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cPlay - the open source high-end audio player using ASIO

41.183.0.21
Posted on May 5, 2008 at 12:31:58
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
cPlay

The open source high-end audio player using ASIO

May 2008

cPlay delivers high quality audio playback using ASIO 2. Playback is achieved using any ASIO compatible soundcard. cPlay is a minimalist audio player using the latest high quality SRC resampler (Best Sinc SNR 145.68db or 121.33db) or SoX (VHQ or HQ). cPlay's design offers state-of-the-art ASIO-only playback and caters for touch screen users. Installation, setup and use is easy. cPlay is built in c/c++ and operates on Windows XP SP2 Professional (32 bit).

FEATURES

  1. Resampling is sourced from LibSampleRate (version 0.1.5) and SoX 14.2.0 under GNU GPL license. LibSampleRate is aka SRC (Secret Rabbit Code) and supersedes the version as used in foobar2000. Best Sinc converter now offers a SNR of 145.68db or 121.33db (versus 97db). SoX VHQ offers better than 170db SNR. Resampling is bypassed when input rate matches output.

  2. Supports Steinberg's excellent ASIO 2 and is backward compatible to prior ASIO versions (as required by ASIO drivers).

  3. Offers high quality 64 bit double precision digital volume control (in 0.5db steps). This can be bypassed.

  4. Playback is achieved through .cue, .wav or .flac files. cPlay loads entire .wav or .flac (decoded) into RAM before starting. Playback is done directly from cPlay's internal buffer. Cue playback requires .cue files as created by EAC (single or multi file standard).

  5. Ensures efficient CPU resource utilization allowing for low specification processors or high levels of upsampling. This means CPUs can be underclocked / undervolted.

  6. Supports up to 3 ASIO soundcards with each having up to 100 output channels.

  7. Advanced optimizations are applied (if available from ASIO driver) during playback.

  8. Best results achieved when using cMP (i.e. cMP²). This allows for low level Windows optimizations. Use cMP release 1.0 final or later as this allows for bypassing RAM load in cMP (set RAM Load in cMP Settings to No) otherwise wav file is RAM loaded twice. cPlay allows for both svchost and lsass to be suspended during playback thus reducing the Windows footprint. Only exception is EMU's ASIO driver which requires both (svchost and lsass) to be operational. Set cMP's Optimize setting to Critical.

  9. Full remote control is achieved with cMP: offering volume control, track navigation, next/previous and stop/eject via (wireless) mouse.

USER MANUAL

Visit cMP² website (http://www.cicsMemoryPlayer.com) for more details and setup.

Screen Shot




GETTING STARTED

Download cPlay's installer here (1.3MB). Installation and startup is straight forward.

If you don't have an ASIO compatible soundcard, use ASIO4ALL. Note that ASIO4ALL does not support channel mapping (use default) and rarely handles above 48k sample rate.

Your feedback will help guide cPlay's future development. Source code (4.1MB) is available via email.

 

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Waiting for gjwAudio and puzzled, posted on December 7, 2011 at 07:47:50
riboge
Audiophile

Posts: 675
Joined: June 25, 2008
 Aside from the confusion over hex vs. deci, you gave the number "4194304 (that's in bytes" which equal 4.19MB but then said you were aiming for 40MB. Likewise the larger number in parenthesis in the registry key is 68MB not 682MB, so I am at the least unsure how to proceed whichever number system. Then, of course, there is the question of what this is for or about given that the existing value for me too was 0. Are you still recommending this be tried, and what would I who has 3GB ram total put in my registry entry?

 

No question; I have no idea what it is doing, posted on December 7, 2011 at 07:53:36
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
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Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 I used halves since that is all I could think to do!

It seems even after dividing Serge's number by four the tracks have more segments than they did at zero.

It did not make a difference in segments (that is an easy to see difference)when I went from half to a quarter.

I was thinking that since the "full" number would not allow the track to be loaded at all that it might be working in an opposite way from what had been assumed. Then again, I was assuming what the assumption was.

I listened for a couple of hours with the quarter number and it sounded good. I cannot honestly say it sounded any better. I think my first impression was because I had the volume turned up too high!

No question we need to find out just what this does.

I thought Serge was thinking it was a way to either implement AWE or make the AWE "lock" larger. But the fact that my machine which does have AWE working also says "0" leads one to believe that this is not part of AWE,
UNLESS
I have noticed that when connecting my music computer SSD to my other computer than when I load the hive I will have entries on the music SSD's registry that have nothing to do with the "music" registry - it will show the drives in my other machine and things like that so there is not a complete divorce between the two registries.

When I change the registry on the music SSD it will not affect the other machine, so that is not a concern (unless, as I have two times now I lose track of where I am and move from the loaded hive to the "other" machines registry (very stupid)). But this could be one of those situations where the registry is reflecting the host computer's registry and not the registry's hive you have loaded. Excuse the fact that I do not know how to speak the computer vernacular. I hope this makes some sense.

This may be an instance where I am not able to truly see the setting my music computer is using when active.

 

RE: No question; I have no idea what it is doing, posted on December 7, 2011 at 08:06:02
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 I have a similar problem with registry tweaking via a host computer. It worked fine for awhile then because of some mishap I made (exitting regedit w/o unloading hive 1st or doing what you did) I now only change my host registry and not the ssd registry with this method. This is why
I keep trying to make the Mihaylov routine work ... but unsucessfully so far.

 

Not MORE, LESS!, posted on December 7, 2011 at 08:38:40
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 I have posted a few lists.

I posted this on the 12th of November.

I am using a PS/2 mouse which lets you do away with the USB stuff. If you are still using an USB mouse leave in the stuff for that. But I would recommend going with PS/2 - You will most likely have to reinstall WINDOWS to do that but try and see if your machine will recognize it.
This is what I needed before doing away with acpi.sys which you probably still need.

No question after this your machine is a CD player. Won't do anything else. Also, assuming you're working completely within cMP mode. If you do these deletions outside of cMP you will not be able to get back in unless you keep reg.exe. Best to do final deletions with your drive connected to another computer. BUT make sure you exit WINDOWS while in cMP mode so you can get rid of reg.exe. cMP makes a registry change but once in there no need for this any longer.

After getting into this state all changes will HAVE to be made with your drive connected to another computer.

Are you following the FOLDERS deletion also?

My installation is a little over 35mB.

advapi32.dll system32
authz.dll system32
basesvr.dll system32
bootvid.dll system32
c_437.nls system32
c_1252.nls system32
comctl32.dll system32
comdlg32.dll system32
CONFIG.TMP system32
cryptdll.dll system32
csrsrv.dll system32
csrss.exe system32
ctype.nls system32
dnsapi.dll system32
FNTCACHE.DAT system32
framebuf.dll system32
gdi32.dll system32
hal.dll system32
juliaasio.dll system32
kdcom.dll system32
kernel32.dll system32
l_intl.nls system32
locale.nls system32
lsasrv.dll system32
lsass.exe system32
mpr.dll system32
msasn1.dll system32
msprivs.dll system32
msvcp60.dll system32
msvcrt.dll system32
ncobjapi.dll system32
netapi32.dll system32
ntdll.dll system32
ntdsapi.dll system32
ntoskrnl.exe system32
ole32.dll system32
oleaut32.dll system32
oledlg.dll system32
olepro32.dll system32
perfc009.dat system32
rpcrt4.dll system32
samlib.dll system32
samsrv.dll system32
scesrv.dll system32
secur32.dll system32
services.exe system32
setupapi.dll system32
shell32.dll system32
shlwapi.dll system32
shutdown.exe system32
smss.exe system32
sortkey.nls system32
sorttbls.nls system32
svchost.exe system32
sxs.dll system32
umpnpmgr.dll system32
unicode.nls system32
user32.dll system32
userenv.dll system32
vga256.dll system32
vga.dll system32
watchdog.sys system32
win32k.sys system32
winlogon.exe system32
winmm.dll system32
winspool.drv system32
winsrv.dll system32
winsta.dll system32
WLDAP32.DLL system32
ws2_32.dll system32
ws2help.dll system32

