Is there a way to determine if my CPU is putting out

Hey guys. Need help!

I don't know exactly where this post belongs, but am trying Hardware.

Is there a way to determine if my CPU is putting out the amount that it is supposed to?

I have a 1.8GHz processor, & one of my programs that worked fine on my old 600MHZ, is not working right on this 1.8GHz.

On this new one, I am getting pops, & clicks when I record a vocal track into WavLab. This never happened on the old 600MHz. I'm using the same microphone as I've used all along.

Naturally the new computer has a different sound card. Supposedly a nicer, better one. Both sound cards are the same brand. Creative Sound Blaster. Sound card in the 600MHz is a 16PCI. In the new 1.8GHz it is an Audigy 5.1.

I tried uninstalling the WavLab program, & re-installing it. I tried uninstalling the sound card, & re-installing it. Neither one helped. The fun part is, I can play the finished files on another OS & don't hear the pops & clicks, but play them in any program on the OS they were made on & they are quite audible. That is strange.

WavLab does not process files any faster on the 1.8 than it did on the 600, if as fast. Another thing is that GoldWave seems to work like a snail on this new one. Worked fine on the old one. Processed files fast on the old one. Is slow as a snail on new one, both in processing, & in opening up task windows.

According to my Resourse Meter everything is fine while I am recording, & also fine when I process the file clips in the Meta Normalizer of the WavLab program. According to the System Monitor the peak is fine while I am recording, but is going to 100% & flatlining real bad when I process the file clips in the Meta Normalizer of the WavLab program. The resource Meter, & the System Monitor seem to contradict each other.

None of this ever happened on my old, much less of a hoss, computer. Never had a problem on it with things not turning out right, so there was no need to check resources, & system on it.

I can't figure out what is going on. I've tried everything I can think of to fix it, and nothing has worked.

Can someone shed some light on this for me, please.

 

Good suggestion Pete, I was going to recommend that also for her CPU, I use that here.
I have never used the sound program Deloris is using but you did say something that triggered a thought here.
I believe the Creative 16PCI is a good bit older than the Audigy 5.1 and no match for the improvements the Audigy brings to the table.
When you say the playback "flatlines" that is most definitely distortion.
Sounds like the Audigy card has more gain than the older 16PCI card and a re-adjustment somewhere would calm things down and get the audio out of the distortion range.
If push comes to shove, try putting the 16PCI card in the new machine along with the proper drivers and see how it goes.

Daddad

 

Pete,

Thank you for the link. I will get it.

Daddad,

It wasn't the playback that was flatlining, it was the processing of the clips after having recorded the vocal in. Processing it in real time. The Meta Normalizer equals out the two clips on volume while processing. During the procecure of this processing, the System Monitor showed the processing Peak Value at 100%, and the peak was very wide, & chopped off in a straight line accross the top long before the actual spike of the peak would have been seen. However the resource meter was showing plenty of resources.

Thanks youall. I really need to know if my processor is bad. If not, then I have to go with the sound card theory.

Just set up the program on the old 600MHz again. Did a recording, & processed it. No pops, & no clicks. Resource Monitor showed approximately the same on the Resource Usage as on the new one, but in Processing the file with the Meta Normalizer, the old computer performed much better. In the System Monitor, the peak was tall, not very wide at the bottom, & tapering a lot from bottom to top, & a very narrow chop off at the top, as opposed to the wide based, slightly tapered from bottom to top peak on the new one with a very wide top that was badly chopped, & flatlined.

This indicates to me that my CPU in my new computer may not be performing up to it's specs., but I really don't know waht to think at this point.

Will get the tool & check the CPU out, then report back.

 

Pete,

I can't get the download. When I go to the download page, & click on the the .exe file for the dwonload the next page tells me that my host is invalid. What does that mean? It won't give me the download.

 

Hi Deloris- you can also download the Processor Frequency ID utility directly from Intel if the e-mail transfer doesn't work out. Good Luck! Clydeo22

 

Pete,

You are a lifesaver. A sweet & dear man.

Thank you so much for the file. Hubby tried to go get it, & it told him the same thing, so if it hadn't been for you sending it to me I would never have been able to get it.

I am not very good at reading the statistics, but according to what I could glean from the information, it would appear that my CPU is operating as it should. Almost a full 1.8. I don't understand a lot of that jargon, but hopefully enough to determine that.

At idle conditions the CPU seems to be performing as it should, so it would appear that the possible culprit that is slowing my CPU down is something else that's really pulling on it.

I am still considering the sound card as a possibility for the pops, & clicks that get on the vocals I record in though. As a last resort on that issue, I will switch out sound cards, & see if that helps.

I've got to find out what it is that is pulling my CPU down so bad while processing Audio files. The programs aren't the culprits. I am sure of that, since they didn't do it on the old comp. This should not be happening with such a much bigger CPU than I had before. Everything worked just fine on old computer.

I am really bumfuzzled now. Back to square one. Maybe the Virtual Memory settings should be changed on this 98SE for this big CPU.

Thank you again, Pete. At least now, if I read the stats right, I know my CPU is alright. Gotta find the culprit, though, that is sucking it dry.

 

Hi Deloris

Two things I think of with your hardware/software problems.

One: RAM, is it being recognised/utilized properly. Is it the right type for your system? See your motherboard manual...even try reseating it / cleaning the connectors.

Two: motherboard drivers. All well installed and OK?

Matt

 

mattman,

Yes all of the RAM is being Recognized, & yes it is the right type for this Motherboard. Made sure it was. And yes all of the MB drivers were installed into the OS before anything else was.

No conflicts in Device Manager. Says all devices are working properly. No ? marks & no ! points.

Haven't checked the chip seating, but would seem to be fine since OS recognizes all of it.

Hate taking chips out. Sometimes when you do that, it is hard to get system to see them all again. Since they are being recognized, I am hesitant to remove them at all. Will though if I can't find any other probable culprit.

Still working on the problem.

 

Well, fellers, I think I found the problem with the CPU being slowed to a crawl.

Checked something that my husband reminded me about. Something I thought I had already done, but it turns out I hadn't. I went, & the DMA on my hard drives had not been enabled, which is something I usually do right off the batt.

I enabled the DMA on them, & now the program works at light speed almost. I processed a file, & the System Monitor peak value was a perfect little pointed tip at the top up next to the top line. Beautiful! Not chopped off, & flatlining a third of the way down like before. Such a simple thing I had forgot to do, that I always do.

That may also help with the pops, & clicks I've been getting when recording my vocals in. We shall see.

I am sorry to have caused so much trouble to all of you with my forgetfulness. I just hope I am rid of the pops, & clicks now too.

Catch ya'll later if I am rid of them or not.

 

I would still try reseating / cleaning the connectors on the RAM. Much easier to make sure it's working than the CPU.

Matt

Edit: You posted that before me. DMA, I usually find it comes preset. Hope it runs well.