PC Musician
Technique : PC Musician
As a PC user, one job you're almost sure
to have to do at some point is a clean install of Windows, whether
because you've built your own PC, as outlined in last month's issue,
have suffered a serious crash, or have decided to change to a new OS.
Here's what you need to know.
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In last month's PC Musician we discussed all the
different options one faces when building a new dual-core PC, covering
processors, motherboards, RAM, graphics cards, drives, cases and
cooling, and left the new machine up and running but bereft of an
operating system. This month we'll be continuing where we left off, and
looking more closely at the installation of Windows. However, this
concluding part should be of even wider interest than the first, since
eventually most PC musicians have to install a Windows OS from scratch,
whether on a brand-new DIY computer, an old one that's beginning to sag
under the strain of many software installs and uninstalls and hardware
changes, after a particularly bad crash, or when a new operating system
such as Windows Vista is released.
The first time you do this it can be a daunting
experience, although Microsoft do make the actual installation
relatively painless. However, there are various important things you
should do, both beforehand and afterwards, to achieve the most stable
and reliable performance. Although we've covered a few of these topics
in previous PC Musician features, never before have we gathered them all
together into one systematic guide — which is what you need when you're
sitting there wondering what to do next.
There are three types of Windows package: OEM,
Upgrade and Retail. The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) version is
the cheapest and can be recognised by on-disc text that reads 'For
distribution with a new PC only'. Previously, you could only officially
buy it alongside a hardware item such as a hard drive or CPU heatsink,
but since August 2005 any 'system builder' has been qualified to buy the
OEM version, even a hobbyist, without having to buy any other hardware.
However, many people seem unaware of the main reason for OEM's lower
price: its license is tied to the system on which it is first installed,
so if you buy an OEM version of Windows, once it's been installed on a
PC you can legally reinstall it on that same PC as many times as you
like, but you can't transfer it to another PC. For this reason, never be
tempted to buy a 'pre-owned' OEM disk from someone on eBay at a bargain
price; not only does re-selling OEM products break their software
license, but if it has already been activated on another PC you won't be
able to activate it on yours.
The OEM version of Windows is the cheapest, but
many people don't realise that it can only be used on a single PC and
not transferred to a new one if you upgrade.
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If you buy a new PC with Windows OEM pre-installed
from one of the larger PC builders, it may be locked to the BIOS on that
motherboard: you won't have to activate it after re-installation, but
once again you can only use it on that one machine. Smaller OEM
manufacturers are required to provide you with an original Windows
CD-ROM, but although the larger ones may provide you with a Recovery
Disk or hidden partition on your hard drive containing the same data,
they are not obliged to do so, and even if they do it may be bloated
with unwanted demo software (not ideal if you're attempting to perform a
'clean' reinstall). The other difference with OEM Windows is that it's
only supported by the computer supplier, and not by Microsoft, although
in practice few Windows users of any kind seem to expect much direct
support from Microsoft.
Retail copies of Windows cost significantly more
than OEM or upgrade copies, but you can install them an unlimited number
of times on different PCs, as long as previous installations are first
removed. In other words, if you're building a new PC, you can legally
use your existing Retail Windows disk on the new PC, as long as you're
scrapping the old PC or recycling it with Windows deleted. Upgrade
copies are similar to Retail ones in that you can transfer them from PC
to PC, but during the install process they will ask you to insert a
qualifying previous Windows version CD or DVD. They are also
significantly cheaper.
If you're considering a fresh Windows install, it's
well worth looking more closely at your BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)
version before you start, to see if there are any more recent ones
available. You can do this by entering the BIOS during boot-up by
pressing the appropriate key (most often Delete, but sometimes F1, F2,
F10 or other keys), where you'll normally find the current BIOS version
number prominently displayed on the Main page. Compare this with what's
available for download from the motherboard manufacturer's web site for
that make and model.
In general, I don't recommend routine BIOS updates
just to make sure you have the latest revision, for one very good
reason: the BIOS runs each time you boot up your PC, configures its
devices and then boots the operating system, so if you get any
interruptions, such as a power cut, during the process of 'flashing'
your BIOS code, you may render your motherboard totally useless.