acpi.sys driver
atapi.sys driver
classpnp.sys driver
disk.sys driver
dxapi.sys driver
dxg.sys driver
dxgthk.sys driver
ftdisk.sys driver
hidclass.sys driver
hidparse.sys driver
hidusb.sys driver
i8042prt.sys driver
isapnp.sys driver
jula.sys driver
julawdm.sys driver
kbdhid.sys driver
ks.sys driver
ksecdd.sys driver
mouclass.sys driver
mountmgr.sys driver
npfs.sys driver
ntfs.sys driver
partmgr.sys driver
pci.sys driver
pciide.sys driver
pciidex.sys driver
vga.sys driver
videoprt.sys driver
volsnap.sys driver
wmlib.sys driver

 

RE: Nothing better than making it easier, posted on December 7, 2011 at 08:38:44
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Mine is, again, a cheap Chinese product @USD30. It has a nozzle smaller than regular ones, not too small though. I think there are 2 nozzle-size and I couldn't find a smaller one. Adjustment is made by turning a cap at the end of the gun. At maximum power, the heater power increases and air flow is slightly reduced. The product claimed to produce 1100 degrees C hot air.

This one is very hot, much hotter than the previous one I used. After experimenting with this gun, I gathered that very hot air produced in a streamlined nozzle will heat up a chip very rapidly. Heating up at close proximity, tin solder securing a chip will melt quickly and I could see it. I just picked up a couple of chips by a forceps. Much easily this way, and very neat. Less works as the caps and R could remain intact.

I must warn that it is very very hot. Wear 2 cotton gloves in the hand which holds the forceps.

The gun is not with me right now. I'll take some photos tomorrow. As to recommendations, I picked up the one because of its 1600W power which is adjustable, 1100C and with smaller nozzle. It turns out to be the right choice. There were a couple of others with similar characteristics and I picked this one for its price and supply of replacement heater coil. Pick one with similar characteristics and you will not go wrong.



 

I have no problem with using the LOAD HIVES, posted on December 7, 2011 at 08:43:48
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 I was pointing out how one has to think about what they are seeing. Sometimes it is (on some entries) showing you what the host machine has installed. Some places it would show both the music computer AND my host computer devices connected.

When I have had a problem it was caused by my paying too little attention and deleting away like a madman!!!!

Have had to reinstall WINDOWS twice. Now to learn to make an image of the other machines OS!!!!

 

RE: I have no problem with using the LOAD HIVES, posted on December 7, 2011 at 08:54:15
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 You can reload windows from a prior date from the windows start button on bottom left of xp screen, all programs->system -> restore or something like that.

 

This could be a moot point, posted on December 7, 2011 at 09:11:52
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 wondering what is the difference between the system using RAM or using the SSD, is there that much difference in speed between them?

Reading the attached article with my breathtakingly limited understanding of how WINDOWS works leads me to think this would not have anything to do with our music files in memory - I get the feeling it is concerned with OS stuff in memory.

I guess if we could find a way to limit how much of that (OS) is kept in memory would that necessarily result in more room for the music files? I am getting the feeling that is not the case.

I know the folly of coming to a conclusion after reading one article but I had spent some time chasing my tail at the MICROSOFT site before. One gets dizzy ...

 

I still don't see how this relates too my question and post. (NT), posted on December 7, 2011 at 09:21:49
hfavandepas
 Hi Rick,

Thankx for your post.
But I still don't see how your reply relates too my question and post.

* On a headless PC one doesn't use a (ps2- and or usb-) mouse (or monitor)

* as a consequence I don't (have too) use USB

* I don't want to wreck my cMP setup
That is the whole point of my post and suggested approach.

I only want too delete files that are actually going to be used by XP while playing mysic in a (headless and networked) cMP setup.

What good is in deleting files that are not even going to used by XP while playing music anyhow?

I don’t think you red my post.
I don’t want too take the route you are suggesting because it wil UNNESSECARELY wreck my cMP setup. I’m looking for an alternative approach.
I think there is one.

Mark

 

Musings and Ramblings, posted on December 7, 2011 at 10:22:40
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 Don't know where to put this so I'll put it here

..I tried maxmem at differing levels besides maxmem=256 (I have a 256 physical memory stick in use). At maxmem =256 it was ok maybe a little hard so I tried 217 per Steppe. Sounded like I softened everything up a bit in a negative sense. Loose bass, smaller soundspace, and dynamics suffered a bit. So I tried maxmem=227 and everything tightened up a bit. Thats where I am at now and I like it there.

..I tried hpet enabled in bios. At first I liked it but admittedly brighter but more dynamic. Then I tired of it...disabled it which is where I am now.

..Couldn't try the last registry tweaks because I am having trouble with the load hive technique. Here is what I do: I load the cmp ssd into a docking station hooked up to my home desktop. I open regedit, goto Hklm key (all trees closed), goto file click load hive, point to my config file in ssd, click on software, name it theo, click ok. Now I click on hklm showing in registry to edit it. Do my editting then click on theo then unload hive.Is that correct? I once wandered to another key or closed out before unloading and this tequnique no longer brings me predictable results. Sometimes it edits as expected sometimes it edits my desktop sometimes both (desktop and cmp ssd). So how do others do it? Also jolida mentions he cant edit currentcontrolset this way but I never had this issue...just sayin'.

..I am using the g31-e2sl mobo. I usually run memory timings in bios at 3 3 3 5. I ran once at 3 2 2 4 (just recently with all the steppe memory tweaks except the nonpoolpage files)and everything sounded way too slow, fat bass, not as clear a soundspace, less dynamic so I went back to 3 3 3 5 which I like. There is no question this stuff affects the sound but in a detuning kind of way. Almost like detuning the powersupply or putting a fat tube somewhere in the chain.

..I tried again to get the mihaylov technique to work for running regedit on the cmp but to no avail. I even loaded a prior level of operating system and ran mark russenovich process explorer to see what files I really need and it was the same as jolida pointed out several days ago. Is anybody besides mihayalov using this technique? If so I could use your assistance on making this work.

 

RE: Does XPLite make registry changes?, posted on December 7, 2011 at 10:40:15
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 Thanks Serge. You direction has been very clear. I understand what you are saying but just cant get it to work. Thanks again for taking the trouble to post.

 

I went through your post too quickly - it doesn't!, posted on December 7, 2011 at 11:16:03
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 Sorry for that!

Just missed the point entirely!

 

CurrentControlSet is the controlset your machine is using, posted on December 7, 2011 at 11:23:45
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 it does not really exist like set 1 or set 2.

So, one really only needs to modify the numbered sets because when you reboot whichever set the machine decides to use will have been modified.

You should not have had a CurrentControlSet within theo. That is very strange and can only be explained by something having gone wrong. Who knows how or why?

I have used the LOAD HIVES method tens of times with no problems other than the one's I caused for myself.

You were not clear - you are only modifying items within the theo heading, right? I feel sure you are but it is a little murky in the wording.

 

Now to search - thanks, again., posted on December 7, 2011 at 11:30:19
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 Hope to be posting results soon.

