Sat Sep 28, 2019 12:08 pm
The CPU indicator in HW is different from the performance indicators you would see in the task manager. The HW indicator is a measure of how close the CPU comes to failing to satisfy the Focusrite's need for additional audio data. When the CPU cannot provide the next data packet in time there will be audio crackles of even a complete disconnect from the Focusrite. This happens when a poorly performing windows service doesn't behave "nicely" and allow the CPU to service other tasks such as sending audio data to the interface.
SysMain, formerly superfetch, is a notorious offender and will cause this problem. Unfortunately it also does the important task of indexing files on the disks to improve computer response in finding needed files. So it's good if SysMain runs most of the time. With HW most of us find it essential to turn off this service for glitch-free audio performance. SysMain can be disabled permanently or just stopped for awhile using the Task Manager. Look under the services tab and click on Open Services at the bottom of the page. Click on SysMain and either stop it or disable it completely.
I'm running a newer release than 1903 but don't recall having a problem with spikes. The only thing I had to do was disable Skype which apparently automatically starts on new windows installs. Look for any other potential problem apps using the Task Manager such as OneDrive, Office (cloud version), or anything that is frequently accessing the internet. I'm able to keep these applications running but your mileage may vary.
I doubt if the Focusrite is the issue. I run the same gen 1 model and what you describe is the same as mine would do if the CPU indicator is spiking. The note about 1903 involves how searches are configured and you might look into that using Ed's link. That would be if you had disabled a certain search parameter -- sorry, I don't recall the details on that.
