Memory usage and unknown system errors

[elanvital]

Hello all,

I think the best way to post my question and the details pertaining to it is in bullet points rather than writing lengthy paragraphs. So, here it is:


2005 – Built new system and installed GS3 Solo.
Gigabyte’s FSB800 Motherboard with ATi RS350 chipset
Intel Pentium 4, CPU 3.00 gig
1 gig (2x 512 meg) corsair memory, cas latency 2, running in dual channels.
80 gig hard drive, don’t remember speed.
Creative Labs Audigy 2 Sound Card (Thank God for Rewire).
Win XP, sp2
Other audio software: Finale (now 2007), Sonar 4, Reason 3
This ran fine for a few years, but due to limited polyphony, had to multitrack record. Not too bad a problem, but decided to upgrade.
Recently upgraded to GS3 Orchestra and found how amazing the Vienna Giga Symphony is (If only they’ll release all the articulations for Giga!)
Polyphony not an issue, but memory up to 89% and I haven’t loaded woodwinds yet. Time to upgrade memory!
Memory now 2 gigs (2x 1gig) OCZ brand, running dual channels, DDR 400 (PC 3200), cas latency 2
89% memory became 41%, this is good news.
Load one more instrument and get “unknown system error.” Not able to load any more instruments.
Tested memory: 39% - that’s on Preset 1 (Windows XP default). Begin memory tweaks in GS Config.
Preset 2: 67% tested memory. However, no wav files will play because Win says they’re not in the correct folders, files are lost for Win to load correctly, Giga will not load at all. Had to reinstall windows.
Preset 3: 67% Giga studio won’t load any instruments. I decided to skip preset four and move to the GS Optimizer, aka “Mattias Tweak.”
Optimizer Preset 1: 53%
Optimizer Preset 2: Antivirus off (as with all tweaks) freeze on startup, startup extremely slow, system runs slow. Message: “GS did not start properly” and Sonar 4 will not open.
Optimizer Preset 3: 64%, slow running. Tried this later a second time and the system was more unstable.
Optimizer Preset 4: “CTTheme/ Invalid Language ID/ Caller:Volume Control/ Language ID:1033.” I got that message on startup. “Creative Volume Control unable to load interface – reinstall.” On GS startup:“Kernel Drivers not loaded.” Then the load optimizer would not load! Nothing displayed properly. Windows restart would not work. Tried to manually reset and got blue screen. Not enough memory to load optimizer. More bluescreen. Had to run it in safe mode. Then I went back to Preset 4 in the GS Configuration.
Preset 4: Works once in a while. Sometimes Sonar audio playback will not work. Finale 2007will not run while Giga open. If I close Giga, it will not load all of my instruments when I open it again. (If I can’t run Finale simultaneously, then I have to move back and forth). When I try to load Giga again, it gives me the “USE” at 37% memory usage. (Understand I HAD to restart Giga because until I did I couldn’t play anything through Sonar.”
At some point in there I removed Nero InCD as well with no memory change. (The .exe file was corrupt anyway. I don’t think it was actually loaded.)

So, my issue is that when I doubled my memory, I got less instruments. Then every tweak from either GS Config or the GS Load Optimizer causes my system to be anywhere from highly unstable to unusable. I also have implemented all of the Win XP adjustments to free up memory and CPU for audio with no noticeable difference. I know one recommendation is to run Giga on its own system, independent of my sequencer, Finale, or any other standard computer functions. However, this begs the question: “What is practical about switching from hardware to software samplers?” There has to be a way to run Giga on the same system as my other audio software with minimal performance loss. I managed much better before, and with each “upgrade” I lose performance.

Please, if anybody has any input, please let me know. None of this makes sense anymore and I’ve spent countless hours troubleshooting. I know people have been successful with certain memory tweaks, but it still doesn’t make sense to me that when I double my memory, why does gigastudio not give me double memory usage?

Thank you so much,
Robert Chastain

P.S. The search forum function on this website has not worked for me for a few weeks now. I have to find earlier posts via google search.

[belbin]

Robert.

This is a big subject. Try searching for "USE" (Unknown System Error). Someone posted a bunch of threads regarding this and potential fixes not long ago. You could also spend a while browsing backward in this sub-forum. This problem and many areas related to it have been discussed regularly here since GS 3.0. The only conclusion you'll draw. however, is that everyone has different results. All the same, take some time and peruse-you may find just what you're looking for.

Some personal exeriences:

1) Cutting back my 2 gigs to 1.5 yeilded a higher memory limit (forget which preset-2, I think) and better stability than when using 2 gigs. You may not consider it an acceptable comprimise, but let the record show.
2) Setting processor scheduling for background services is important. I can't remember what aspect of performance improved, but I think the USE was less common or altogehter absent for me after remembering this tweak.
3) Disabling system restore doesn't gain you any performance, and will not allow you to run experiments based on your best known configuration without too much worry about causing yourself any setbacks. Leave system restore on, and create a restore point before trying out any other tweaks.
4) Change things one at a time! Your mention of removing Nero at some point has me wondering if some state you had before removing it would've worked. Now you can't know unless you go back and replicate that/those scenario(s) w/o Nero.
5) You won't get Giga's best performance out of the same system as your DAW. You can get a lot out of it, and you should be able to run it smoothly if you ask for too much polyphony or Gigapulse, but it won't do what Tascam claims it can do unless you optimize and dedicate a good machine to it.