 

Does this look like a good choice?, posted on December 7, 2011 at 11:41:14
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 This one is cheap and looks like it has a good nozzle size.

Can't beat the price!

 

Forget About it FOR A WHILE, if you can,, posted on December 7, 2011 at 11:53:53
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 Rick! I have (it seems) found the way to make awe work, so will risk these settings on cmp machine myself. The working machine works Much Faster! The fact that more segmenting occurs shows, that,
1. Cplay works as described
2. awe, even after all deletions, works
3. There is smth fishy here, that needs to be uncovered (about nonpaged pool size), because it affects the sq.

Generally, there is a madman's dream in my head to achieve the following:
1. Make as much (if not all) clocks in the system work in unison as possible
2. Make awe create large pages' size so that locked pages would be few and the cpu would have to make shorter excursions to them and back and that bigger chunks of the song would fit in.
3. Exclude everything possible from the process above.
4. Create a program or a process or just a command line to constantly assign affinity to our cmp-cplay process to a DIFFERENT processor, that's why acpi multicore/multiprocessor (though it affects current stability) installation is needed (remember cics saying that even one core would enable multiple threads? Yeah, but he didn't say of affinity, and many of us tried it manually.)
AND WHEN CICS IS BACK, we'll have to try to persuade him to get back to all the cue loaded into memory, but not just into memory, but in a NonPaged Pool.
Serge.
You must understand, that I am fogwalking as I am not a computer man. I read read read read, try to make my assumptions on the level of my poor ken and try, try, try. All I ask for is more and more feedback. Your feedback is like a thread of Ariadna that must get us out of the labyrinth.
Serge.

 

RE: CurrentControlSet is the controlset your machine is using, posted on December 7, 2011 at 12:58:07
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 I frankly don't what I did. So are you saying to click on 'theo' (my named hive) and stay within that or click on hklm and stay within that?

 

Click "theo" and only work within there ..., posted on December 7, 2011 at 14:23:45
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 otherwise you are changing the registry of the host computer.

Just as you would open any other entry - click the + next to theo and keep track of that vertical line extending below the +!

 

RE: Click "theo" and only work within there ..., posted on December 7, 2011 at 14:31:31
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 thanks ....didn't do that.

 

i like non-acpi, posted on December 7, 2011 at 14:34:41
Douwe01nl
Audiophile

Posts: 71
Location: Amsterdam
Joined: September 29, 2011
 Hi, tonight i tried two fresh minimal nLite-installs, one acpi, the other non-acpi. Only lightly tweaked (awe and maxmen=256). The non-acpi sounds better, more detail more musical.
For non-acpi i selected 'MPS Multiprocessor' as i run dualcore.
You can select the in nLite, or by pushing F5 during start of installing.

Douwe

 

Do you mean, posted on December 7, 2011 at 20:00:02
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 that both acpi and non-acpi can be installed from the same installation disk, when you press f5 ?
Also, as you write that You implemented awe, it means that your install is ok, did you try
acpi with awe + 256
acpi wo awe +256
non acpi with awe + 256
non acpi no awe + 256?
One more questions: did You do any tweaks after install? Does your mobo bios allow to control vdrop directly?
Serge

 

OPINION: NonPagedPoolQuota & NonPagedPoolSize Not Relevant to cMP Tuning..., posted on December 7, 2011 at 21:13:22
gjwAudio
Audiophile

Posts: 160
Location: Toronto
Joined: March 11, 2006
 Hi Serge

After much clicking, I came across this statement in an article by a Microsoft Critical Problem Resolution Platforms Team engineer (...with a title like that, who's to argue !):

*NonPaged pool size is not configurable other than the /3GB boot.ini switch which lowers NonPaged Pool’s maximum. 128MB with the /3GB switch, 256MB without

The very in-depth article can be found here -> http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ntdebugging/archive/2006/12/18/understanding-pool-consumption-and-event-id_3a00_--2020-or-2019.aspx

My head still hurts from trying to grasp it all... but these parameters do not get you closer to the Madman's Dream (in my opinion). But I could be wrong - it happened once before ;)

Cheers,
Grant

That's not a Toy... IT'S A TOOL !!

 

RE: Fishy Secrets Part 2 or bright fish in the bowl, posted on December 7, 2011 at 22:58:30
koonyue
Audiophile

Posts: 10
Joined: February 22, 2009
 Guys,

Thanks for the new tweak !

However, after editing the boot.ini, I got serious pop and click sound under cplay when upscan to 192khz, 96khz also the same (a bit better)

I downclock my CPU to 1.2GHz from 3GHz, now i try to give it more power, finally at 2Ghz, upscan to 192khz play without problem.

So this boot.ini tweak will let CPU work harder?

Thanks

 

How about these with small nozzles?, posted on December 8, 2011 at 00:42:33
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 1500W/1000F
http://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Tools-PS07343-1500-Watt/dp/B004GG0SS8/ref=sr_1_60?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1323332162&sr=1-60


1500W/920F
http://www.amazon.com/American-Tool-Electric-Heat-Accessories/dp/B003ZEJ6S0/ref=sr_1_39?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1323332105&sr=1-39


920F
http://www.amazon.com/All-Power-America-APT2005-Piece/dp/B0018E22US/ref=sr_1_14?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1323331644&sr=1-14


1500W/920F
http://www.amazon.com/Heat-Gun-1500W-Nozzles-700F/dp/B002J9N7M8/ref=sr_1_19?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1323331644&sr=1-19

1300W/1100F
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-C800621-Heat-Plus/dp/B000FV8SC6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_30

1200W/920F
http://www.amazon.com/1200-WATT-Electric-Heat-Gun/dp/B000NS5W48/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_17


I prefer small nozzle ones, but I couldn't find them. In the list above I would pick 1000F or 1100F product to ensure rapid heating.




 

Photos of my Heat Gun, posted on December 8, 2011 at 06:54:56
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010











 

You might need to do some kind of registry restoration, posted on December 8, 2011 at 07:19:57
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 on your main machine.

If you had gone too far, like I did, you would have had to reinstall WINDOWS.

 

RE: You might need to do some kind of registry restoration, posted on December 8, 2011 at 07:30:45
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 Yes I agree.

 

Non acpi install, posted on December 8, 2011 at 07:45:13
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 When going for for total minimal installation I did not include the MULTIPROCESSOR option in nLite.

I had no idea this had anything to do with acpi other than I noticed I no longer had that driver in the folder.

I can be accused of trying justify this after the fact! I readily admit to guilt!

I have been extremely pleased with the sound I am hearing. From what I read about acpi I do not see from the conceptual point of view (of someone who has no idea how all of these pieces fit together) how this could benefit the qualities we are searching for with out cMP machines.

Junaid has come to a completely different conclusion.

One wonders if different setups could form different synergies (I hate that overused word but cannot think of another to use) with different systems. Junaid found the non-acpi to be bland. I find it to very musical. It could easily be explained by electronics and loudspeakers used. I am using horns with the notoriously tricky to tame TAD drivers (4001 and 2001's above 500 Hz) which could explain my being very pleased with the non-acpi install. This blandness which Junaid hears might be what my system needs.

I have yet to try a minimal setup with MULTIPROCESSOR for lack of time and for the time being my happiness with the current setup. So even though I did plenty of nLite installs with MULTIPROCESSOR before arriving at my current setup I did not try one with only the addition of MULTIPROCESSOE so I am not trying to say I have made a proper comparison.

From what I have read acpi is something intended for laptops for its ability to offer the different power settings. The question remains what is the default setting for a non-acpi machine? I assume HOME/OFFICE or is it MINIMAL POWER MANAGEMENT. Either one would be fine with me since we are doing the slowing down with BIOS settings now and one has to wonder how intrusive to sound quality these settings could be.

