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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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Question about the color stuff in Icons and Icon Groups, posted on December 15, 2011 at 04:49:08
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
Should we delete all lines except for those that say 256 colors? Or something else?

 

Loading smaller folder sizes versus loading all folders, posted on December 15, 2011 at 05:13:31
theob
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
You said '...Why would storing 50 music files on a cMP disk, give better SQ than storing 500 music files on it...' has bothered me also. I use 3 major discs/folders for my music files: D, F and G. With all my stuff loaded I think there is about 1400 music files. If I load my smallest disc/folder there is about 60 or 70 music files. So listening to the same music file @ the 60-70 level sounds a lot better. Today I think I noticed a possible answer. When you ask for diagnostics on cplay it always tells you how much ram you have available. @ the 60 file level I have about 6-7 mb of additional ram. This also answers my own question as to why I was swapping data at a level 15-20 seconds earlier just recently. I had not yet restored my ADD / REMOVE functionality in shell32 so I always had 1400 music files loaded and less available ram. Now that I have restored it I get a lot more ram available and longer times 'before ram load' in a cplay run. The size of the music file also affects available ram.

 

I have done, and I say, posted on December 15, 2011 at 07:01:13
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
this. This setting was supposed to let the cpu work less, thus less noise. But it is wrong. The number of priority threads remains constant, no matter what is given the priority.
Here comes a BIG tweak - in bios open MIT, Advanced cpu settings, where we set the number of cores, Third from above - enable the cpu to enter e3/e6 support - ENABLE IT (I was holding it long), If you have the earlier mentioned bios capability ENABLE VDROP DIRECTLY (against Intel specs), get into the registry,HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\PriorityControl , Doubleclick Win32PrioritySeparation and set it from 18 to 26. Reboot. Give 1 hour, enjoy. It was the last big fish from the mermaid because she is now off to see her mother and organize things.
Serge.

 

In this case, posted on December 15, 2011 at 07:05:28
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
try to remove /maxmem=256 setting from boot.ini and try again, please.
Serge.

 

Not So, posted on December 15, 2011 at 07:17:37
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
this time. I was also surprised, as I saw two variants in the net, but microsoft techsupport says it has to be three separate words. BUT THEY MAY LIE? Try, please both variants.
Serge.

 

RE: In this case, posted on December 15, 2011 at 07:18:37
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
ok

 

RE: Fishy Secrets part 3, posted on December 15, 2011 at 07:20:39
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
=According to the link below, the correct name for the D-Word (at least the EN version) is DisablePerformanceCounters.=
And all already wrote as with Disable Performance Counters well sounds. It is gained that no difference is present. Strange, isn't that so?

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

 

Yes, and it worries, posted on December 15, 2011 at 07:53:36
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
me, if you see what I mean. This set of tweaks is subtle but definite. I have first put it with no blank spaces, then saw it on a microsoft techsupport written as I have put it. Can it be that some keys allow such syntax?
Serge

 

INMATES! Check your SYNTAX!!!, posted on December 15, 2011 at 08:01:31
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
This seems THE RIGHT WAY to put it:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Perflib
add a new DWORD Value named Disable Performance Counters, set it to 1

With blank spaces NOT DisablePerformanceCounters see here
http://www.pcauthorities.com/pc-speed/how-to-disable-performance-counters-in-windows-xp/
see here also
http://technet.microsoft.com/ru-ru/library/cc737243(WS.10).aspx

 

Lot of us did the registry tweak a long time ago. See link , posted on December 15, 2011 at 08:01:48
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
,,

 

Strange enough.... , posted on December 15, 2011 at 09:02:02
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
"Disable Performance Counters" was already present in the registry and was set to 1. It was an Nlite installation. I confirm there are blank spaces between the words.

 

This was the default setting in my nLite install, posted on December 15, 2011 at 09:02:59
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
Who knows what that means but this was another thing I did not have to do with the nLite install.

 

RE: Yes, and it worries, posted on December 15, 2011 at 09:24:50
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
Yes, I see. I think that often the changes in sound only seemingly.

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: Yes, and it worries, posted on December 15, 2011 at 09:46:36
Ryelands
Audiophile

Posts: 1867
Location: Scotland
Joined: January 9, 2009
Yes, I see. I think that often the changes in sound only seemingly.

I agree - it takes time to evaluate subtle changes. Given the flood of suggested changes in recent weeks, probably too long for reports always to be reliable. But there's absolutely no doubt that there's been big improvements overall.

Whatever, Serge is right here. I tried the Reg Edit on a standard PC: if the D-Word is labelled DisablePerformanceCounters, Perfmon still runs (Start > Run > perfmon.msc). With the spaces in the label, it doesn't, i.e. the Reg Edit works as described. Apologies for the false alarm.

Now that "Resource Hacker" is Tweak-of-the-Week, inmates using cMP^2 headless over a LAN [i.e. properly :>)] might want to try slimming down WinVNC.exe. I brought it down from 1.5 MB to just under one MB. Whether that or the perfmon thing is the cause, there's definitely been an improvement IMS.

In a day or two, I'll restore the old VNC file and try again.

Dave

 

RE: In this case, posted on December 15, 2011 at 10:06:51
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
Tried it (deleting maxmem=256) and no difference in swap times or sonics. Big sonic improvement must have been from nopae and onecpu then.

 

Great!, posted on December 15, 2011 at 10:14:04
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
What software do you use which displays multiple dlls?

 

RE: I have done, and I say, posted on December 15, 2011 at 10:16:49
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
Can't wait to try the last big fish from the mermaid! But its late night now, will have to try tomorrow.

 

RE: Great!, posted on December 15, 2011 at 10:35:02
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
Jack, look here:
http://www.AudioAsylum.com/forums/pcaudio/messages/10/100161.html

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

 

Must be all of those addresses for the files ..., posted on December 15, 2011 at 12:27:31
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
taking up the space.

Very interesting, Ted.