A few motherboards offer BIOS backup or recovery
options, but many don't, so there's nearly always a risk during this
process (which can last several nail-biting minutes), unless you have an
Uninterruptable Power Supply. The most sensible approach is therefore
only to update if there are features in a newer BIOS that will
specifically benefit your system, such as bug fixes or extra
configuration options that you consider useful. As an example, there
have been two BIOS updates since the version installed on the Asus
P4P800 Deluxe motherboard of my previous PC, but since neither offered
bug fixes or new features that related to hardware I owned, I never
bothered to install them. However, if you've just built yourself a new
dual-core PC, it may be more important to consider a BIOS update, since
dual-core motherboards are still comparatively young and quite a few
models were initially released with very limited BIOS options, as well
as initial stability issues.
A classic example is that of my Intel DP965LT
dual-core motherboard, bought in November 2006, which had BIOS version
0816 released on July 17th 2006 (the fifth release in just a few weeks).
However, six further revisions had been released since that date,
containing a host of fixes, updates, and improvements, culminating with
version 1577 of November 16th 2006, so after I'd built my new PC (see
last month's issue for details), I carefully performed a BIOS update to
take advantage of all of these, which also gave me a completely new
Hardware Monitoring page in the BIOS, displaying voltages and
temperatures.
Whatever you decide, follow the motherboard
manufacturer's step-by-step instructions very carefully and note down
any changes you've already made to BIOS parameters, so that you can
duplicate the same settings in the new BIOS. If there are any unwanted
hardware devices on your motherboard, you should also disable them at
this point, before you get out your Windows CD-ROM, so that WIndows
doesn't attempt to install drivers for them later on. On my motherboard I
disabled the on-board audio chip, on-board LAN, serial and parallel
ports, none of which I personally use.
Windows Installation
All you need to do to start the Windows install
process is insert the CD-ROM (or, in the case of Windows Vista, the
DVD-ROM) and boot up your PC. If nothing happens automatically, the most
likely cause is that your CD/DVD drive isn't set up as a bootable
option before your main hard drive. You can change this order in the
BIOS, so that it looks for a bootable CD/DVD first.
Once Windows has been installed, looking in Device
Manager will show you what hardware is still without drivers. In my
case, these two question marks were resolved by running Intel's INF file
and installing the latest drivers for my new graphics card.
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If you're installing on a new PC, you'll also have
to create a suitable partition before the Windows install proper. There
are built-in Create and Delete Partition functions, or you can use a
third-party utility such as Partition Manager to perform this
task beforehand. For musicians, I suggest 10GB as a suitable size, in
NTFS (New Technology File System) format, but with PM or a
similar utility you can always increase or reduce the size later on.
(For an in-depth discussion of partition arrangements, see the 'Extra
Reading' box.)
Those installing from a 'first edition' Windows XP
CD-ROM (pre Service Pack 1) on a new PC that only has SATA hard drives
will have the added complication that their drives may not be recognised
at all (at the time of XP's release, IDE drives were fairly universal).
If you have a floppy drive, you can copy the appropriate SATA drivers
onto a floppy disk, press the F6 key when you see the message 'Press F6
if you need to install a third-party SCSI or RAID driver', and then wait
until requested before inserting the floppy disk, confirming your SATA
device and then letting the Windows installation continue. The same
process is required if you wish to install a RAID array, although you
must first enable these functions in the BIOS and use the associated
utility to create the RAID volume itself.
If your PC doesn't have a floppy drive, you'll
instead have to create a 'slipstream' bootable Windows XP CD-ROM with a
later Service Pack pre-installed (see the 'Automated Installation' box).
This is what I did, as it only takes a few minutes and saves having to
install the Service Pack files separately later on.
There's little point in detailing the stages of the
actual Windows XP, x64 or Vista installation process, since this varies
from version to version, and there's actually very little for you to do
apart from entering Regional and Language options, your Name and
Organisation, and the Product Key. Far more important is what you do
afterwards.
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Automated Installation
If you have an original release Windows XP CD-ROM
it's fairly tedious to go through the manual rigmarole of inserting
floppy disks containing SATA drivers, installing the appropriate Service
Pack after the main Windows install, and then installing all the other
hardware drivers. But if you have multiple PCs, or have to install from
scratch on a regular basis, it becomes a real chore, and it's even worse
for those whose PCs lack a floppy drive.
