Any recent Win10 updates that impacted DSP performance?

[diminished]

I have some massive performance issues at the moment. I can't even run projects from two weeks ago without maxing out my DSP, and those projects ran absolutely fine. Even after a fresh system restart. Even when maxing out buffer size. Windows is on high performance power plan and nothing has changed on my end.
Have you experienced something like that recently and by any chance know what's the :drumroll: Reason?
i5-4570S, 16GB RAM, Win10, Behringer UMC404HD (driver: v4.59.0)

[Loque]

You have the right ASIO driver installed?

And no, i have no problems. Reason runs as fast as

ezgif.com-optimize.gif (1013.89 KiB) Viewed 2055 times

[diminished]

You have the right ASIO driver installed?

Messed up the driver version in my post, what I wrote was the hardware revision. Edited it. So yes, correct and most recent ASIO driver installed, same as ever :/

[ProfessaKaos]

Did this start happening from the latest Windows 10 update?
I just noticed if I shut down or restart my PC the latest Windows 10 update will install, seeing this post makes me very hesitant of doing so.

If you are still having problems here's a video, make sure to roll back before 10 days after updating Windows.

[Loque]

Did you checked the Taskmanager? There might be other stuff consuming too much CPU like background updates, indexing, AV scanning, ...

[antic604]

I noticed some weird glitches regarding general Windows operation (like face recognition doesn't always work, sometime it doesn't detect I've plugged in headphones) but nothing on the performance front, no.

[diminished]

Did you checked the Taskmanager? There might be other stuff consuming too much CPU like background updates, indexing, AV scanning, ...

It's just Reason idling between 5-10% (and Firefox atm 1-2%). I even get seemingly random audible audio "scratches" in a project where there's just one Kompulsion randomly playing one Europa accompanied by one Stringwerk at a reasonable buffer size of 512. Now imagine what happens if there's actual DSP power needed and involved.
It's weird.

@ProfessaKaos thanks I will check it out! Although I'm afraid 10 days might have already passed. Haven't used Reason that much in the last 14 days so the problem might be older than that 10-day-period. Fingers crossed!

[diminished]

Btw I'm running Win 10 version 1803, installed May 16th, build 17134.829

[diminished]

Did this start happening from the latest Windows 10 update?
I just noticed if I shut down or restart my PC the latest Windows 10 update will install, seeing this post makes me very hesitant of doing so.

If you are still having problems here's a video, make sure to roll back before 10 days after updating Windows.

HA!
I now had Reason open in the background and tried to continue to watch the video. Video audio was sounding scratchy. Worked also fine before.

[diminished]

Okay I dug a little deeper and checked what updates were installed recently and I found
KB4346084: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... de-updates -
Spectre fixes.
I bet my Aquios X4 license that this is what's causing it.

I really hope the new content update for Windows provides a better fix

[groggy1]

What you describe may be that you need latest drivers. Check if you have:
Latest video card driver
Latest network/wireless driver

[Ostermilk]

Is there any chance of a lawsuit against MS under some obscure EU ruling you can claim?

Seriousness aside though I'm on W10 1903 build 18362.175 and no issues here

[djadalaide]

I use a tool called InSpectre to disable the meltdown and Spectre patches on my intel machines when working with audio software. Also, disable antivirus

[diminished]

Okay the problem was threefold.

The Spectre fix may have indeed broken the camel's back. But it was the least of my concerns, so read on, dear friend, read on (I'm actually glad about it in hindsight because it pointed me in the right direction)

I thought, the current weather around here doesn't really help my CPU load either. Must make things worse. But wait, why isn't my cpu fan screaming from below the desk if Reason's struggling so hard...? More CPU load produces heat, right?

Unfortunately I can't tell you the last and most important part of the story because it's super embarassing

Oh okay, since you asked so nicely and polite and always treat me well -

Checked my system with a sensor monitoring software. Long story short:
CPU fan wasn't plugged in, already forgot I cleaned that fucker a few days ago. 70°C idle temp (quite high, but unnoticable in everyday use), 90+°C with Reason running! The fucking thing was throttling itself so it didn't die. Hence the glitches even with just 1 or 2 instruments.
While at it, I replaced the old thermal paste between CPU and heat sink. Everything runs MUCH better now than before. I guess because of the old paste, I was used to some throttling now and then. System's now at 30°C idle temp and 45°C when Reason's blasting.

So excuse me while I'm off now, playing my songs at a buffer size of 128 samples just because I can.

TL;DR: Don't be stupid and change your thermal paste every few years!

Edit: Since I lost my bet, who wants my Aquios license? Nobody? Aww.

[Loque]

Ok. This is a new cause and kind of exotic... A few years back where CPU didn't had a temperature control, you had grilled your CPU within seconds

[diminished]

Ok. This is a new cause and kind of exotic... A few years back where CPU didn't had a temperature control, you had grilled your CPU within seconds

I know right? I'm also glad I found out about my issue with audio. The ugly glitching made me immediately close Reason. Lagging in a video game I'd possibly have endured much longer and consequently killed my CPU.

[EnochLight]

I've been running the same CPU mounted with the same thermal paste for almost 7 years, and have it running 24/7 (as it pulls double duty as the family media server). I've never once replaced my thermal paste, ever. I just blow the fan fins out with compressed air ever so often. No issues, and I overclock sometimes as well.

[diminished]

I've been running the same CPU mounted with the same thermal paste for almost 7 years, and have it running 24/7 (as it pulls double duty as the family media server). I've never once replaced my thermal paste, ever. I just blow the fan fins out with compressed air ever so often. No issues, and I overclock sometimes as well.

Maybe the people who assembled the PC used cheap one, didn't do it myself unfortunately. It was very dry and had cracks everywhere, like a dry mud mask if that makes sense. 6 years old here.

[Boombastix]

I use a Win app called CoreTemp, it is free and shows the CPU temp in the notification bar.

About thermal paste (TIM), I've discussed paste with Silicone Valley PhDs doing it for a living and made some of my own tests as well. The best solution I found was non-silicone standard paste (mainly zink based, nano sized).
Those hard silver paste etc are expensive "crap", they are so stiff that the TIM layer is too thick and performance suffer (it is called bond line thickness, "BLT"). In this case cheaper is better! Silicone based can creep out, so the non-silicone is normally better as it works longer, especially when you have temperature changes, such as turning a CPU on/off, or going from 40C to 90C up-n-down.

CoreTemp can help you decide if it is time to clean the heat sink or even re-paste the CPU.

[diminished]

I use a Win app called CoreTemp, it is free and shows the CPU temp in the notification bar.

About thermal paste (TIM), I've discussed paste with Silicone Valley PhDs doing it for a living and made some of my own tests as well. The best solution I found was non-silicone standard paste (mainly zink based, nano sized).
Those hard silver paste etc are expensive "crap", they are so stiff that the TIM layer is too thick and performance suffer (it is called bond line thickness, "BLT"). In this case cheaper is better! Silicone based can creep out, so the non-silicone is normally better as it works longer, especially when you have temperature changes, such as turning a CPU on/off, or going from 40C to 90C up-n-down.

CoreTemp can help you decide if it is time to clean the heat sink or even re-paste the CPU.

I have Arctic MX-4 now, the only thing my local shop had in store. Any good?

[napynap]

I build PC's to edit video and haven't ever had trouble with thermal paste. The fans can get full of dust, so every once in a while I use an old school fire starter blower on all of the fans and components while putting a vaccum nozzle nearby. It works great. Glad you found the trouble!