Hope you get up and running soon,
Belbin

[rajay]

I'm just wondering belbin, wasn't there some thread a year or so ago about the video drivers in Nero causing USE? If the OP un-installed the program is there a chance there are still drivers or dlls that maybe are attributing to this? Especially since he mentioned .exe being corrupted and being unsure that it was ever really installed? After that thread I completely un-installed Nero. Don't remember exactly but seems I remember having to search for something that was left after un-installing.
-Rajay:cool:

Had to edit after re-reading. Hope you haven't forgotten to make sure there's no sharing of vital IRQs. There are only 16 physical ones I think. That and as you said belbin, dedicating a system to GS. If you go to Admin. in the control panel and click on Services, note all the services required just to run IP related functions. Sometimes those'll kill ya!
To the OP: Don't despair. Switching from hardware to software is a whole different ballgame. Like a baby, you have to learn to sit, then stand, then walk before you can run. I know. I'm just taking my first baby steps. Good luck.:D

[elanvital]

Belbin,

I have, indeed, searched extesively for this issue. That's the only way I have been able to make the troubleshooting steps that I have. Thank you for your advice - here's an update:

1) I have not tried to cut back to 1.5 gigs of ram. I am, however, keeping the idea as a later possibility. I'll accept any comprimise if it means more memory at this point (and a stable system). I'm also curious as to what would happen if I went to 4 gigs of ram. This is what Larry Seyer suggests on the memory subject video on the LearnGigaStudio web site. He also (on the system on the video) uses preset 1: Win XP Default. If he's able to get enough memory allocated from 4 gigs with that preset, I'd be very happy with that.
2) Did set processer scheduling for background services some time ago.
3) Indeed, a restore point will be valuable. This is one of the only Win XP tweaks I have not applied. I'd much rather have the restore function available!
4) I'm in the process of trying all of my steps without the entire Nero suite (I'll need a substitute for light scribe labeling though). I also removed some spyware I didn't know I had. I really thought I had removed all of that. It didn't free up memory, but I have found my system to be more stable on my current memory tweak (Mattias, Preset ... 1 .. I think ... I forgot). It only gave me 53% tested memory I believe, but I haven't loaded more instruments that that percentage yet to see how accurate the test was.
5) Unfortunately, dedicating a seperate system is absolutely out of the question right now. This is due to financial reasons mainly, but also for my own principal reasons. I really want this to work on my DAW, otherwise the expenses start to become beyond reasonable for one piece of software (however powerful it may be!). That being said, I just accept what limitations that may impose.

For now I'm happy. I'm running Mattias Preset 1 and while that's only 53% tested memory available, I haven't exceeded that amount with the instruments I've loaded. My system is running stable as well. I'm currently running Giga, Sonar 4, and Finale 2007 simultaneously. I'll keep you posted. Heck, I might even write a post with links to all the previous posts that I've had to reference. That way people with this issue have them all in front of them.

Thanks,
Bobby

[elanvital]

Rajay,

I want to be able to search for that post about video drivers with Nero, but unfortunately the search function doesn't work on this forum. It won't work on any computer I use. I have to do all my searches with google, and hope it finds what I'm looking for on this website.

"Hope you haven't forgotten to make sure there's no sharing of vital IRQs. There are only 16 physical ones I think. "

I didn't quite follow this. I'm only moderately tech-minded, could you clarify?

"note all the services required just to run IP related functions. Sometimes those'll kill ya! "

Is there a way to free this up?

Thanks so much for your input!
Bobby

[OWJ]

Try this:

Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance - Settings > Advanced > Processor Scheduling -> Check "Background services";
Memory Usage -> Check "Progams".

You don't need a swap file > Virtual Memory > Change > Check No Paging File on all drives. > Set > OK > OK > Reboot PC.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Owen

[rajay]

Rajay,
I want to be able to search for that post about video drivers with Nero, but unfortunately the search function doesn't work on this forum. It won't work on any computer I use. I have to do all my searches with google, and hope it finds what I'm looking for on this website.
"Hope you haven't forgotten to make sure there's no sharing of vital IRQs. There are only 16 physical ones I think. "
I didn't quite follow this. I'm only moderately tech-minded, could you clarify?
"note all the services required just to run IP related functions. Sometimes those'll kill ya! "
Is there a way to free this up?
Thanks so much for your input!
Bobby

Bobby, check here, http://musicxp.net/hardware_tips.php for the explanation of IRQs and just what to do regarding them and http://opusaudioprojects.net/winxp.html for the services tweak. Caution: Since you also use your PC for internet, be very careful what you disable. I would suggest making a backup of your settings just in case you get something wrong, or at least print the page. You'll have the template to fix it. And don't do a bunch at a time so you'll know which are really helping the situation. I'm somewhat of a neophyte too when it comes to software based systems. I've been into hardware for about 25 years. These guys have helped me tremendously since I've been here so you won't have any trouble getting help. Good luck.
-Rajay:cool: