Hauptwerk Virtual Pipe Organ

Bought a new computer Laptop HP Pavilion - i7 6700hq - 16 GB Ram - 512 SSD

I am just running the Paramount Organ Series and it does the same thing on the 310, 320, 332, and the 450.

The cpu meter in hauptwerk will jump into the red alot, (it will even do this playing 3 or 4 ranks not just on larger registations) having task manager open at the same time it shows the computer running at an even pace. Have shut off every possible thing running in the background, disconnect from wifi, tried turning the polyphony down to 250, reinstalled everything at least 4 times. So when ever it jumps into the red I'm getting audio pops.

Only 2 channels, added a M-Audio Inerface M Track 2x2 that didn't help either.
Does anyone out there have any suggestions on this one?

Hello Perry,

First of all, I'd suggest:

- Make sure you have the latest BIOS installed for the PC's motherboard. Check on its manufacturer's website for the latest version, and how to install it, if relevant. That's very important, and can solve all manner of performance issues.

- Make sure you have all power-saving functions in the BIOS disabled, if relevant.

- Make sure all current operating system updates are installed on your new computer. (Use Windows Update to check for updates, apply all available, reboot, then keep repeating until there are no more. Note that you might need to click the 'check for updates' button *twice* before Windows actually performs the check.) Please note, however, that the recent 'Windows 10 Creators update' is a major new Windows version that's might not yet be fully proven for reliable audio, so it might be best to avoid that particular update yet (if possible), until it's had time to be mature a little.

- Make sure that you have the latest versions of the drivers and firmware installed for all of your hardware, especially your audio/MIDI interface(s) and graphics card, checking on the manufacturers' websites.

- Download and install the driver for the Hauptwerk USB key, the current version of which is always available on our main downloads page here: http://www.downloadhauptwerk.com/ . (It doesn't hurt to re-install it if you aren't sure whether you already have the current version.)

- Disable all Windows power-saving functions, including the options for putting USB ports/devices to sleep. For example, on Windows 10 you would use 'Windows Control Panel | System | Power and sleep | Additional power settings', select the 'High performance' power plan, then click its 'Change plan settings | Change advanced power settings', then make sure that the settings are set as follows:
- Sleep: Hibernate after = Never (for 'plugged in' if present)
- USB settings: USB selective suspend setting = Disabled (for 'plugged in' if present)
- PCI Express: Link state power management = Off (for 'plugged in' if present)
- Processor power management: Minimum processor state = 100% (for 'plugged in' if present)
- Hard disk: Turn off hard disk after = Never (for 'plugged in' if present)
... then OK all of the screens.

- Also make sure you laptop is always plugged into the mains when using it for any audio purposes (such as Hauptwerk).

- Reboot if you updated anything.

- Make sure that that you have your M-Audio interface's ASIO driver selected in Hauptwerk (*not* DirectSound).

If those things don't solve it:

If Hauptwerk's audio-CPU meter is going into, or nearly into, the red when few or no pipes are sounding then it indicates that the audio driver/host is calling Hauptwerk too late for Hauptwerk to have time to calculate the audio before the hardware needs to play it (i.e. resulting in a 'buffer under-run'), either because the audio driver isn't performing properly, or because the PC is having underlying hardware/driver timing issues (e.g. DPC latency). The following utilities should help to identify whether the latter is the issue, i.e. whether the PC and its drivers are performing sufficiently well to support real-time low-latency audio:

http://www.resplendence.com/latencymon
http://www.thesycon.de/eng/latency_check.shtml

(Leave them running for a while. The second of them, DPCLat might not be fully accurate on Windows 10, but it still seems broadly to work.)

There are also some documents with more suggestions for troubleshooting PC audio problems here:

https://www.hauptwerk.com/clientuploads/documentation/Tutorials/WindowsOptimizationsAndDiagnostics.pdf

https://www.cantabilesoftware.com/glitchfree/

Hope that helps.

I tried just about everything and did download the latency test, it did say there were issues. Even paid for premium support from HP, the guy had no clue at all. They are supposed to call me back Monday with help after they research the problem. Thanks for the extensive list you provided, sooner or later it might work.

Perry

The old computer works much better then the new one, both have windows 10 but the new one has a touch screen and 4k which is a real pain if your forget to change the display size. Some things are so small you cannot read them.

Thanks, Perry.

In case it helps, Francois Ratte in Canda can provide detailed one-to-one remote diagnostic assistance to Hauptwerk users for general PC/hardware/driver/MIDI/performance/etc. issues on a consultancy basis: http://www.hauptwerkconsultant.com/ . He's very helpful and knowledgeable.

The symptoms are so similar to my experience with Windows 10 Creator, a touch screen, and Game Mode that I suggest the following:

1. Open a window such as the control panel or task manager and be sure to click inside the window so that it has the focus. Do the glitches or crackling stop?

2. If your Windows 10 edition is new enough to have Game Mode then enable it for Hauptwerk.

3. Set to give best performance for foreground processes. At least try this though I know this is a subject of conflicting advice.

4. Disable the Superfetch service.

5. Be sure there is some spare RAM left after loading Hauptwerk. It's hard to say how much RAM to reserve, but either PC's or Mac's will start paging out sample memory if there is not enough RAM.

And all the usual advice about system tuning is possibly relevant as well. I'm just sharing what has worked in my case on a relatively powerful i7 PC.

Thanks for the info tried some of it but no luck. I'll have it looked at by a pro who is also a hauptwerk user. If that fails I was looking at arnold organs that have computers pre loaded with hauptwerk and no glitches hopefully!

Gave up on the HP Laptop and ordered a computer from Arnold Organs. The computer comes loaded with Hauptwerk and worked perfectly out of the box. The support is really excellent ( 2 years of free support ) and they can also take remote access of your computer to help you set it up. Great Experience!

Hello Perry,

Thanks for the update, and glad to hear you have a system that works well now.

perryinwp wrote:Gave up on the HP Laptop and ordered a computer from Arnold Organs. The computer comes loaded with Hauptwerk and worked perfectly out of the box. The support is really excellent ( 2 years of free support ) and they can also take remote access of your computer to help you set it up. Great Experience!

Good choice.