Adding custom RAID or SATA controller drivers to
this bootable CD ROM, to avoid having to install them from a floppy, is
also possible with a little more effort, as, for instance, described by
Maximum PC (http://maximumpc.com/2005/01/how_to_slipstre.html). If you
want to go the whole hog and create a completely unattended installation
disc that already knows your choices for the formatting and
partitioning options, and can automatically detect and install drivers
for non-standard hardware such as RAID/SATA drives, plus additional Plug
and Play hardware including graphics and audio interface cards, look no
further than PC Stats' expansion on their slipstream feature (which you
can find at www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1703).
If you want to go even further and customise your
Windows installation by not only integrating Service Packs, but also
Hotfixes, other updates and extra drivers, while discarding hordes of
other generic drivers you will never need, as well as ignoring other
Windows components you know you'll never use, take a look at nLite (www.nliteos.com). It works with Windows 2000, 2003, XP and x64, and there's even a new vLite version that can perform the same tasks for Vista.
Another utility designed to create a seriously slimmed-down Windows install is the freeware Bart's PE (Preinstalled Environment), which you can download from www.nu2.nu/pebuilder.
This creates a bootable CD-ROM containing a lightweight version of
Windows XP or Server 2003 that you can use for maintenance or to gain
access to data when your hard drive Windows installation won't boot.
It's even possible to use it to install Windows XP on a 256MB USB Flash
Drive if your PC supports bootable USB devices, as described on the
Tom's Hardware web site
(http://tomshardware.co.uk/2005/09/09/windows_in_your_pocket).
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Coming Up To Date
When Windows has finished installing and you find
yourself at the desktop, if you have an older version of the Windows
CD/DVD you should immediately install the latest Service Pack. In the
case of Windows XP, this is SP2, and since this incorporates all of SP1,
those with the original 2002 XP release don't have to install SP1
first. However, those with Firewire audio interfaces may like to check
the manufacturer's recommendation (MOTU, for instance, still recommend
SP1 — see PC Notes December 2006).
As its name suggests, Windows Update provides
updates and bug fixes for Microsoft operating systems plus, in the
latest version shown here for Vista Ultimate, optional content,
software, services and tips. However, very few of the Hotfixes actually
improve audio performance, and many are optional for musicians.
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Once all the relevant Microsoft files have been
updated, you should next install any drivers required by your
motherboard devices that aren't included with Windows. Most motherboards
ship with a CD/DVD containing these but, just as in the case of the
driver CDs bundled with audio interfaces, it's often better to ignore
the CD-ROM and instead visit the manufacturer's web site to download the
latest versions. The motherboard device drivers are generally referred
to as 'INF' (Information) files, and they inform Windows how to properly
configure the particular chip set on your motherboard to ensure that
features such as SATA, IDE, PCI Express and USB support are implemented.
Most that I've installed are single files supporting a range of
operating systems including Windows 2000 SP4, XP SP2, x64 and Vista.
They are usually supplied as executable files — just double-click on the
file to copy to the appropriate Windows folder. Some offer the option
to transfer files to a floppy disk, so you can use them to add SATA
support during the Windows install, as mentioned earlier. Always read
any TXT or Readme file for details.
One debatable area is installing special Power
Management drivers and associated utilities such as Intel's Speed
Stepping, which alter the CPU voltage and fan speed to match
instantaneous processing demand. This certainly makes sense for
general-purpose PCs, but there's always a time lag between increased
processing demand and the CPU speed being ramped up, which generally
causes audio drop-outs in sequencer applications. So while it's still
beneficial to have CPU fan speed linked to CPU temperature, in order to
keep the noise levels down, a DAW should always use the 'Always On'
power scheme and avoid speed ramping at all costs. It may even be
necessary for you to disable such hardware features in the BIOS.
The next thing is to open up Device Manager and see
if there are any other devices in there with a question mark against
them. If so, this means that Windows found no suitable generic drivers
for them in its collection, so you'll need to search out their drivers
from the motherboard support CD-ROM or its manufacturer's web site.
Windows will probably still be relying on generic display drivers, so
now's the time to install the latest ones for your graphics card.
