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In Reply to: RE: cPlay - the open source high-end audio player using ASIO posted by cics on May 05, 2008 at 12:31:58
Hello, everybody. Here is the fourth set of tweaks. It is very long and the changes in SQ are profound. Some of the proposed things may sound scary but they are not. The system is totally stable after 72 hours with a dozen reboots, file copying and so on. It plays very much better. As usually it is assumed, that you have no network, removed Windows Media Player folder and don’t watch videos on cmp computer, no modems and the stuff. The tweaks were NOT tested on Asio4all, so be wary.
1. Files to remove (there may be repetitions from part 3) from System, System32, Drivers, Dllcache folders:
Amstream.dll, cewmdm.dll, splitter.sys, swmidi.sys, sysaudio.sys, cinemst2.sys, mspqm.sys, tosdvd.sys, tsbvcap.sys, vdmindvd.sys, gm.sys, cpqdap01.sys, sonydcam.sys, msvfw32.dll, msvidc32.dll, msvidctl.dll, msvideo.dll, msyuv.dll, wmplayer.adm, browsewm.dll, cdplayer.exe.manifest, dsound.vxd, wmiprop.dll, wmnetmgr.dll, ksproxy.ax, iac25_32.ax, wdmaud.drv, dxdiag.exe, dvdupgd.exe, dpvsetup.exe, logagent.exe, amstream.dll, datime.dll, dmcompos.dll, dvsetup.exe, encdec.dll, l3codeca.acm, msg711.acm, msg723.acm, msgsm32.acm, sl_anet.acm, tssoft32.acm, drmclien.dll, dimap.dll, dimput8.dll, dinput.dll, dplaysvr.exe, dpnsvr.exe, daxctle.ocx, msdxm.ocx, actmovie.exe, dvdplay.exe, avifil32.dll, avifile.dll, avicap32.dll, avicap.dll, winhelp32.exe, winhelp.exe, hh.exe, wmsysPr9.prx, aec.sys and beep.sys (these 2 are from system32\drivers), msvideo.dll, mciavi.drv, mmtask.tsk, timer.drv. As usually, many are doubled, if any file is wanted by your soundcard, just put it back.
2. Folders to remove from Program Files and Windows completely:
Program files\common files\speech engine
Program files\common files\Microsoft Shared\ speech
Also folders from Program files : Videolan, Movie Maker, NetMeeting, Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Messenger, Online Services. Yes! Yes!!!
From Windows\Media, Msagent, Help
From Windows/system32/ Macromed (all told 13 folders. Some will start yelling, don’t pay attention. If You are sorry to part with them for good, remove them to your temp folder.) Reboot. Play music.
3. Now comes the “scary” part, but the most important. If you are following the tweaks from part 1, you probably remember me mentioning registry items deleted. Here it comes again but first come words of reassurance. I did it together with my former sysadmin, and everything is well documented. Also, yes it IS dangerous to change registry values but NOT DANGEROUS to delete some items completely.
Here They are (for the beginning):
Start-Run-Regedit-press enter.
To The left of the window you will see the structure (just like a normal but deep catalog tree).
First go
Classes-Root, find wav and JUST DELETE IT by right click on your mouse
Next delete everything BDATuner (about !48 entries), next DirectSound (22 entries), next MediaPlayer and MediaPlayer1 (4 entries), WindowsMovieMaker, Mmedia, DirectPlay, Direct Sound, mplayer, wma, Microsoft Direct Music, Microsoft Direct Sound (some have many entries).
Second go Hkey-Users and open Default-Software-Microsoft. Find and delete Internet Explorer, Media Player and Windows Media, repeat it with S-1-5-18, S-1-5-19 and so on (I don’ know how many users you have)
Some entries may yell at you that they cannot be opened. That’s because you have already deleted their contents from default user. Reboot about 3 times when editing Registry. Play music. Have fun. Tell your impressions, please.