I would not want the OS to play around with power in a music computer. I am sure this is advantageous for more typical computer applications but just as with an amplifier you want as steady a flow of power as possible as in a classic class A amplifier. I wonder if these acpi power settings are akin to a positive feedback scheme which never work well in high quality audio.

Time will tell ...

 

When I went to AMAZON I found this:, posted on December 8, 2011 at 08:39:42
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 The MAKITA heat gun has an accessory nozzle that is 9.5mm in diameter so I got one of those thinking I need all of the help I can get from the heat gun to not ruin the MB.

Not sure if the nozzle could fit on any heat gun.

There were a few other companies offering nozzles.

THANKS again for the help.

 

RE: Non acpi install, posted on December 8, 2011 at 11:45:05
Douwe01nl
Audiophile

Posts: 71
Location: Amsterdam
Joined: September 29, 2011
 After comparing one-core and dual-core (on my h55m-usb3) in different setups n tweaks, i now have decided to run on two cores. In my setup this gives slightly more stage and music.

So when going non-acpi i have to select MPS-multiprocessor (when i select 'standard PC' or MPS-uniprocessor' i get bsod because i have two running cores. When you run one core, my guess is you would'nt select MPS-multiprocessor.
Edit: when one core disabled in a dualcore you should select MPS-uniprocessor.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299340

In my setup non acpi is better: more musical.

 

You have confused me slightly .., posted on December 8, 2011 at 12:10:14
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 I ask for i486 with C-Step when installing nLite without MULTI PROCESSOR and with BIOS set to one core enabled before beginning the install.

I use the basic cMP recommended BIOS at install with the exception that I have CDROM as my first boot device.

 

RE: Do you mean, posted on December 8, 2011 at 12:26:46
Douwe01nl
Audiophile

Posts: 71
Location: Amsterdam
Joined: September 29, 2011
 yes, both acpi and non-acpi are options during installation. The thing is, the screen where one can choose these options is hidden. Just repeat pressing the F5 button during the first 20-30 seconds of the booting install-disc. Then you et the acpi-selection-screen.

More info: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299340

I didn't try all the awe+256 variations you mention.
I first tried acpi +awe +256 in dualcore and singlecore intalls. Dualcore was better, so i decided to keep that install.
Then, in dualboot, i installed non-acpi (MPS Multiprocessor) +dualcore +awe +256 and found out this was more musical than acpi.
rickmcinnis also preferres non-acpi, on Jolida's system acpi is better, so i guess it's very mobo-dependent.

I didn't do any other tweaks (exept for display-resolution). Yet.
I do'nt know what is vdrop mobo is ga-h55m-usb3.

Douwe

 

select MPS uniprocessor, posted on December 8, 2011 at 12:40:17
Douwe01nl
Audiophile

Posts: 71
Location: Amsterdam
Joined: September 29, 2011
 if you run on one core enabled, you should select MPS uniprocessor.
The C-step processor is a very specific and/or old processor.
http://www.northernsounds.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-3917.html
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/299340

Douwe

 

Here it is, posted on December 8, 2011 at 14:13:14
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/pcaudio/messages/9/98962.html
It's there. with a pic.
Don't do the /clklvl tweak, described there unless your mobo and cpu are NOT underclocked and undervolted. If they are, you will most probably get a crash like me and Theo after a short period of a very good encrease in sq.
Serge.
P.S. AWE problem settled. Can send via email an ini for nLite iso.
Have done all cmp with all my 22 tweaks exept part 21 - tomorrow. It's deep night here.
I also like Jolida's variant, we have the same mobo.

 

Please to check latency by DPC Latency Checker on non-acpi system!, posted on December 8, 2011 at 16:30:12
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
 Especially interest cMP2 with network.

Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live

 

Not that I have any understanding of this/new install this weekend, posted on December 9, 2011 at 08:06:16
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 I guess I had better give uniprocessor a try.

This time using a regular HDD until it is right and then to copy the image to the SSD per Jack Wong.

 

Any problem if the driver for the Processor is lost?, posted on December 9, 2011 at 08:42:10
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 The Device Manager no longer work after Batch 10. After Batch 16, I was somehow able to reload the Device Manager and saw a number of exclamation marks on some devices, including the Processor. Anyone tried re-installing the CPU driver and the results?

 

RE: Any problem if the driver for the Processor is lost?, posted on December 9, 2011 at 08:52:50
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 Most of us just believed that if cmp/cplay works ...all was well. Don't think this was ever discussed.

 

Show screenshot please., posted on December 9, 2011 at 09:40:57
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
 .

Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live

 

Does the system work? I never tried deleing that one!, posted on December 9, 2011 at 10:09:50
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 because I thought it was necessary but looking around I see it just might not have anything to do with a machine using the INTEL CPUs.

You have found another useless file that we can do without IF the machine still works which from what I read I think is likely.

As with the intellppm.sys, which the processr.sys file is mentioned with; is not needed, either.

Of course,t he easiest way to get it back, if it is needed, is just to copy it from another WINDOWS installation and put it back into the drivers folder.

Can't wait to hear if your system works without it!

 

Didn't take any screen-shots and went on re-installing, posted on December 9, 2011 at 10:20:15
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 The driver was "intelppm.sys" removed during Steppe 11 Batch. I searched the Registry on another computer and found some entries relating to this file. The CMP machine is not with me now, will look at it tomorrow and take screenshots.

I recall some other devices with exclamation mark:
Firmware Hub
Microcode Update Device
System Management BIOS Driver
Numeric Data Processor
Programmable interrupt controller

Our goal is to delete unnecessary files that are not going to be used by CPLAY/CMP, or where their removal will improve SQ. The hub and update device etc are already disable anyway, so they will not cause any problem. But the Processor issue demands thorough investigation. I will skip "intelppm.sys" during installation tomorrow and compare the differences.

 

Yes. The system works without that one!, posted on December 9, 2011 at 10:26:04
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 But I need to be sure which option will offer better SQ. If it is the same with or without the file, I will delete it.

 

Who needs CONTROL PANEL? - use the registry, posted on December 9, 2011 at 10:27:37
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 once you familiarize yourself with the registry you see all of the things that the CONTROL PANEL manipulates.

Working with the registry from another computer simplifies the registry; an advantage.

 

made my second post before yours showed up!, posted on December 9, 2011 at 10:29:53
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 I am going to see what happens when I remove processr.sys tonight.

Should have known you were studying the registry!!!

 

Let us know the results., posted on December 9, 2011 at 10:45:33
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 .

 

RE: Didn't take any screen-shots and went on re-installing, posted on December 9, 2011 at 10:51:24
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
 System Management BIOS Driver,Numeric Data Processor,Programmable interrupt controller are already disable too. See "Step 1 – disable unnecessary system devices
" here http://www.cicsmemoryplayer.com/index.php?n=CMP.07Optimisations.

Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live

 

RE: Didn't take any screen-shots and went on re-installing, posted on December 9, 2011 at 10:57:33
Ryelands
Audiophile

Posts: 1868
Location: Scotland
Joined: January 9, 2009
 I recall some other devices with exclamation mark: Firmware Hub; Microcode Update Device; System Management BIOS Driver; Numeric Data Processor; Programmable interrupt controller

I've had all these devices disabled in DevManager on my main cMP^2 system for at least a couple of years. I've also disabled the DMA Manager and other devices with (I like to think . . . ) sonic benefits. My hunch is that the likes of DMA are handled by the chipset drivers and that the MS devices are inessential. Whatever, the box seems to work fine without them. Have I removed all the relevant drivers?

Good question.

HTH

Dave

 

Another one unneeded ..., posted on December 9, 2011 at 11:19:52
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 I suspect it will make no difference in SQ by itself.

There is the possibility of a cumulative effect from a less cluttered installation, though.

Seems to be needed by AMD processors from what I read.

Another brilliant mistake!

 

Absolutely No Problem, Moreover, posted on December 9, 2011 at 11:30:43
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 It sounds much better without it. These drivers that are deleted are for very old processors.
I have deleted them and forgotten. Never a single problem.
Serge.

 

Never on ANY list - you must have kept this one to yourself!, posted on December 9, 2011 at 13:32:08
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 with such a "scary" name I never tried deleting this one.

When I read about it it is an obvious one.

As they say looks can be deceiving!

My list will now become shorter.

 

Rick! You were, probably,, posted on December 9, 2011 at 14:59:33
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 occupied with some other tweaks at the time. crusoe, amd-something, processor and intelsmth sys and dlls were suggested for deletion by me at the time of part 11-14, can't say exactly, don't really remember.
This is the picture of my folders: http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/pcaudio/messages/9/98163.html See my other folders beside that post, Now I have also removed (thanks to your suggestion of ps/2 mouse) several usb sys files. What about VOLSNAP.SYS? Can it also be deleted, as we don't install volume shadow copy?
I have managed with AWE, but had to remake an NLite installation myself. Tried Batch files, but easiest way was to open windows from another windows, just exterminate every flea inside and copy into empty directory files from my OLD WINDOWS directory. no batches, no nothing... Piece of cake. Certainly, You have to first come all the way of deletions to have such a folder. I don't mean You, I mean other folks who may join later on. Also I agree with you that registry is best tweaked manually. This is what I'm going to do tomorrow. Start with a new installation and make everything manually.
Serge.

 

Registry question, posted on December 9, 2011 at 15:25:12
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 Rick, and everybody! Lately we hve been compacting, reducing our registry, including yours truly (Registry Mechanic said, mine is smth like 4,9 now) but noone reported any sonic change or result. Is there any reason in reduction?
Serge.

 

RE: Fishy Secrets Part 2 or bright fish in the bowl, posted on December 9, 2011 at 15:59:41
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 Now that I have my registry tweaking process working ok (thanks again Rick) I have settled on maxmem back at 256 and hpet enabled.

 

I am a moron - when I got home I saw it was not there, posted on December 9, 2011 at 18:24:38
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3041
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 I need to quit relying on my memory.

Sorry about that.

Of course, it was on the LISTS!

 

How do you remove ControlSet 002?, posted on December 10, 2011 at 07:35:45
riboge
Audiophile

Posts: 675
Joined: June 25, 2008
 I see in Mihaylov's latest registry screenshots that he has only 1 numbered control set and current control set. I had already posed that one should be able to do without the other set. Now I have tried but my fully reduced cMP partition won't allow it to be deleted in regedit. I exported a hive and imported into another cMP less stepped partition but regedit wouldn't allow ControlSet 002 to be deleted there either. Booting to a PCRegedit CD and trying it there also wasn't possible. How can it be done? Mihaylov, how did you do it?

 

RE: How do you remove ControlSet 002?, posted on December 10, 2011 at 09:01:20
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
 First to try make to be so:



However I find it difficult to tell precisely as I made it.
See my latest registry list (link below, password: Serge).

Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live

 

Can't and MY cMP is RESTORING THE REGISTRY!!, posted on December 10, 2011 at 12:41:02
riboge
Audiophile

Posts: 675
Joined: June 25, 2008
 I could not remove the other user S-1-5-20 either.

Worse, I know see that the registry has been restored and that the recent deletions guided by your screenshots from HKLM control, enum and services have been returned from somewhere. Where could that be and how? I have no .SAV files in system 32/config. Could windows file protection do this--especially despite its having been turned off long ago and showing no signs since of reappearing? I made the deletions directly with restored regedit function in the same cMP install.

This is making me crazy. It has undone hours of work. HELP.

 

And so it should, posted on December 10, 2011 at 13:04:34
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 Hello! Yes, Windows IS restoring part of the registry. There is a dissertation on this and similar subjects by a woman, who is one of the spokesman for Macrohard Qs&As site. She wrote, that registry entries are different in a switched-off computer than in a working one. This feature is used to extricate data for criminal investigations, for example. Control set 2 is used in case current and set 1 is broken or changed as they are The Working sets, so the secret Hydra (search and you Will find it in the registry) is relying on set 02 data for restoration of itself. It is written in a highly and scientifical style but the essence is primitive enough. This pdf can be found on the net. I have asked several times What SQ change such reduction brings. No reply as yet from anyone. Removing unnecessary files and entries that are relevant to the services that we delete anyway, is one thing, but to delete a selfrestoring part of the registry just for the sake of champion's size is another. Thw WHOLE registry is read on start into the non paged memory and only when you say good night, this memory will be released and the data stored back after you can do nothing else to it.
Serge.

 

What!!! All this deletion is futile???, posted on December 10, 2011 at 13:16:40
riboge
Audiophile

Posts: 675
Joined: June 25, 2008
 since it all gets put back, or are you saying one can slay the Hydra? I now see that huge amount of deletions to HKLM/software have been restored. These are mainly for programs no longer installed or not used. Why would these be restored? And the restoration in the system hive seems to happen for deleted or blocked services, too.

 

RE: What!!! All this deletion is futile???, posted on December 10, 2011 at 13:25:08
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 Hello, again. No the Hydra is possibly immortal, the name speaks for itself, but, though Internet explorer, some basic system and network services or even program entries are restored, the things audio and secondary services are not restored. Read, please carefully my suggestions on registry tweaks. Those things don't get restored, as well as most things that you delete about hardware interrupts, the hardware resources and so on, I may be not exactly true to the end, but mostly true.
Read Jolida's txt for his registry tweaks batches, there he says which of my tweaks is accompanied by registry changes. Read and print out these tweaks and do everything exactly. It won't get restored. Also, You will note that I recommend to make deletions in registry in all sets.
Serge.

 

RE: What!!! All this deletion is futile???, posted on December 10, 2011 at 13:33:20
riboge
Audiophile

Posts: 675
Joined: June 25, 2008
 I have done all your steps and used Jolida's registry batches, too. I will check to see if any of these items has come back. But in my case anyway, many clearly non-essential elements in control, enum, software, etc, that I recently removed also came back, so I don't have the impression Hydra can be given all the responsibility for what is happening.

BTW, search of registry shows hydra only once in security\policies\secrets. It is a key that starts L$hydraenckey_[and a bunch of numbers and letters]. Its subkeys have very little in them none of which reveal anything to go on. Searching windows 7, on the other hand, shows no hydra at all.

Can you identify the article you refer to better for finding purposes, please.

 

RE: What!!! All this deletion is futile???, posted on December 10, 2011 at 13:50:47
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 First thing. Are you editing your registry or you are editing a cmp registry loading hives?
If the second is the case, are you sure you are editing ONLY within the loaded hive? Aren't you. by chance, editing the registry of another - nonCMP machine? such thing can happen in "heat".
Second About the dissertation. Well, no I cannot point exactly, I was disinterested after first 5-6 pages of real text, page 16-17 and onward. The woman can be found on microsoft technical service questions page.
Just google smth like awe in windows 2003 and see what page directs to microsoft site. Answers will be answered by some guy, mostly, but time after time that woman appears. Then google her name, probably... Sorry... I know it's vague. The hydra is the one I was referring to, but, also. I am not sure that this is the real service that is answerable for our troubles. I make a blind asuumption, I should say, but the name is not just "fishy", it's "snaky" if you see what I mean.
Serge.

 

RE: What!!! All this deletion is futile???, posted on December 10, 2011 at 13:59:34
riboge
Audiophile

Posts: 675
Joined: June 25, 2008
 No, the heat came after it all was undone.:) I have already said I did the editing directly in my cMP install having restored regedit. I made some other registry changes booting to a cd with PCRegedit that works from outside. Its changes were undone as well.

I tried editing an exported hive on a different computer but when I went to reload the hive it was refused with a message about having signs of a different product. I think I have a golum rather than a hydra.

 

And, probably, an infected one?, posted on December 10, 2011 at 14:16:15
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 I was loading and reloading my cmp hive to another (2 different - russian and english untweaked) windows' regedit several times and have done it through esata and usb and under different hive names. Never a single problem. I, for example have only today removed my own nonpagedpoolsize setting and it holds after reboots and even shutdowns. So go, check your golem. It has, probably, eaten smth.
Serge.
As for dissertation, really, I never kept any path for it in favorites, sorry.

 

Liberate more precious RAM with Icon+resource cleanup of shell32.dll and explorer.exe (RESHACK), posted on December 11, 2011 at 03:03:28
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003
 Studying Mihaylov and steppe screenshots and implementing steppe's last boot.ini tweak (OMG this sounds good thank you!),
files like shell32.dll are indeed one of the 'core' data sets Windows requires for operation. With the superb sounding /maxmem=256 switch it happened to me that some cue playlists could not be loaded, too many split loads. So either make new cues, OR try to squeeze the last bits of memory :)

Friends, it is possible (using a resource editor) to eliminate unneccessary Icon, Bitmap and AVI (!) resources that are embedded in files like shell32.dll and explorer.exe

And this
http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/87943-replacing-shell32dll

was actually my starting signal :) and made me wonder how much RAM savings this could lead to. Being that cMP is a replacement shell with uses the same 'core' dlls as Explorer shell; but DOES NOT use all the desktop, file browsing, printing dialog stuff it also makes sense.

With a bit of trial-and-error I could safely reduce the sizes:
explorer.exe size is now 388 kB, original 1008 kB
shell32.dll size is now 2686 kB, original ~8000 kB
taskmgr now shows explorer.exe eating up ~5800 kB, previous was about 10500 kB RAM

First I looked how big shell32 and explorer from the Windows XP SP2 Embedded pack are (remember, we have our minlogon.exe from this pack). Of course, the are the same monsters as in our XP (shell is even larger). Then just trying reshacker (Resource Hacker), its funny to see that for example the animations in Your Windows file copy/move/delete dialogs are some AVI(!) files that are played back when you see the dialog... Which of course does never happen when we are in cMP shell, but is nonchalantly eating up RAM which we want for MUSIC.

Second, all system Icons are stored inside in 16, 256 and Hi-colour resolutions. Of course after we switched to 256 colours in Windows you only ever, ever see the 16 colour versions. Remember, even the tiniest things are cumulative. To some this very idea may seem over-the-top. Rough assumption, but shell32.dll seems to be 20% program code and 80% multimedia resource if you open it up.

--SNIP-------------------------
To make thinks clearer now: You DONT GET TO SEE the mentioned '20% program code' at all in ANY of these resource editor applications. Theyre just there for editing resources, there is really no reverse-engineering, decompiling etc involved here. So don't be afraid you could mess up the program code along the way, this is much more deep inside :) (where monkeys can't see a thing)
--SNIP--------------------------

After deleting AVI and (many) ICO and bitmap stuff, plus editing the dialogs that use them (which is easy, I could explain in next post if you like ), as stated shell can be made about 25% of original size.

Please dont be afraid of this tools' name, in the right hands its (quite) safe to use (actually uses a Windows API to access embedded resources, not program code from the designer) Looking the web it seems also common for freaks to edit their shells (usually to make it more PRETTY, but we audio nuts care for the opposite)

I also like the connection which seems to exist between Mussels, Shells and Mermaids :) For sound quality I cannot really say if better (or just different) as I have new 'boutique coupling caps in my DAC which are breaking in.

If Youre past steppe 22 (use no explorer) and like the sound I can send you my ATM super-tweaked shell32 for trying out etc. Keep in mind its probably safer to edit your own files, because of language and file version differences. I have SP2 ENU.

respects,
Mario / nagual19


btw, haven't tried if using Win2k dlls (as suggested in link) works and I dont want to make anything instable, the sound is just so fantastic.

 

The dream is coming true, posted on December 11, 2011 at 03:37:46
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 Hello! This is what I was dreaming about - to remove the shell32.dll
-At the end of this post - http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/pcaudio/messages/9/97960.html I was expressing anger at not being able to.
Now You have found the way to practically neutralize it. really, working like a group we can move ever further! Please tell me, if the tool you are posting about is simple enough for the likes of me. Can I download it, copy my file from cmp machine to the working one, tweak it and replace? does the prog have some kind of user interface? Can you, if possible post some pics with explanations? I feel kinda scared...
Also can you try to tweak (if there is anything tweakable? WINMM.DLL?
Serge.
What is SP2 ENU is it english uk? I would be happy to try, if I may get Your version. I have original us version of vl windows. Hope my mermaid will eat the shell with pleasure...

 

Mario, here ia another, probably stupid, question, posted on December 11, 2011 at 04:05:21
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 can cmp.exe and cplay.exe be tweaked in the same way - what I mean is to remove certain parts of the script that use ole32 or oledlg and ESPECIALLY winspool.drv?
Serge.

 

RE: Liberate more precious RAM with Icon+resource cleanup of shell32.dll and explorer.exe (RESHACK), posted on December 11, 2011 at 04:22:34
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 You said '...To some this very idea may seem over-the-top. Rough assumption, but shell32.dll seems to be 20% program code and 80% multimedia resource if you open it up. After deleting AVI and (many) ICO and bitmap stuff, plus editing the dialogs that use them (which is easy, I could explain in next post if you like ), as stated shell can be made about 25% of original size...'

It would be great if you posted exactly how you size reduced shell32.dll. Also did you do from a host computer? Does Reshacker work that way? Any further deails would be appreciated. Here is an idea: give one simple example of something you did successfully to free up memory.

 

Theo! It works just like, posted on December 11, 2011 at 04:30:21
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 a charm on any computer. I have just downloaded the prog, unpacked and loaded dufferent dlls and exes from several hdds. The reshacker eats them eyes closed. It doesn't seem to care. But How and What to remove, this is what scares me. I would tweak this way many big files that remain. And, certainly cmp-cplay (not much there, in fact) just to get rid if possible of the oles and winspool.drv
Serge

 

RE: Theo! It works just like, posted on December 11, 2011 at 04:50:56
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003
 Yes you are on the right way, give me some time I will prepare a post to show how and what I have removed w/ success :)

 

RE: Mario, here ia another, probably stupid, question, posted on December 11, 2011 at 04:54:03
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003

Good question.. IMO this would only be possible with either decompiling the exe or analyzing cics' source code (don't find a source). AND having a much deeper understanding on how dlls like OLE are used in Windows 'global hierarchy'. Btw I am also no programmer but have experience in IT servicedesk using our BELOVED Win XP :)

I really believe cics has coded already in a way, that the fewest possible dlls etc are getting used.. and We can only do our best to streamline all these components to suit it 'best'. This is what iE minlogon is also about for long times now.

What you can do using resource hacker is replace GUI related things in cMP and cPlay. Respectfully tweaked B39 SSE4 executable is shown above, I put in oldschool icons and black and gray (I dont want cics take this modification as disgrace. but Respect for his great player!) Also, cics has used much simpler (IMO prettier) icons in old builds. When I get a hold of these, I extract its icons and 'paste' it on the B39.

Keeping the spirit and only dare to mod icons keeping the same size and colours :)

 

Make font size smaller to show more in window?, posted on December 11, 2011 at 05:42:47
riboge
Audiophile

Posts: 675
Joined: June 25, 2008
 I would be disinclined to monkey with cics programs generally, but I would love to know how to reduce the font size so perhaps whole titles would show. Better yet in my case would be if someone else did so and posted the resultant programs.

 

RE: Make font size smaller to show more in window?, posted on December 11, 2011 at 06:03:50
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003
 I know this may initially seem like monkeying around (please get the pun with my shown Nilsson playlist and track title!)

o.O

But the answer is No. Because One can only replace resources that are designed to be just that, resources for the GUI. They get loaded along with program code when one starts a program. The font rendering of track titles in cPlay is 'hard-coded' and hidden in program code (so cics design choice), and can never be changed with tools like reshack. They are not accessible. Better that way, I happen to think too :)

 

Some explanation + screens, posted on December 11, 2011 at 06:11:08
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003
 1. This shows shell32.dll remaining resources in reshack:
http://i43.tinypic.com/2cqi2xu.png

Serge, yes just copy your existing explorer and shell32 files from cMP to another computer for modify, then copy back. Please also make some backups of these files. If you compare my screenshot with yours You can figure out what can be deleted. But TESTED this only with deleted explorer.exe (I use multi-boot for this stuff). This screen shows maximum for now. I did not want to go further.

2. And this shows the tedious work to do with the DIALOGS (at last, if you remove most Icons)
before
http://i44.tinypic.com/zmia9x.png

after
http://i41.tinypic.com/21l4a5k.png

You see a rendering of each dialog and a script window showing the used Bitmap, Icon or AVI resources (they have IDs pointing to). You point-and-click the Icon or 'sysanimate32' (AVI) control and hit delete. If you try, it seems more difficult than it really is. Remember deleting even strings (I know, make a facepalm!) as I did is not necessary at all. And MAYBE most of these dialogs could be terminated completely but I did not dare. Being only text there isnt much to be gained, most is graphical stuff.

3. FINALLY you have to run a tool called PEChecksum.exe to rewrite some checksum that has been modified.
http://www.materialordner.de/kyE5JHblwgs4QO43lmdwOrXCKb4vZPH.html
click on "Downloaden von pechecksum.zip" password please use my nick

Then open command prompt, go to folder where your files reside and type
PEChecksum.exe -c shell32.dll

4. COPY back to cMP and done! To those interested I could send you my shell32.dll that you can directly open and compare. Would need too many screenshots but I did my best!

Please also see attached link (post #40 is important) and happy reading.

Mario

 

RE: Make font size smaller to show more in window?, posted on December 11, 2011 at 06:12:38
riboge
Audiophile

Posts: 675
Joined: June 25, 2008
 Too bad.

No deregation intended. Monkeys are a higher order of animal than fish. Mermaids are harder to classify, of course. Still I wouldn't want all of us to go ape over reducing system/file size for its own sake.

 

Mario this is still very complicated for computer non experts, posted on December 11, 2011 at 07:47:21
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 I d/led the reshackers and I follow your posts but still feel somewhat gunshy in attempting any of this. Maybe I just need to study it a little more. Also resetting checksums discussion is a bit confusing to me. I think you understate your level of computer acumen. But I will try to catch up.

 

RE: Mario this is still very complicated for computer non experts, posted on December 11, 2011 at 08:04:36
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003
 Theo, thanks for posting. It may seem a bit much at first yes. Please read
http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/tutorials/31112-tutorial-all-about-resource-hacker-brief-tutorial.html

if you like and have some time. After removing resources using your reshacker, U just open up a command prompt, go to the directory where you have both PEChecksum.exe and your newly tweaked DLL, and run the command

PEChecksum -c shell32.dll

This is it. Btw I have just found out this step MAY not be necessary as the checksum is only verified if you have WFP enabled (we all have disabled Windows File Protection already by implementing minlogon)

If you just happen to have Windows XP SP2 English-US (United States) You could use the files I have sent. ^^

 

Thank You, Mario. Will, posted on December 11, 2011 at 08:17:28
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 try it and report in an hour.
Serge.

 

RE: Thank You, Mario. Will, posted on December 11, 2011 at 08:31:44
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003
 Thank you too for all your hard work! Take time because I also had some learning curve to do this stuff just a few days ago.

Eventually U will stumble upon a Dialog named 'Windows Default CD Writing Wizard' in shell32-Dialogs:
http://computertruths.blogspot.com/2007/06/interesting-hacks-using-resource-hacker.html
(interesting read)

I do think - for the sake of making our shell cleaner - these dialogs (-> 1125 to 1138) could be terminated w/out ill effects. U get the ideas... We have deleted the CDR burning components a long time ago, and I just think these Dialogs could therefore never ever show up anywhere, because there is no possibility these dialogs get 'called' from any program routine anymore.

 

The Mermaid is smiling happily, posted on December 11, 2011 at 11:43:06
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 Oh, YESSS!!! She is. We had a good listen for 45 minutes, and I can say that the sonic change is most outstanding and is getting better, Better, BETTER!. The highiest mids are so clean now that it affects the lowest counterpart. It became very multilayered, textured, rich and polytonal. The overall change is for the best. The stage is high, very deep, in fact it's abyssal. the vocalist now stands 3,5 - 4 meters from the frontline of speakers. But the best things are happening in the background. It is rapidly becoming the arena of many musical and sonic events. Happily, there is no sonic hole between the front and the "backest" back now. The sound is getting lighter, meaning less dark. More sounds of the singers' throat and lips, when he (it is she in my case) is trying to help herself in a complex place.
Technically it was a very easy thing to do - just remove old dll from another windows installation, put the tweaked one inside and return my esata hdd to cmp.
the Mermaid seems so satisfied with the change that she asks her permission to bestow upon You the title of The Father Of Pearl, if You will accept it.
Serge.
It inspires, inspires me.

 

Even more to do, posted on December 11, 2011 at 11:50:08
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 Inmates! After Mario's tweak I got positively heated and suddenly remembered, that nLite installation removes Volume shadow copy. So Why I am having those two dirty files in my system?
I have removed (about 25 minutes ago) volsnap.sys from drivers folder and vssapi.dll from system32. I think the thing is worth doing.
Serge.
Try it, please.

 

Took me awhile to get the new downsized shell32..., posted on December 11, 2011 at 11:53:56
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 ...but I got there. Yes it is a nice big sq pop ... very nice. I agree with Steppe.

Thank you so much Mario.

 

Oops!, posted on December 11, 2011 at 12:05:34
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 Unless you have all of your library loaded you cant add to it from the cmp screen. At least I cant. Shoot this is a biggy for me.

 

You mean, you cannot use, posted on December 11, 2011 at 12:16:06
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 Add folder button in cmp? But what if you simply copy the folder with wavs and cue into, say, general RIP folder on another windows, then reattach your hdd to a cmp. Will upon loading cmp rescan and add new item to the library?
If Yes, I don't think it matters to me, as I have 3 general folders RIP, POP, CLASSIC. Inside these folders I have subfolders, like DEEP PURPLE and inside it: 1970 In Rock, 1971 Fireball, 1972 Machine Head. Inside each I keep my corresponding wavs by tracks and a cue. I often keep a subfolder Covers or Sleeves here as well.
Serge.