 

WinVNC.exe - Done!, posted on December 15, 2011 at 12:54:05
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

 

RE: INMATES! Check your SYNTAX!!!, posted on December 16, 2011 at 20:11:40
kclo
Audiophile

Posts: 68
Joined: August 21, 2010
Thanks Serge,

I had make exactly that mistake. Corrected it, and very noticeable improvement in sound.

KC

 

One more technical question, posted on December 17, 2011 at 15:30:09
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
Hello, everybody! Please help. I have Gigabyte GA-H55M-UD2H motherboard, just like many other inmates. Here is the problem:
After the crash, that happened with /CLKLVL setting in my boot.ini, I, just like Theo, lost my bios settings. They were reset to default. That in itself isn't a problem, exept, that my bios was COMPLETELY CLEAR. No cmp settings, that I had previously saved with f11 key were present anymore. This is also not a problem, but after I restored Cics' recommended settings, the reboot time is VEEERY LOOOOONG. It practically takes a minute or more to reboot after exiting from bios. Any switch on and switch off takes as long. Moreover, the more agressive settings, even slightly different from original, lead to a unbootable machine, it requires to shorten the cmos, restart everything again and so on... What can be done? Voltage doesn't get below 0,7, though video is 0,612. No memory timings shorter than 5 and auto. But what could have happened?
Please, help!
Serge.

 

RE: One more technical question, posted on December 17, 2011 at 18:07:43
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
Can you reload another ghost or snapshot image of your os from a prior level? I dont have that mobo so not sure what to do. Maybe just try another 'load default settings' in bios.

 

This should be simple., posted on December 17, 2011 at 18:50:56
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
If it's a bios issue, flash your Bios once more to clear every thing.

 

I had the same thing, posted on December 18, 2011 at 07:13:13
wlowes
Audiophile

Posts: 112
Location: Toronto
Joined: April 18, 2009
For what it is worth, I have the same thing. It followed using resouce hack to go through every dll in system32 and remove all resources.

I run a laptop with none of the extreme bios settings, and made no bios setting changes prior to seeing this.

I had just started listening to this config. I switched between songs and all of a sudden all went silent. The USB DAC was no longer recognized, and refuses to be recognized by any winxp image. I think I got a voltage spike and zapped the pcm2706. I think this is in no way related to the resource hack, but it means I'm offline for a month while I research asyncronous USB2 options and get it working. I've wanted to take this step so no problem. Meanwhile back to spinning cds.

 

RE: This should be simple., posted on December 18, 2011 at 07:49:19
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
Jack can you please email me?

 

Laptop -Asus?, posted on December 18, 2011 at 09:13:18
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
Hello, trying to find out for myself, I learned, that such problems are more often with asus laptops and lenovo smth. It may denote a problem with BATTERY. I have reinstalled a virgin untweaked windows on a cmp machine on another hdd and, as OS is interacting with bios, THE NORMAL OS with most functions of bios in Normal position seem to have partially settled the problem. At least it allows now rebooting with risky timings. As for the time of reboot, I don't care much, now that I know it Will reboot. Otherwise it was sorta uncanny, with a fanless psu everything seemed dead... For me it is everything goes, as long as I don't return to those "nasty round thingies" - (crooglakh - a rustic Russian word for anythind round, midsized and not really pretty)
Serge. Anyway, thank you all, inmates.

 

RE: Laptop -Asus?, posted on December 18, 2011 at 13:04:09
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
Serge had a similar problem. I had a problem trying to put in a granite digital ps on my ssd. Got a boot error ...HAL corrupted. Had to reflash bios which got me past hal then I had a boot.inf file missing so I had to reload a Snapshot image of my OS prior to the deletions. That finally worked. Maybe this can help others

Some have helped me in this and I offer my utmost thank you to them. Dont want to id them. he knows who he is.

 

How does one "bypass the volume control", posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:07:13
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
Offers high quality 64 bit double precision digital volume control (in 0.5db steps). This can be bypassed.

Just noticed this at the top of the page but have no idea how it can be done.

Can someone tell me?

 

iconcache.db - have you deleted?, posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:33:46
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
I think I deleted this on my non-ACPI install thoughI am not sure.

From what I read it reappears if you delete it so my thought is with the RESOURCE HACKER doing its work on the .dlls will this cache be filled from the .dlls (with their mising icons) or from some mysterious source deep within WINDOWS?

I know I will find out tonight but thought I would see if anyone has already found the answer.

 

RE: How does one "bypass the volume control", posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:53:39
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
Don't know how to bypass this, but sure can be removed.




 

RE: iconcache.db - have you deleted?, posted on December 19, 2011 at 11:12:07
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
Shouldn't have this one in the first place, as it is created by photo viewing softwares. You should have checked the "don't cache thumbnail" box in the folder option before deletion. Shouldn't have anything to do with RESOURCE HACKER.

On second thought, it is mysterious. Windows fax viewer only create a thumbs.db but not the one you have. I don't have this problem though.

 

RE: How does one "bypass the volume control", posted on December 19, 2011 at 12:34:14
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003
I am 99 percent sure that cics has designed cPlay as such, that when You set the volume to 0.0dB, then all Volume Control Code would be bypassed. I think at last that would be the nearby Idea when one designs the graphical interface of such a great software as cPlay is. (to not spend another GUI button somewhere)

When one selects -0.5dB or other settings, then the code kicks in. I really think it does that in the least intrusive way from all worlds' audio software (32bit float etc)

#been away for some days, trying to comment on some of Mark, Bibo, Theo.. questions below. Many good points made these are brilliant developements :)

 

As usual, you have it nailed!, posted on December 19, 2011 at 13:22:32
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
I did not know what that meany with my Nlite installs so I left it alone.

NOW I KNOW!!!!

Going to try some chip removal tonight. Did some practice and I think I can do it.

I am going to remove some of those caps around the video chip that are so close to be sure I do not cook them. Might replace with something better but not exotic like the low ESR Panasonics (the blue ones).

Can't wait to give it a go!!! With thanks to you for the inspiration.

 

That makes perfect sense ..., posted on December 19, 2011 at 13:25:47
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
I feel sure you have it right.

 

Files needed for cplay to recognize new memory, posted on December 19, 2011 at 15:13:46
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
As you may know I had a hard down for a few days but finally got the system to boot after I installed a 1 gb memory plus other stuff. I went through the massive file deletion/registry changes of last few months in a one day marathon today. Then I tried to replace the 1 gb memory with a 256 mb memory but of course it would not install properly for cplay. I should say it booted but cplay said zero memory so it would not play. Any ideas? Anybody know which files are needed?


Put back all stuff mihaylov said was required for cplay/cmp and I still get a ' Not enough ram for playback

min required 160 mb
physical ram available 139 mb
physical ram total is 0 mb'

as a typical error in cplay. I played with the boot.ini file with my 1 gig ram in and it greatly affects available ram for playback. But with it same as before I dont have enough ram with a 256 stick but it used to run ok before. Puzzling?

 

RE: Files needed for cplay to recognize new memory, posted on December 19, 2011 at 20:59:29
Jolida
Audiophile

Posts: 329
Joined: June 26, 2009
Have u tried restoring the bios.rom @ other '.rom' files & checked???

Junaid

 

Try to, posted on December 19, 2011 at 22:47:52
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
remove /maxmem=256 switch altogether, to allow windows to see full stick and to find addresses for it. I had this insufficient memory warning with cplay but the deficit was only 1-3 mb and it was memory timings' dependent. Are the old and new sticks otherwise totally identical - manufacturer, speed... Are You putting it in the same bank (white slot). Also, when You were making deletions, was there a 1 gb stick still on the mobo, or you put 256 and started the deletions? I would guess You had 1 gb, deleted everything and then put back 256 mb stick. For windows it is a hardware change, and as all services and files are deleted, it cannot properly initiate plug-n-play/install new hardware automatic routine.
Serge

 

RE: Try to, posted on December 20, 2011 at 02:18:30
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
'...remove /maxmem=256 switch altogether, to allow windows to see full stick and to find addresses for it...'

I tried that ...did not work.

'... I had this insufficient memory warning with cplay but the deficit was only 1-3 mb and it was memory timings' dependent. Are the old and new sticks otherwise totally identical - manufacturer, speed...'

Same sticks I have used for 4 years.


'... Are You putting it in the same bank (white slot). Also, when You were making deletions, was there a 1 gb stick still on the mobo, or you put 256 and started the deletions? I would guess You had 1 gb, deleted everything and then put back 256 mb stick. For windows it is a hardware change, and as all services and files are deleted, it cannot properly initiate plug-n-play/install new hardware automatic routine...'

Same slot, yes I started with 1 gb did deletions then put in the 256 mb. Looks like I have to have yet another do-over. Put in hardware 1st then do the deletions.

Thanks Serge

Anybody know which files need to be restored for windows to do this?

 

RE: Files needed for cplay to recognize new memory, posted on December 20, 2011 at 02:30:42
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
Do you mean all the files with a rom extenesion?

 

RE: Files needed for cplay to recognize new memory, posted on December 20, 2011 at 03:00:29
Jolida
Audiophile

Posts: 329
Joined: June 26, 2009
Yes... Can give it a try !!

Junaid

 

RE: Files needed for cplay to recognize new memory, posted on December 20, 2011 at 04:48:30
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
At you it is banal there is no free memory for cPlay's start. It is necessary to find out where it got to. For this purpose it is necessary to start somehow the Task Manager and to look at what process eats off a lot of memory. Somehow so.


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

 

All good ideas thanks all..will try after babysitting, posted on December 20, 2011 at 06:42:46
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
I am not at home so I cant run my pc but did anybody find which files task manager need? I'm sure mihaylov is on to something. Also jolida I will try the .rom files first thing.

 

Why a different stick for install?, posted on December 20, 2011 at 07:14:14
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
I doubt you would have any problem using the 256 from the beginning.

Especially if you do an nLite install ...

Just make sure you use default voltage settings for the installation. I would leave all other settings (for your board) the same as cMP.

 

RE: Why a different stick for install?, posted on December 20, 2011 at 09:24:39
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
You are right. In the process of debugging my problem I swapped in a new stick then forgot about it until I noticed I was getting 8 minutes + before a memory swap. So unless I can pull a rabbit out of the hat by substituting a few files I'll have to do it over anyway.

 

There may be an easier way to restore your Windows,, posted on December 20, 2011 at 09:39:13
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
given that you already knew what files should be kept/removed.

This works for me, on the condition that the same hardware are used for re-installation:

1. Reload your ultimate Windows image to the C drive. Boot from another PC and copy everything in the C drive to a folder, e.g. Windows Backup.

2. Do a fresh Windows Installation, with all the optimizations, including all registry tweaks, on your G31 mobo with the original ram. Make sure Cplay and CMP are working with your 256mb ram. No file deletion yet. For the registry tweaks, to save time you may load hive and export different parts of tweaked registry and load them into the new Windows.

3. Download CopyTo from http://www.kish-d.com and install on the other PC.

4. Run copyto on the other PC. Compare the "Windows Backup folder" to the newly installed Windows on "C drive". Run synchronize to delete unwanted files all at once. Don't worry, it will not delete any wanted files.

With the presence of a Windows backup folder, I am able to reinstall and restore an ultimate Windows in less than one hour.

This works charmingly for me and I no longer run batch files. However, things are different with a different sound card.


 

RE: All good ideas thanks all..will try after babysitting, posted on December 20, 2011 at 09:51:50
Mihaylov
Audiophile

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




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: All good ideas thanks all..will try after babysitting, posted on December 20, 2011 at 09:59:42
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
Thank you Serge!

 

RE: There may be an easier way to restore your Windows,, posted on December 20, 2011 at 10:40:26
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
This is a cool way todo it. Let me understand

'...2. Do a fresh Windows Installation, with all the optimizations, including all registry tweaks, on your G31 mobo with the original ram. Make sure Cplay and CMP are working with your 256mb ram. No file deletion yet. For the registry tweaks, to save time you may load hive and export different parts of tweaked registry and load them into the new Windows...'

I take it I could load an earlier snapshot of cmp os (with the 256 mb stick installed) instead of doing a fresh install. Correct?

If yes cant wait to try this.

 

RE: There may be an easier way to restore your Windows,, posted on December 20, 2011 at 10:56:36
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
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Of course, you can. If it works with your 256mb ram, that's OK.

 

RE: There may be an easier way to restore your Windows,, posted on December 20, 2011 at 11:04:04
theob
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Location: ann arbor michigan
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One more question will Copyto work with an image provided by Snapshot which is what I use to copy my ssd os every week or so? If not how do you make an image of your ultimat c drive?

 

RE: There may be an easier way to restore your Windows,, posted on December 20, 2011 at 11:16:22
jackwong96
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Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
Copyto compares real files and doesn't work on images such as Ghost. As such it takes 2 steps, 1st to load an image to C drive(booting up is not necessary), and 2nd to extract the windows files, in order to conduct comparison and deletion.

Copyto is a only tool to delete unwanted files under this circumstance, image of your ultimate C drive was already taken by Snapshots or Ghost etc during different stages of tweak.

The process mentioned will only work, if and only if, a list of Windows files is known or present.

 

S. Mihaytlov will /minint stop ALL logs?, posted on December 20, 2011 at 14:15:17
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
Is it worth deleting setupapi.log AGAIN?

In the midst of a new build and have not had a chance to place that in the boot file yet.

I am going to try it tonight but won't know until tomorrow evening.

Plus I thought it was a good opportunity to bring it up again!

 

After struggling w_copyto could not get it to work, posted on December 20, 2011 at 18:06:27
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
I'm giving up on this path. I got an old cmp image back into my ssd disc (back 3 months), loaded in my 256 mb ram and it booted and played cplay fine. Then I tried to synchronize my latest os (the one I redid yesterday manually) to the disc via copyto and it loaded the files. But when I tried to boot it booted but would not play for lack of ram. Was I supposed to use as a source my ultimate os that I had before the swap of mobo/cpu? I'm a little confused now.

 

Did you flashed the same Bios version? , posted on December 20, 2011 at 23:15:39
jackwong96
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Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
I guest you did.

Do you have another stick of 256mb Ram for testing? Sometimes, Ram can go wrong. To save your time and efforts re-installing a new Windows, but to find out later that it wouldn't work either, you should make sure your Ram is healthy.

If you install with a new Windows and still can't get it working on different set of 256mb RAM, there's a problem with the mobo.


 

RE: Did you flashed the same Bios version? , posted on December 21, 2011 at 01:26:35
theob
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
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Here is what I did

1) Reloaded a 3 mo old version of my ultimate os in my cmp pc with the 256 ram installed. Ran cplay and it worked ok.

2) Tried to synchronize via Copyto my ultimate os (all file deletions) that ran with this same hw but with 1 gb ram. This booted but when I tried to run cplay I got the error message 'not enough ram'.

I like the Copyto software. I will likely use again for other stuff but I think as Mihaylov suggested I must have something occupying big chunks of ram. Maybe when I went through my marathon files deletions manually I screwed up something in the registry.

 

This is real weird...think I found the issue, posted on December 21, 2011 at 08:27:41
theob
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
I went back again and reloaded a 2011-9-14 version of my os. It played well with the 256 ram. I am going to save my file deletions for last and do with copyto. So I started doing registry tweaks for Steppe 5 onward...checking play works after a reboot. I got all the way up to resetting non paged pool size to 4194304 and when I tried to run cplay it said error no ram available. I reset it back to zero and rebooted and it plays ok. Why it worked before I dont know. Maybe I never did it right, maybe I dont know what I did. Did anybody do this while using 256 ram? Should the number be different fo 256k ram?

Oh yes it should be different. I just read rick's comments wherein he had to half the number for his 512k ram. So I guess I have to use 4194304 divided by 4.

 

Jack one more question, posted on December 21, 2011 at 08:47:30
theob
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
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When you sysnchronize your hd os with a backup windows (ultimate file deletion) does it just do the files and not reset the registry?

 

RE: Jack one more question, posted on December 21, 2011 at 09:13:52
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
No. If a file exists, the synchronization will not touch or remove it. Only extra files will be deleted. If you choose "update", older files will be replaced by newer ones.

If you worry, there are many ways to preserve the config folder. You may synchronize folder to folder, e.g. system32/driver(backup Windows) to system32/driver. You will need to move all .dlls etc to a folder on both windows/system32. Just synchronize this folder without tampering with the config file. The simplest way is to backup the config folder and put the backup back after synchronization.

 

RE: This is real weird...think I found the issue, posted on December 21, 2011 at 09:21:07
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
Memory size of 4194304 bytes (4 mb) is very small size and will certainly be depleted . Why this setting?

 

RE: Jack one more question, posted on December 21, 2011 at 09:29:30
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
ok thanks.

 

It was my mistake, posted on December 21, 2011 at 13:51:33
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
to advice it. I was hoping to enable large pages for awe - not 4kb, but 4mb in size - so that processor wouldn't have to pace to and from memory all the time. Thinking that awe locked pages in nonpaged pool I suggested this setting, but didn't find the answer to the second part of the equation. So it remains in my and other folks' cmps. Those, who made the change are probably advised to set the non-paged pool to 0 (default)
Serge

 

F inally fixed it with copyto. , posted on December 21, 2011 at 16:09:55
theob
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
It does work like a charm...thanks Jack. Serge (Steppe) you have zero to apologize for...we all do these tweaks knowing that something can and will go amiss ocassionally. Given that all your other, what maybe 1000+ tweaks went well, I'd say you have a pretty good track record.


Happy holidays to all.

 

We wouldn't have gone this far without you,, posted on December 21, 2011 at 18:50:31
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
your courage and innovation have made all these big changes possible.

 

Lessons learned during my down time, posted on December 22, 2011 at 03:53:08
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
These are not for you smart guys out there (you know who you are) but for the rest of us.

1) Copyto is a very easy to use sw and can be used to goto your ultimate 'slimmed down xp' with a few clicks. This is very useful for going back to some 'useable xp level' to do registry tweaks. In my case I go back to a 2011-9-14 level os, make registry changes, then get back to a 40 mb windows with copyto.

2) If you do the above make sure you leave your earlier level os in cmp mode (with all of its own registry changes) other wise you cant reboot. Experience is the best teacher here.

3) When you get a HAL error make sure you try reflashing your bios before giving up. It was my key for getting out of a noboot condition.

4) Rebooting is necessry for implementing registry changes.

5) Use of an imaging program like Snapshot or Ghost is an absolute must to diagnose/solve issues. If you dont have one get one if you want the ultimate is computer audio operating system. Everybody makes mistakes.

 

Perspective on Tweaks...Tweaks of the year, posted on December 22, 2011 at 08:55:29
theob
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
While I believe all the Steppe/Mihaylov tweaks have directionally made for purer music (I will never go back) I have to admit the slimming of shell32.dll via resource hacker, to me, exceeded the improvement made by going from a 1 gb windows to a 40 mb windows. Other certain registry tweaks(especially those asociated with irq, polling...) are also very very good. But slimming via resource hacker ( and to a lesser extent deletion of audio codecs) are the winners of the year. And remember Mario would never had thought of resource hacker stuff w/o Steppe's and Mihaylov's 'five month slog through the details' effort. Maybe this aligns with Mark's theory of where to concentrate.

This leads me to believe the next level of tweaks are probably some 'out of right field' type of thing. Maybe something we're not even working on or are aware of yet.

 

RE: Perspective on Tweaks...Tweaks of the year, posted on December 22, 2011 at 09:35:37
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
I may have missed something. Can you elaborate a bit on the "registry tweaks asociated with irq."

As for "polling", are you referring to USB poliing?

 

RE: Perspective on Tweaks...Tweaks of the year, posted on December 22, 2011 at 10:53:12
theob
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
I'm talking about basically all the Steppe registry tweaks since July of this year, maybe I mischaracterized them. The last item Serge recommended was basically suggested years ago on this forum...had to do with how much irq priority cmp or background processes gets. Ryelands also suggested one that was very good...had to do with polling of some sort. I meant these.

 

Good point. It's the right time too do some reflection and some evaluation., posted on December 22, 2011 at 14:40:15
Hi Theo,

IMO you choose the right moment too reflext on the XP OS-software tweaks from this year.
It contributes too Bibo01 call for getting organized and also might contribute too a better insight in what is effective for better SQ and what is not effective for better SQ.

Ranking the XP OS-software tweaks as I have implemented in my setup I get this list as ‘must do’ tweaks for any (!) cMP user, because the software tweaks listed below have not wrecked my cMP system. With these tweaks my cMP still functions as a computer with a working (wired) LAN connection too access a NAS and a internet-router.

My ‘non-cMP-wrecking’ XP software tweak-list:
* disabling the audio-codecs in the device-manager
* disabling the Watchdog feature in the registry
* disabling the Performance Counters with the exctrlst.exe tool and in the registry
* slimming the shell32.dll (in my setup from 7,99 Mb to 4,87 mB) with help of the Resource Hacker program

I find it difficult too rank these tweaks because all give a real substantial SQ improvement. Each individual tweak listed above can be compared too a SQ improvement as when implementing ASIO or WASAPI. Some even gave a bigger SQ improvement.

Disabling the USB polling frequency as suggested by Ryelands also gave a worthwhile SQ improvement which gave rise too abandon use of USB all together. I disabled USB in the Bios and moved too a headless setup with remote control through use of the VNC protocol and an Android Smartphone / tablet as remote.

Reflecting on the XP software tweaks for my cMP in 2011 also learned that using LAN in my setup does not harm SQ in any way. My setup lets me hear every minute (!) software tweak and every little power supply improvement. But no matter how hard I try: using LAN does not negatively impact SQ in my cMP setup. So my conclusion is: contrary too ‘general audiophile wisdom’: using LAN does not effect SQ (in my setup). And even if it does impact SQ a ‘teeny weeny little bit’ it’s probably largely out weighted by the positive effects of the possibilities too use a little SSD (for OS) + NAS for music-files and the possibility for going headless (which allows for disabling USB and disconnecting the VGA monitor)

I also did not do any of the Steppe deletion steps ‘number 1 too number X’, as I lost count and overview. Both on SQ as also on the ration in the approach. But the good thing is: the Steppes experiment made it possible for Mihaylov too publish a list of files which are being used by his cMP setup. Too some extent both our cMP setups are comparable. Mihaylov is also using LAN and a headless cMP setup,
So, in January 2012 I want too delete the files that my cMP setup still is using (according process explorer), but which files are not being used by Mihaylov’s cMP setup.
Process explorer lists much more files (about some 20 to 30) being in use on my cMP setup, than there are being in use on Mihaylov’s setup. So my setup is using DLL’s and is running processes that are not strictly necessary. See if I can delete these files without wrecking my cMP.

 

Great tweaks I forgot to mention..., posted on December 22, 2011 at 16:11:44
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
that again at least for me were fantastic tweaks:

..using ferrites and pi filters on all the pc powerlines (mark's idea). Does great stuff for noise reduction, increased dynamics and soundspace.

..using a small 8 gb ssd for os

..not discussed much but real cool tweaks involved using a mechanism to load music files onto my ssd for playback rather than leaving them on hdd's (ryeland's idea). As a simplification/improvement of this process in terms of time to load files is (again a ryelands idea) to load just the cue files onto the ssd for playback. This last idea requires that you define the absolute path to the music file in the cue. I really liked this last one it sounds great, and is very fast(loading cue and music onto ssd takes anywhere from 10-30 seconds). Almost as good sounding as loading cue and file onto ssd. Once I skinnied down windows I no longer have this ability...too bad.

 

Thanks!, posted on December 23, 2011 at 07:48:05
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
.

 

RE: Thanks!, posted on December 23, 2011 at 07:57:49
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
You are welcome ... pls see link

 

Anyone tried these Registry Settings?, posted on December 23, 2011 at 08:48:01
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
In [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem]

"NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation" Set DWORD=1

"NtfsAllowExtendedCharacterIn8dot3Name" Set DWROD=0


Faster loading of cue/wave files. 8.3 filenames (short filename) is a filename convention used by old versions of DOS. I'm sure we don't need this.

 

RE: Anyone tried these Registry Settings?, posted on December 23, 2011 at 09:57:31
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
I will when I get home. Have you tried it? If so what was your reaction?

 

Tweaks of the year, Part 2, posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:03:36
Ryelands
Audiophile

Posts: 1867
Location: Scotland
Joined: January 9, 2009
A friend of mine uses a dual-boot Atom board (standard cMP^2 config on the second install, minlogon, AWE but no "Slimming") with an Asus Xonar soundcard (as recommended here, big success, no tweaks, internal DAC). He has has good (Spendor) speakers and a Linn pre-amp & amp but limited interest in the technical side of the project.

I sent him a slimmed-down version of shell32.dll this morning along with instructions on how to replace the version on his cMP install and on deleting logonui.exe. Without, for obvious reasons, telling him what to expect, I asked him to report at his leisure if he hears any change. Trust me, if he heard nothing, he would thoroughly enjoy telling me. Here is what he has just sent me:
I began rehearsing my words about how difficult it is to come to a conclusion about hi-fi, comparisons etc. As soon as I sat down to listen though - I chose what I thought was a fairly modern recording, Larry Willis [The Big Push] (turns out to be 2005) - all that went out the window.

Sounded like a big advance to me - indeed, I don't think I'm exaggerating to say the best hi-fi I've heard. It is difficult to imagine how it can be improved upon anyway. Same with the description - I usually use "clarity" and "detail" - but it seems to me there is only one way to describe it - as though they were in the room, playing. It sounded real.

I tried a lesser quality FLAC recording - Lars Gullin with Chet Baker from 1955-56 - and sure enough that would need a comparison of the two systems to tell. Switching back to ordinary boot, I played Willis again and it is good I think - just did not sound as real. With the new bit, I get a stronger stereo picture too, which is perhaps surprising considering my set-up.

So very pleased indeed. Thank you. A great stride forward.
It's not proof of anything, of course, but I do think it is encouraging anecdotal evidence in support of The Mermaid Project, given that they are such simple tweaks to do.

Dave

 

RE: Anyone tried these Registry Settings?, posted on December 23, 2011 at 10:09:32
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
In normal Windows, folders with large numbers of files opened much faster, including individual folders. The same for CMP mode, faster loading of cue and wave files.

 

Jack Wong's MB component removal , posted on December 23, 2011 at 12:00:08
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
Finaly got my OS installation to where it was before doing the removal, and with the new board having to settle in, I am able to hear/not hear what this is doing.

I was expecting a tonal change, even though Mr. Wong made it clear in his posts that this was about extraneous noise in the background.

This morning I am able to appreciate what this does. There is great increase in nothingness between sounds and a seemingly for the moment disappearance of hash within sounds. Of course, the ear is relentless and will become sensitive to some new gremlin in time but for the moment this is perceived as unimproveable.

While I did not find it as difficult as I expected to be it is still scary screwing around with what could end up being one hundred dollars of junk.

For those who might be interested here are some notes of how I did it.

I initially tried to unsolder with the heat gun the connectors at the back fo the board. I removed all but the monitor jack and the PS/2/USB jacks to the right of this. I knew I would never need them and the space this gives made it easier to work.

Since heat wasn't getting them to move I forcefully took them apart. This is crude as it can be but I worried the massive heat needed to remove them elegantly would likely take a toll on the board. Just kept tearing away stuff till I got near the MB and then cut the wires to the traces (most of them are wires that go "up" into the connector assembly.

After this I did use my soldering iron (turned up very high) to clean off the traces. Many of the traces simply disappear. (I did this with all of the devices removed.)

Then to the heat gun. I did find one with a nozzle 0.75 inches in diameter. I set the heat as high as it would go and used the low fan speed. I removed them in the order Mr. Wong recommended This post is linked below.

Sure enough the sound chip actually POPPED off of the board. Made noise and leaped into the air. The others required picking up to get out of the way. I made a heatsink to protect capacitors when they were close with some copper foil, the kind they make crossover inductors with.

I did use the soldering iron to remove the MOSFETS. High heat was required.

Removing the jacks took quite awhile so I did the component removal the next day. I think I needed the time to recover (!) and to plot my course of where I would point the gun. While doing the jack removal you get plenty of time to burn the board's image into your brain which allows you to meditate on it for the next 24 hours. Having never done anything quite like this I wanted to be confident. This is nothing like woring with the typical through-hole PCBs I have worked with for years.

Since it was a new board, though basically the same as my previous MB, it was a later revision which made it different enough that my OS install was not allowed. I had done lots of work on the previous install thinking it would "bolt right in". Oh, well, got to do it again and I tell myself I do it better each time.

I have done so many lately that I think the process has become a transcendental meditation mantra, though a very long one. Only the registry slimming gets old and RESOURCE HACKING; modifying all of the .dlls can get old. Of course, some of what I did was likely superfluous but one figures why not?

With my seriously slimmed .dlls there is a 30 seconds delay between the message LOADING OPERATING SYSTEM and the appearance of the cMP screen. Slightly inconvenient and who knows what I deleted to get that to happen. I can live with it easily.

Also, when you want to turn off the computer or restart the little screen has the buttons but no writing. I think I deteted almost all of the STRING stuff.

SO, it is very worthwhile to do this and while tricky not daunting if you have good soldering skills.

Thanks again to Jack Wong for his ingenuity.

 

RE: Tweaks of the year, Part 2, posted on December 23, 2011 at 13:07:32
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
= Sounded like a big advance to me - indeed, I don't think I'm exaggerating to say the best hi-fi I've heard. It is difficult to imagine how it can be improved upon anyway. Same with the description - I usually use "clarity" and "detail" - but it seems to me there is only one way to describe it - as though they were in the room, playing. It sounded real. =

Strange. But I would write the same word for word in describing my impressions from the sound of my system now after all the tweaks.

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

 

It does, posted on December 23, 2011 at 14:09:49
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
No more setupapi.log or the ones in the config folder.

 

RE: Anyone tried these Registry Settings?, posted on December 24, 2011 at 03:53:50
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
I tried and indeed cmp opens files quicker. And when you are listening to one track and you scroll fwd a bit, it does it much quicker. So in that regard a nice benefit.

What surprised me though was the sq pop. Everything got stronger, you can hear more into the music (inner detail improvement). Seems a bit louder. Clearer all around ... at least in my system. Maybe not as good as a skinnied down shell32 but sq moves in that type of direction.

A nice unexpected one Jack!

 

How long file names? Flac as well as wav?, posted on December 24, 2011 at 07:14:29
riboge
Audiophile

Posts: 675
Joined: June 25, 2008
and what happens with longer file names?

 

RE: How long file names? Flac as well as wav?, posted on December 24, 2011 at 07:45:29
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
I'm sure you can apply the registry changes without missing a single file file. 8dot3 filenames are those used by old versions of MS DOS. It's there so that NTFS is backward compatible with legacy products. I put it wrong in my post, causing misunderstanding.

 

RE: Anyone tried these Registry Settings?, posted on December 24, 2011 at 08:26:27
Ryelands
Audiophile

Posts: 1867
Location: Scotland
Joined: January 9, 2009
Anyone tried these Registry settings

I'd disabled eight-dot-three filenames long ago but I tried your second suggestion earlier today. The effect is to make Explorer (which I use as a music browser) much more responsive when opening folders on my music server: any with large numbers of sub-folders (> 100) could take several seconds to open. It could be slightly irritating.

Why it should speed things up given that "AllowExtendedCharacterIn8dot3Name" merely allows you to use an extended character set when using a feature I don't use, I cannot even guess - but it does. Many thanks.

 

RE: Anyone tried these Registry Settings?, posted on December 24, 2011 at 10:05:14
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
And I can't try it because I use FAT32 for the system drive.

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

 

One can get rid of most of ControlSet2, posted on December 24, 2011 at 20:40:46
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
and it doesn't come back.

Something was said to this effect, that the registry would rebuild itself.

Hasn't yet.

Whether that has anything to do with adding the switch /minint (per Mihaylov) I have no idea. But that did allow deleting setupapi.log and the .logs within config and they stay away. I have noticed that those config logs will come back after working the registry through LOAD HIVE in my "other" computer which is interesting but not surprising.

I deleted everything that could be deleted. There are some items within CLASS that even with asking for every kind of permission will not allow deleteion. Same with ROOT within ENUM. But everything else can be made to go away.

Whether this has resulted in sonic nirvana I cannot tell yet. If there is a change it is subtle but empirically to me it has to be better (doesn't it?).

 

What is wrong, posted on December 24, 2011 at 23:05:03
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006



with setup/api? I have deleted it "ages" ago see the pic with all such files found on my 3 hdds. It went off at part 19 and never came back.
Also I have loaded system and software hives and deleted CS02, got a 1,5 mb hive and the Lynx security cab won't let me start cplay. The thing that causes the registry to rebuild uses cset 02 ar a refference set, seemingly. I believe it may be this:
HKLM-000 (the loaded hive) -microsoft-windows-current version-reliability-ShutdownDoStateSnapshot the value is (2).
You must be reading my thoughts. I have posted a similiar thing yesterday, but deleted as I wanted to make sure once again, trying to delete it different ways. The system crashed after all. Rebuilding now for the third time in 24 hours. I have, btw the same problem with shell32 after hacking, but I don't care. Files that Serge Mihaylove said he'd failed to hack, are easily hacked with the same program, namely hall 130kb, ntoskernel - 1,98 mb, kernel32.dll - 553 kb, advapi.dll - 496 kb. The trick is to have a /noguiboot in your boot.ini.
I have hacked also all *.sys drivers - the are just the same DLLS.
Serge.
I envy your prowess with soldering things...

 

Not sure I understand all you are saying , posted on December 25, 2011 at 00:00:14
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
setupapi.log would always return after I deleted until I used Mihaylov's suggestion of /minint. So would all of the .log files in config. I am surprised you did not have this happen.

Your RESOURCE HACKER files seem impossibly small in some cases. I deleted everything with the exception of VERSION and those entries with all of the numbers and mine is 100kB larger than yours. I tried /noguiboot on my "other" machine where I modify my cMP install and this makes no difference here as to what one can do with RESOURCE HACKER. Did I misunderstand what you meant? Also, are you deleting EVERYTHING from these files? Even the entries with all of the numbers?

I did not realize until your note that one can "hack" the .sys files. They do not come up when you ask for the drivers folder. Today I looked and see there is no way they will come up when the default file types are .dll and .exe. A HA!!!

So tell us more of what you are taking away.

And I no longer think shell32 is responsible for my slow start up (I assumed you were referring to that). I had to reinsert the full sized shell32 to get cMP to recognize extra hard drives and it was just as slow with that. I must assume my assault on the default file is responsible for this now. I left almost nothing.

Next week I will try to figure out how to do a screen shot and show my registry - default, software, and system.

Greg Stewart was wanting to get rid of the JULI@ controller and this is easily done within the registry.

 

Yes, I delete everything, posted on December 25, 2011 at 01:11:06
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006



in all files, even the entries with all of the numbers. I only left untouched entries in the following:
advapi.dll - RCDATA - 102 as I don't know what is this mumbo-jumbo
user32.dll -Cursor - 52-1033 and 54-1033 and cursor group - 100-1033 and 102-1033
winsrv.dll - FONTDIR-1033 and fonts 1001-1033 1002-1033
BTW ks.sys is 137 kb.
See the pic of all system32 folder with all files hacked and their corresponding sizes. Take care to hack win32k correctly. Also on the pic expanded completely. (top right.
Serge.
I am not hiding anything. To tell the truth, I was scared at first to do it, waiting for smb to be so kind as to send me already hacked files. Nobody did. So... Also about Mihaylov's idea to hack the fonts IS GREAT. The fonts ARE residing in memory always. I know it from Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw I work with. Why do you write it's too expensive? You mean effort or the price of the program? As for the price of the program, I can do it myself and you will get the files.
Serge.

 

t's not shell32.dll, it's, posted on December 25, 2011 at 01:22:24
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
USER32.DLL that causes the disappearance in cmp restart yes-no button and a slow start. I have worked with it long, even tried to get the cmp buttons back by reimporting resource, but it won't so, be it.
ALSO Kernel files contain background bitmap THAT ARE USED by logonui, so they can be removed only with /noguiboot option, there is also rle animation code and winlogo rle inside and a lot A LOT of text. Stripped from this sh*t the sound of ks, and kernel-hal files is akin to a minlogon tweak in it;s power.
Serge.
P.S. I remove EVEN VERSION. my files are naked, just the way I like mermaids to appear.

 

Sorry, one more pic, posted on December 25, 2011 at 01:41:27
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006



It seems I haven't shown the a-n files here they are. NO SETUPAPI. I have a folder Hacked windows, that I use to poulate EMPTY system 32 folder from another machine.
I install nLited (my own version of) vl windows with no OOBE, install cmp-cplay, awe it, minlogon it, run registry bats around, run registry mechanic and while it's opened I run deletion bats. Then I reboot, enter cmp, set it to start cmp, reboot but from another hdd. Exterminate all remaining folders and files, except System32\config, populate with files from hacked windows. Voila!
I want now to redo everything, because not all registry tweaks were done by the bats. Service group order and such, Media, media properties smth, device ennumerations, that I remember only visually...
Will report.
Serge.

 

How to hack win32k correctly, posted on December 25, 2011 at 05:27:39
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
Serge you said: '...Take care to hack win32k correctly...' What does correctly specifically mean?


"Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
not a creature was stirring not even a mouse

(thats because we deleted the drivers in Steppe 16...)

 

You use Fat32 sys.file, how do you, posted on December 25, 2011 at 07:33:24
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
disable Windows checking Fat32 integrity?

 

So glad you've made it., posted on December 25, 2011 at 07:43:05
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
You are thorough. Did you also remove the com port ic and small transistors of the USB ports? And the crystal for the sound chip. The last thing, if you dare, the 1394 controller. I'm just joking, don't take this seriously.

 

Merry Cristmas!, posted on December 25, 2011 at 07:49:45
steppe
Audiophile

Posts: 641
Joined: September 28, 2006
Theo! And Everybody! Wish You All The Best, Inmates!
You can see in the right top corner of the pic the piece of a screenshot that shows win32k.sys. It's a mistake. What I mean is, certainly, winsrv with the described changes - only fontdir and fonts resource remains. Sorry. A typo.
Serge

 

RE: Tweaks of the year, Part 2, posted on December 25, 2011 at 08:08:14
OB2
Dealer

Posts: 4
Joined: December 25, 2011
"I sent him a slimmed-down version of shell32.dll this morning along with instructions on how to replace the version on his cMP install and on deleting logonui.exe."

Can somebody tell me how to find slimmed-down version of shell32.dll and the instructions? I cannot find anywhere to download. Thanks.

 

RE: Tweaks of the year, Part 2, posted on December 25, 2011 at 08:38:40
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
Its all in the link

 

RE: Tweaks of the year, Part 2, posted on December 25, 2011 at 08:57:59
Ryelands
Audiophile

Posts: 1867
Location: Scotland
Joined: January 9, 2009
Can somebody tell me how to find slimmed-down version of shell32.dll

Here's how I do it.

1. Download "Resource Hacker" - see link - and install it on your desktop box.

2. Delete resources from the file. Take a few moments to get the hang of the program; it quits w/o saving or warning unless you go to File > Save. You cannot edit the files that matter on the cMP^2 box as XP won't allow you access. The easiest thing to do is to copy the target file from \System32 on your desktop to somewhere else, edit it there then copy the "slimmed" file to the cMP^2 OS partition by moving its drive to the desktop box.

3. If you e-mail me, I'll happily send you a known-good, UK English copy but, as always, YMMV.

4. Be warned, this is addictive. On this ward of the Asylum there are cases in serious need of extra treatment.

HTH

Dave

 

RE: How to hack win32k correctly, posted on December 25, 2011 at 09:30:49
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
So much for my lame joke...guess it does not translate well.

 

Fonts program is too expensive and other thoughts, posted on December 25, 2011 at 11:32:56
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
I would greatly appreciate a gift of minimized FONTS!!!!

That program was seventy euros.

Now to your RESOURCE HACKING comments - my WIN32K already looks like your screenshot before I do anything so I am not sure what you are recommending to do.

I just went through and deleted almost everything out of my files and got a HARD ERROR at start up. Restored back to where I was before and just played with ntoskrnl and WIN32K by themselves and got the same message. I deleted the unneeded language stuff from WIN32K on the compiler side and this must not be how to do it. I will keep trying.

I am in the midst of concetrating on registry so I think I will hold off on this until I am satisfied with where that goes.

 

What do you mean not take you seriously!!!, posted on December 25, 2011 at 12:52:36
Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
If there is something to be gained I am ready to give it a try if you would be kind and show me where these things are.

One can't be satisfied once they know of the existence of the next step.

I hope you are serious.

 

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