Serge.
P.S. The tweaks in the registry are only a beginning of what will come. I suggest you to get used to the idea of editing this sacred cow lightly. I have already done a lot more with registry, but that will come next time. Let your system burn in for 15-20 min.
P.P.S. I have already prepared tweaks part 5 and was in the middle of part 6 when Windows finally crashed. I don't know if I would be able to restore the registry or would have to start EVERYTHING from scratch, but I may be absent for some time. This part 4 and part 5 that I will present to you later, are perfectly safe. Just wait, please.
Edits: 09/02/11Follow Ups:
What's interesting is these drivers could previously NOT be disabled. But after deleting, Device Manager allows you to disable them. For '2.0b41' under "Sound, video and game controllers" you get:
All apart from your installed soundcard can now be disabled.
I still have to do '2.0b42' and '2.0b43'. Are there more devices that appear with ! after additional file deletions?
PS - It's been a while. Nice work Serge!
.
So nice to see a post of yours. Welcome back. Serge, Mihaylov, and Jolida have been doing a great job of keeping CMP^2 moving.
Hi serge. I made deletions as per what u suggested in Part 4 but was somehow not as pleased as I thought I would be. It dint sound balanced. Especially in the bass & mids. Waited for it to burn in for almost 48 hours now. But still not happy. So I went ahead & tried something wild. Made a list of files which I thought could effect the performance in addition to what we already have deleted as per Ur suggestions. So I deleted a few files & was stunned at what happened. It's like the whole music spectrum has cleaned up. Sounds like as if the noise-floor came down a couple notches. Am able to listen at a much more louder volume than I mostly do. Sounds very controlled as well. These are the files I have deleted. A few are from the System folder as well. But most are from System32.
fp40.ext
fxsocm.dll
iis.dll
imsinsnt.dll
msgrocm.dll
msmqocm.dll
netoc.dll
ocmsn.dll
tabletoc.dll
zoneoc.dll
Avicap.dll
Avifile.dll
MCIAVI
MCIWAVE
MSVIDEO.dll
TAPI.dll
winscard.dll
wmp.dll
wmp.ocx
wmpasf.dll
wmpcd.dll
wmpcore.dll
wmpdxm.dll
wmploc.dll
wmpshell.dll
wmpui.dll
wmspdmod.dll
wowfax.dll
wowfaxui.dll
Avicap.dll
Avifile.dll
MCIAVI
were on Serge's list. Just thought I would make mention of this.
I have, to this point, been pleased with Serge's recommendations as to balance. One wonders if they are happy now would we not be happy after making these additional deletions?
So no problems with these?
Might have to give it a try.
It is amazing how much smaller my WINDOWS folder is now.
Thanks for YOUR intrepidity, also!
I have been meaning to ask this for a while. The registry AFAIU is just a catelogue of settings, paths, etc. While the effects of many of the cMP2 modifications are hard to specifically explain, these in particular seem inexplicable. If you remove keys for needed items you get errors and/or malfunction. If you remove keys for unused,unneeded or deleted items, these entries are not used even if present, so how does removing them change anything--except perhaps for freeing up minute amounts of memory for those that are loaded at startup despite going uncalled on?
I wonder if anyone--Serge or Mihalov?--has actually tested the effect of removing only registry items in the recent 'versions'?
Deleted files from step 4 & let it burn for 24 hours now. The highs have dropped down considerably. Sounds dry. Is this normal ?? It was better when played soon After step 4. But now it's starting to get dry in the upper mids & treble. Does it need more burning in??
I went back to see if the cMOP "standard" setting had changed after finding out I could no longer change my DISPLAY settings and sure enough you cannot.
Everything seems to have reverted to standard WINDOWS settings AND you cannot change them because nothing happens.
The questions posed are:
1. Are these settings no longer applicable once these files are deleted?
2. Have the previous setting actually remained we just can't "see" them any longer?
3. Can one bypass this part of setting up a cMP machine when deleting the files or should one do it anyway because it just seems that they have reverted?
Or is this unique to my machine?
Bye,
Interesting questions, rick.
I was worried about this but results tell me that my two systems are better than previous. Another question rises, now: what happens if we set only minlogon,kernel, cics'registry settings and memory page locks then steppe's steps only?
It could be interesting to try.
Daniele
nothing relpaces minlogon, autoruns, and other registry changes.
I meant the CONTROL PANEL settings.
But, the question remains: do those settings remain if made before the latest deletions or are they made redundant or useless?
Could save some time on a new system. Not that the time required to make the deletions is minimal and with more to come ... Can't wait for the next round, don't get me wrong!
Serge, you have made this adventure an adventure again.
Now if you would just clarify what we do with wma.
Bye,
Do we delete .wma or wmafile?
Thanks,
Rick WMA is in the top list of lower case stuff in this key. I was looking in the bottom one and didn't find it 1st time through.
.
Now that I deleted it I don't know. But if its in the top alphabatized list then yes.
My problem was that he made it clear we deleted .wav but when it came to wma that is all he said. No period in the prefix.
There is also a file called wmafile with no period later on down the list.
This led to my confusion.
Did not want to delete something THERE without being sure. If you deleted and not having problems (??!!!) I will take your word for it and delete it.
Easy enough to replace deleted files but I have no idea how to replace deleted registry entires so I thought I would wait for an answer.
Thanks,
Dear Inmates,
Stepped into these modifications and like to confirm : GREAT !
I deleted the first 15 DLLs and the improvement was apparent right away :
More air and ease combined with more focus and deeper soundstage.
Step 2 turned the mid-bass markedly leaner and made the overall presentation turn brighter.
Following another long bunch of DLLs & Drivers the sound resurrected its natural balance, but improvement was less marked.
-but what a revelation !!
Has anyone a technical explanation to this ?
I´m AMAZED !
Thanks a bunch, guys.
cMP2 Computer: i3-540 Core cPlay039 >FIR filter w/ convolver> Lynx Aurora 8 FireWire /192kHz throughout. 2x AcousticReality Ref. 202 & 2x AcousticReality Ref. 601´s ICEpower. Magnepan MG3.3R beechwood frames & custom stands. Miller chokes
This evening I've finish to climb the mountain and the four step also was done.
The sound quality is now miles away from the previous, no doubt, no problems. All perfect
Everythings works, a little bug shutting down the PC, it cannot, so I must turn off the switch, no matters.
A question to steppe; I've found in the registry a lot of keys Direct sound with extensions. I must cancel everything because extensions are no critic, or only the former? Also Microsoft Direct Music and Direct sound get the same problem. Can we have some more informations about?
Great job, I can't believe it's so good.
BRAVO!
Daniele
Oh shit after listening for an hour or so I get a very loud staticky sound that if left unchecked will probably take out my panel amplifier. Hope nobody else has this. At 1st it sounded like Cryptograph Service kicked in and it did so I set it back to Stop. Didn't work. So I rebooted 3 times still there. I am going to have to retreat to a prior windows image. Sorry Steppe.
I reloaded a Stewppe pre-tweak # 4 and got same result. Then I took out one of my ferrite/cap infested p24 cables and now I can't even get the thing to try to boot. So I think I have a hw problem somewhere.
,,
So I ran into a problem where I could not boot and after a day of trying to figure it out I discovered my agi psu (essentially a dirty power unit running all except p24) was faulty. I run dual switching psu's ala Cics recommendation a while back. So the slow boot, and the anomalies I have been suffering the last few months was probably caused by this AGI psu going bad and finally failing. So I'm running my antec for all power feeds and it works well but just does not sound as good as dual psu's. This is for the benefit of those wondering '...what did Theob do this time...' or is Steppe #4 safe. I'm sure it is safe although I have no guarantees about Theob.
Anyway I need another psu (no more AGI's). But all my local stores are closed (Labor Day in the States) so I have some time to think about it. Should I get a pico to run p24 or another Antec or similar ranked standard ATX brand?
Shure! A picoPSU 160 XT feeded by a little linear PSU Belleson Superregulator based. It's a bit tricky, just a bit, but improvement are greater than bother.
Your mobo must get a power consuption lower than 2A however.
I live happy with it. Great device!
Daniele
Ok finally got through the whole list...magnificient! When I went through the register at first I missed Direct Sound and while sonics were ok but they were not as good as everyone reported. Now that I deleted Direct Sound the highs are way better. I agree with all other comments on sonics but for me highs are now perfect.
Edits: 09/03/11
I had just done part 1 and 2. Amazing improvement on the get go. Unlike tweak # 3, sound is excellent without even burn-in. Soundstage depth is now very plausible for the first time. And what clarity.
Just could not imagine the improvement that is still possible after tweak #3. And there are more to come. Can you believe that guy steppe?
Just deleting my pet hate IE and Outlook is enough to make me delirious with joy.
Fellow Inmates,
It seems to me that an awful lot of these deletions could also be performed by XPlite.
Maybe also at a time earlier in the entire setup/optimization of cMP....
-what are the thoughts on this ?
Kind regards
cMP2 Computer: i3-540 Core cPlay039 >FIR filter w/ convolver> Lynx Aurora 8 FireWire /192kHz throughout. 2x AcousticReality Ref. 202 & 2x AcousticReality Ref. 601´s ICEpower. Magnepan MG3.3R beechwood frames & custom stands. Miller chokes
Hi all
I've finished the third step in both my two cMP2 systems. It works but ks.sys is a part of Xonar Essence ASIO driver, so I've reinstall it.
I've noted that each is slightly different from the other,although both are born from the same installation CD. They get same chipset mobo ( H67) but different models ( GA H67MA UDH2-B3 and GA H67N USB3-B3) same CPU and some difference in HW.
Now, before step 4, I wish to know if PC retains residual functionality or It will be used for music only or could install a new program or using a new usb device i.e.
It seems to me a very aggressive setting, I haven't fear but change registry key is not a trivial operation and could run to a crash of the entire system. About disk image backup which programs are better?
THX
Daniele
"About disk image backup which programs are better?" -
Acronis! http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/
I have been using Acronis True Image since i started cMP about a year ago. It works best for me as well. A snapshot(back-up file) of an entire cMP partition comes to less than 750MB..
About disk image backup which programs are better?
Everyone has their favourite; mine is Snapshot (see link). One useful feature is that you can set an imagefile to look like a CD by clicking on it in Explorer. That allows you to extract individual files. (Other products might by now do the same but they didn't when I bought Snapshot over five years ago.)
With a good utility such as this and a docking station (so you can restore on a different computer and avoid all that "how do I get the thing to boot?" hassle), you can go from cMP^2-is-dead-in-the-water to back up and running in under ten minutes.
Obviously, you need either two drives (or a partitioned drive) or a network as you can't restore the only disk/partition on a computer from that disk or partition.
They're pretty much essential tools if you're trimming an OS and are also useful for general maintenance.
I am pleased with the sound. As stated below there is more depth. I find a more stable center image. General tonality is improved.
I thought I would mention things that have occurred for me. My machine is with the latest recommended components. I am using JULI@ digital only. I think I have incorporated all of the suggestions made in the past. The machine is only used for transport duty and has never been connected to the internet.
1. Contrary to theob's experience I find booting up even faster and this is with the SSD. Maybe a second faster to the blue screen.
2. One no longer has the ability to change the color of the desktop screen. It is now default blue. When you go to PROPERTIES you are no longer given any choices. I noticed when going to MY COMPUTER and C drive when the screen came up it was with the standard screen - no files showing. You had to click the request to show all files. Going to the VIEW/FILES gave no option. This must be the default screen. I am thinking that tomorrow I will take a run through the standard cPLAY settings and see if anything has changed.
3. No problems with keyboard (my main input) or mouse.
4. I made all of the "deletes" in one go without any problem.
5. I made all of the registry changes at one time, also. Booted right up after each set of changes were made.
6. Concerning registry changes I could not locate DIRECT SOUND. I deleted everything that had DirectPlay, MicrosoftDirectMusic and MicrosoftDirectSound in the beginning of the title. I was confused by wma - is this .wma or wmafile?
7. For what it's worth these are the files that did not exist in my machine, keep in mind the files deleted were both Serges #4 group and the files suggested by Mihaylov:
amstream.dll
cewmdm.dll
cinemst.sys
cpqdap01.sys
dvsetup.exe
gm.sys
iac25_32.ax
mciavi.drv
mfo42.dll
winhelp32.exe
wmiprop.dll
wmnetmgr.dll
The following files only showed un-deletable CACHE files when searching:
splitter.sys
swmidi.sys
sysaudio.sys
tosdvd.sys
tsvbcap.sys
vdmindvd.sys
wdmaud.drv
8. A week or so ago I deleted the DirectX file with no complications.
Hope this is comforting to those that have had similar experiences. If anyone recognizes something I have done wrong PLEASE tell me.
Same experience on many fronts. Faster boot as well. No issue doing all deletes then one reboot then all registry changes then reboot and play. Also confused by WMA.
OMG who would have guessed this much improvement. Thank you
I was impressed by the impact of steps 1, 2, & 3, but not sure I liked the outcome. More detail for sure, but a lot of trebble on my system.
This tweak #4 just brought it all home. I now have deeper bass than ever. The entire spectrum is detailed clear and natural. But so much more bass filling in everywhere. Lots more texture. Sound stage a little smaller? perhaps and for sure moved back deep into the room. But very natural and relaxed.
It did need to settle in as if there were new caps and wire in the system. Why is that? I do have a lot of fairly new caps in my dac and lightspeed. Do they need to adjust to the new level of detail and the beautiful textured sound?
Sorry you have to rebuild.
Again.. Bravo!
I completed all of part 4 deletions except the 4 items possibly related to wired mouse and monitor. OMG! How can there still be such improvement!
I did have trouble again with the Weiss dac202 driver. It wouldn't run complaining of the absence of MSVFW32.dll. I replaced it but a driver reinstall was still necessary.
There was no problem with networking--as Mihaylov posted to reassure me. Meanwhile I found it out on my own, too. Strangely, the changes fixed a problem I had posted about before about larger files that require segmentation not playing via network beyond 30 seconds or so. Now, so far, they do.
Hats off to Serge and Mihaylov. It is incredible that there might be further improvements still, but I eagerly await them anyway.
1st report. I'm only part way through...did not do the registry yet. But 1st thing I noticed is a very slow boot. But it does boot up. Sonically its very smooth, less edge, good solid bass very very nice. Today's weather is very hot 96 degrees f. But my power line is good at 120v. Yesterday it was hot but very difficult to listento: edgy (powerline noise from all the a/c units running I surmise). Today is hotter and very very nice way better than yesterday at same time. So far so good. Well done Serge.
I noticed there were some duplications on both lists and figured it would not hurt to compile them in alphabetical order.
Serge, if there is a reason you had your files in an optimum order for deletion please let it be known.
Thanks to both of you for your gifts. (both physical and mental)
I find it easier to copy these lists into a work processor so I can make the typeface larger!
I hope I got these right since I had to type in Mihaylov's.
Combo list of Mihaylov and Steppe's recommendations
actmovie.exe,
aec.sys
amstream.dll,
avicap.dll,
avicap32.dll,
avifil32.dll,
avifile.dll,
beep.sys (these 2 are from system32\drivers),
browsewm.dll,
cdplayer.exe.manifest, my office machine cannot find this one
cewmdm.dll,
cinemst2.sys,
cpqdap01.sys,
d3d8.dll
d3d8thk.dll
d3d9.dll
d3dim.dll
d3dim700.dll
d3dpmesh.dll
d3dramp.dll
d3drm.dll
d3dxof.dll
danim.dll
dataclen.dll
datime.dll,
daxctle.ocx,
ddraw.dll
ddrawex.dll
diactfrm.dll
dimap.dll
dinput.dll
dinput8.dll,
dmcompos.dll
dplaysvr.exe
dpnsvr.exe
dpvsetup.exe
drmclien.dll,
dsound.vxd,
dvdplay.exe
dvdupgrd.exe
dvsetup.exe,
dx7vb.dll
dx8vb.dll
dxdiag.exe
dxdiagn.dll
dxtmsft.dll
dxtrans.dll
encapi.dll
encdec.dll,
gcdef.dll
gm.sys,
hh.exe,
iac25_32.ax,
ir41_32.ax
ir41_qc.dll
ir41_qcx.dll
ir50_32.dll
ir50_qc.dll
ir50_qcx.dll
ivfsrc.ax
joy.cpl
ks.sys
ksproxy.ax,
l3codeca.acm,
logagent.exe,
mciavi.drv,
mciqtz32.dll
mfo40.dll
mfo42.dll
mmtask.tsk,
mpeg2data.ax
mpg2splt.ax
msdmo.dll
msdxm.ocx,
msg711.acm,
msg723.acm,
msgsm32.acm,
MSPCLOCK.sys
mspqm.sys,
msvfw32.dll,
msvidc32.dll,
msvidctl.dll
msvidctl.dll,
msvideo.dll,
mswebdvd.dll
msyuv.dll
pid.dll
qasf.dll
qcap.dll
qdv.dll
qdvd.dll
qedit.dll
qedwipes.dll
quartz.dll
sl_anet.acm,
sonydcam.sys,
splitter.sys,
swenum.sys
swmidi.sys,
sysaudio.sys,
timer.drv.
tosdvd.sys,
tsbvcap.sys,
tssoft32.acm,
vbisurf.ax
vdmindvd.sys,
wdmaud.drv,
winhelp.exe,
winhelp32.exe,
wmiprop.dll,
wmnetmgr.dll,
wmplayer.adm,
wmsysPr9.prx,
wsock32.dll
wstdecod.dll
I can't delete wsock32.dll. Can anybody tell me what's wrong?
TIA
You say "it is assumed, that you have no network" but what if you do? Are you able to point out which items you list not to delete in that case? Also you say to remove items from dllcache, so how does one delete items from a .cab file?I want to mention that I came to the same method for doing the tweaks that theob describes and agree it is a good way to proceed.
Most of all I want to chime in with thanks, Serge, for your hard work and helpful results.
Edits: 09/02/11
Don't worry! I made all as Steppe wrote and network works :).
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/
You are amazing. Thank you for all your work. Can't wait to get into this part 4. Here is a process I have ginned up for myself. It may be useful to others. It may be obvious but it helps me to take my time getting through the list.
1) Create a backup image of your system...just in case.
2) Print a copy of Serge's list
3) Find out which files your soundcard uses, cross them out on the printed list
4) Get into a search program. I use the default Search command in Windows. Ryelands uses Command line searches.
5) Search for each and every file & either delete or move to a temp file per Serge's recommendation.
6) Have at it.
Thanks again Serge for your efforts!
I will try more and will try to be more cautious. I am now going to try to revive my registry or will have to rebuild the cmp from scratch, a heavy duty but I know now what to avoid in the future. The tweaks I presented here are SAFE and those, that will come with part 5 are ALSO SAFE.
I don't post them now to give folks some time for their machines and systems to settle.
Serge.
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