 

RE: You mean, you cannot use, posted on December 11, 2011 at 14:11:55
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 Another workaround for me is to go back to the 8mb shell, load all my 3 discs, reload the 2mb shell and wala I'm into all my music. But it would be nice to be able to remove / add discs from the cmp screen.

 

RE: Even more to do, posted on December 11, 2011 at 15:00:55
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
 OK, volsnap.sys can be removed. vssapi.dll is absent in my system.

Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live

 

Great!, posted on December 11, 2011 at 15:16:52
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
 Thanks Mario for that you reminded me of such possibility to tweak files ;). Now I tweaked 39 files in system32. The Windows's size is 29.1 MB.
The size of shell32.dll is 2194KB. "Add folders" in cMP settings works fine! To upload english shell32.dll and I will tweak it this feature work.

Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live

 

RE: cPlay - the open source high-end audio player using ASIO, posted on December 11, 2011 at 15:36:45
mschneider
Dealer

Posts: 350
Joined: February 1, 2007
 Hello All!

I have been sticking with 44.1, aka no oversampling for the 3 years or so i have been using cmp2. I have read lots of bios and registry hacks lately, but am wondering a few tings, and not much turned up doing a search, so i thought i woul simply ask:

what basic settings do you use, e.g. svchost, awe, priroity, buffer size...

more importantly, what settings do you use, if any for oversampling, and what sonic changes do you hear when you engage or deactivate upsmpling?

do you use an internal soundcard to do the d-a conversion, or output i2s or spdif? and what external dac do you use?

i have been comparing jriver via ethernet w/ cmp2 via spdif into a number of new network dacs; ps audio pwd/bridge, marantz na7004, and the musical fidelity clic.

any comments would be appreciated.

 

RE: cPlay - the open source high-end audio player using ASIO, posted on December 11, 2011 at 16:05:11
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 I use no upsampling. Relative to svchost(suspend and also for lsas), awe(yes but its not that easy you have to do some initializing in windows---do a search under cics) , priroity(critical), buffer size (tiny). I was into 192 upsampling but now prefer going native. When @ 192 I get more highs, less bass and dynamics vs native. Although this a personal preference type of thing.

 

RE: Great!, posted on December 11, 2011 at 17:32:14
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 Wow that's fantastic. Is it possible to make some of these files available to us even at the risk again of maybe not working in our XP?

 

RE: Great!, posted on December 11, 2011 at 18:28:06
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
 These are russian files (with russian language) and they are not suitable for English xp. Upload the English shell32.dll and I will tweak it.

Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live

 

RE: Liberate more precious RAM with Icon+resource cleanup of shell32.dll and explorer.exe (RESHACK), posted on December 11, 2011 at 19:32:19
wlowes
Audiophile

Posts: 112
Location: Toronto
Joined: April 18, 2009
 This is a breakthrough!!

Best SQ ever. I went through Shell32.dll fairly quickly. Killed AVI, icons and even tons of dialogues. Went on to look at a few of the other larger dlls in sysem32 and removed dialogues and error message strings.
There is a lot to experiment with here.

 

RE: Even more to do, posted on December 11, 2011 at 21:10:51
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 Hello, Serge! Can you tell me when did you remove it if you keep track of the events?
I couldn't until I have made a fresh install with nLite without Volume Shadow Copy.
Serge.

 

Serge, can You, posted on December 11, 2011 at 21:29:55
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 tweak winmm.dll in such a way that it will only work with wave audio just remove midi and the rest of the crap inside?
Also, do you need an already tweaked or intact english shell32 file? I can send you both through e-mail. Can You, please, post the list of 39 files to tweak? Did You work with reshack or resource tuner?
Serge.

 

RE: Serge, can You, posted on December 12, 2011 at 00:23:14
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
 Hi Serge!
I work with Restorator.
I need the intact english shell32 file.
The list of 39 files to tweak will be later perhaps (these are largest files from system32).


Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live

 

RE: Great!, posted on December 12, 2011 at 03:34:10
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003

Dear Serge(s) and co-workers!
It really makes happy that this tweak gets so well received here. I now think about it as a natural progress of the 'Art of Windows tweaking'. The improvement this shell32 reduction seems to make is in the good tradition of minlogon, because these very files are used by Windows all the time and are not 'peripheral' components like many files we have deleted in the meantime. This was also what made me look inside shell32 from SP2 Embedded Pack to see if any smaller, but it wasn't.

A few ideas:
I want to get somewhere the Win2k SP0 shell32, open it up and analyze how it's smaller than XP version. Because MS always has to think about compatibility when developing new versions. And this brings some structure in tweaking. Remember I have posted a link where some nice tweakers talk about using W2k versions of these files. But I dont make to want a frankenstein Windows (at least YET)

Now Serge (Mihaylov), did you just delete Icons, Bitmaps and AVIs or also Dialogs? I had already the feeling, that we can make shell even smaller by deleting almost all dialogs (except the ones that get called from cMP plattform, namely via the add-remove library buttons. Of course, that many if not all Windows files could be opened with resource editors and made smaller (Your are at 29 and counting? :))

Another idea, if You open up the section -Accelerators- These are used to define Windows Shortcut keys (We all know the Windows key Strg+C Strg+V etc). It could very well be that Windows is constantly polling (our deleted) keyboard drivers, if any of these keys are pressed - another disturbance in shell! Possible!

I want to look into this further. To all Friends asking for my current version of shell32, I will of course send it. But You are encouraged to try yourself, that way we may discover more than a single person could. It is really quite easy. I am amazed at the speed Mihaylov is at... which lets me wish I had more time for this -

Mario

 

RE: The Mermaid is smiling happily, posted on December 12, 2011 at 03:45:30
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003
 As I read Your message I cant help but smile and also being fairly proud... I really like Your descriptions of sound qualities.

Of course being The Father Of Pearl is... well... thanks :) Btw this encouragement is what I need ATM in my life, I have to get a job soon. My last one was not good and left me almost burned out. I believe if one is happy inside it will automatically lead to the right People and events.

 

I'd like to experiment with resource hacker, posted on December 12, 2011 at 04:07:07
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 Mario in the spirit of your encouragement to try stuff I'd like a little guidance on the method you used to generate such a great sounding (great is not an understatement) shell32.dll. Do you just delete whole folders of AVI, ICON and DIALOGUE files? Or do you leave some stuff in each folder? I listened intently last night (at my low powerline noise hours) and the sonics of the slimmed down shell32 is nothing short of fantastic. The highs, inter space silence, soundstage (depth and width) is the best I experienced in my system. What a find!

 

RE: cPlay - the open source high-end audio player using ASIO, posted on December 12, 2011 at 05:47:08
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 I guess I should ask you what tweaks you have done to Windows if any. While the settings are certainly very important more important is doing all the Cics recommended windows tweaks... slimming down the OS ,eliminating features, very important is minlogon, windows kernel stuff. These are all described in detail on cics site. Do these then the other tweaks called out on AA the last few months. I'm not saying you cant appreciate CMP/Cplay w/o these but these will definitely optimze cplay. IMO CMP is more important that cplay ...do you use cmp?

 

RE: The Mermaid is smiling happily, posted on December 12, 2011 at 06:22:32
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
 Spread Your wings and get ready! It won't take long, if you feel really inclined to find a new occupation/job. I felt I was "growing a layer of fat" on my brain, it's the closest to a russian saying, and found myself a job immediately. Take a rest for some time and when you feel, you're ready, start searching, and it will find you.
Serge.

 

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