to boot from it. If I can do that I can delete the recovery sector from the M2 leaving plenty of room for W10 and JRiver.

 

I wont give up easily, as I said earlier, this is a learning curve for me.

[Deaf Cat]

Enjoy I can also recommend installing process lasso, ive changed hqplayer's priority to realtime and its an significant uptick! You can use the free version if you dont mind the nag popup at startup ��

 

Been a while with work etc, win10 decides if and for how long it will let my ps2 keyboard work for - pain!

Windows X helped to get LMS to work after running Fidelizer free, got music :-D

I have just noticed I can't access all setting screens of LMS Ahhhhh!

 

But, first impressions, without stopping your suggested services as of yet! (I have done the other things in the manual)

Is a very clean sound, lacking body yes but seems much more accurate than when on win8, image has returned, however generally sound stage is slightly recessed.

So I do like the clean more accurate sound, sounds maybe a bit thin, wanting to always turn it up to get a bit more ooomph! but stays thin. Difficult to put into words but sounds more accurate, that is good , but not so real...

 

All in all I think it is a good move to go to win10, Thankyou for starting the thread! :-)

I think I need a lot of tinkering though, and working out how to get the more accurate vocals and instruments, back in the room sounding real :-O

[edbk]

Hi Deaf Cat,

 

There are a lot if tweaks you can do I would agree to windows 10 sounding cleaner and leaner then windows 8, I think its a big improvement though

[edbk]

Btw I didnt spend anymore effort on any of this as it seems AO for windows 10 is coming soon.

[Deaf Cat]

Yer its weird, technically I know it sounds better, but involvement, emotion and where I want the sound stage is not quite there yet, but when it all comes together, somehow, it will be better as it is cleaner :-)

 

I wondered if I was warming to the sound a little, then realized I had disabled defender 20mins before... little by little.

 

So AO should improve upon whats been done so far..?

Whats your thoughts on Fidelizer and/or AO ?

 

Thanks again for posting other wise I don't think I would have tried win10! :-)

[edbk]

I dont know if AO improves it but sure didnt go all the way in here yet, and itll be in a convenient package..

[lmitche]

In my efforts to tame Windows 10 for audio, I uncovered many OS processes constantly writing log files, from the kernel up through and including dozens of service processes. Wrestling the OS to prevent this was possible, but took manual effort on every boot. My expectations are that Phil will eliminate the need for these manual steps in the Win10 version of AO.

 

In the interim, my OS of choice is Archlinux with real-time extensions through the excellent Audiolinux distribution crafted by Piero Olmeda.

 

It should be said that this is not a solution for those that are uncomfortable with the Linux command line. Yesterday, I finally learned how to configure and tune the built-in real-time capabilities. Wow, it sure sounds good, with a depth and delicacy that is beyond anything I have heard from my system in the past.

 

I am alternately running Minimserver/Minimstreamer/Libsoxr /Openhome and HQplayer on this machine, with FMCs to a SMS-100 running MPD/DLNA OR NAA.

[NAIDIVER]

Can i use this for win2012R2?

or shouldn't..

[edbk]

Hi Lm,

 

Are you saying archlinux with real time extensions sounds better then win10?

[NAIDIVER]

So... Which one sounds the best?

Win10 or Win2012r2 ?!!

So doubt about it.

[Ianmac]

In my efforts to tame Windows 10 for audio, I uncovered many OS processes constantly writing log files, from the kernel up through and including dozens of service processes. Wrestling the OS to prevent this was possible, but took manual effort on every boot. My expectations are that Phil will eliminate the need for these manual steps in the Win10 version of AO.

 

In the interim, my OS of choice is Archlinux with real-time extensions through the excellent Audiolinux distribution crafted by Piero Olmeda.

 

It should be said that this is not a solution for those that are uncomfortable with the Linux command line. Yesterday, I finally learned how to configure and tune the built-in real-time capabilities. Wow, it sure sounds good, with a depth and delicacy that is beyond anything I have heard from my system in the past.

 

.

I have been progressing slowly with W10 and getting reasonable results but I have often thought "is this the right way to go about getting the best audio". If the Linux based operating systems are using less "computing" power would it not be better to progress down that route than try to simplify the very complex microsoft OS.

Only the thoughts of one on a learning curve re PC's.