Once there are no question marks left against any
devices in Device Manager, it's probably the best time to implement the
various tweaks that customise how Windows looks and runs (you can find
my comprehensive guide to 'XP Tweaks For Music' in SOS
September 2006). It's a good idea to now save an image file of this
fresh install, just in case you need to revert to it later on. Once
you're happy that everything's working well, it's probably the best time
to contact Microsoft to Activate Windows (see the 'Activation &
Licensing Issues' box for further details).
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Activation & Licensing Issues
Once Windows XP or Vista has been installed, you
have 30 days in which to contact Microsoft, either over the Internet or
via a Freephone number, to activate it using an Installation ID, which
is uniquely generated for each installation from both the Product Key
(serial number) supplied with it and various aspects of your hardware,
such as the motherboard, processor, RAM, hard drive and so on.
The best time to activate Windows is when you've installed all your
hardware devices (including expansion cards), have all the latest
drivers and OS tweaks in place and are happy that everything is running
smoothly, but before you start installing all your applications.
When Windows has been activated, you should
immediately make an image file of your Windows partition and put it
somewhere safe. If anything major happens, you can then restore this
image to return your PC to a 'vanilla' but already activated
configuration. This image can also be used to create 'cloned' versions
of Windows for a multi-boot setup.
However, here we enter murky waters. The EULA (End Use Licence Agreement) for Windows XP Home (which can be read at www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/eula.mspx),
states: "You may install, use, access, display and run one copy of the
Product on a single computer, such as a workstation, terminal or other
device ("Workstation Computer"). The Software may not be used by more
than one processor at any one time on any single Workstation Computer."
It furthermore states that: "You may also store or install a copy of the
Software on a storage device".
There have been many different interpretations of
this wording over the years, but according to Microsoft's Legal
Department it means that every single installation of XP requires its
own license. So, strictly speaking, any DAW builder who supplies you
with a dual-boot system should therefore charge you for both instances
of Windows XP. In practice, few seem to do this, and plenty of Microsoft
employees are also under the impression that as long as you only ever
run one copy of the software on a single computer at any time you only
need a single license, while Microsoft's Activation procedure is also
perfectly happy to activate multiple copies installed on the same PC,
even if a completely different Installation ID is generated for each
instance, since it can tell that it's the same copy of XP running on
exactly the same hardware. Ultimately, you must behave according to your
conscience, but most users and many Microsoft employees clearly regard
the EULA as being a 'per machine' license that means 'one running copy
on a single computer'.
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Microsoft Hotfixes
The final stage before starting to install your
applications is to consider Microsoft's Hotfixes, executable files that
you download from their web site, which cure bugs and possibly add new
features to Windows NT, 2000, XP and Vista. They automatically install
updated system files in the appropriate folders, may offer to back up
the old ones in case you later want to backtrack, and make any necessary
Registry changes. Hotfix chaining is also supported by the
above-mentioned operating systems, so you can install numerous Hotfixes
before having to reboot your PC for them to take effect.
Hotfixes used to have cryptic names, but for Windows
versions released since NT 4.0 they start with the OS name, followed by
a KB number that relates them to the associated Knowledge Base article
where you can find out what they do. You can download them individually
from Windows Update (www.windowsupdate.com) or the Microsoft Download Center (www.microsoft.com/downloads). However, until recently users of third-party Internet browsers like the popular Firefox had to revert to Microsoft's own Internet Explorer 5 or later browser to do this, since both of the above sites use Active X scripting (which won't work by default with Firefox). Some Firefox users revert to IE
simply to install Windows updates, but another alternative to find out
what updates are available for your PC is to use the unofficial Windiz
Update web site (http://windowsupdate.62nds.com) in conjunction with a Firefox plug-in.
The updates themselves are still downloaded from
Microsoft, but Windiz Update has the advantage of bypassing Microsoft's
WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) validation tool, itself a critical
security update (WindowsXP-KB905474-ENU-x86-Standalone.exe) that checks
periodically that your copy of Windows is genuine and prevents you from
downloading many updates if it's not. This is perfectly legitimate in
itself, but unfortunately WGA regularly sends personal information about
your PC back to Microsoft HQ, which many consider makes it akin to
spyware. If you don't agree with this, don't install this particular
Hotfix.
Most modern versions of Windows also support
Automatic Updates, which lets Windows check for recommended updates and
install them for you automatically, or you can set it up to simply
notify you when new updates become available, all without using IE at all.
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Further Reading
 XP Tweaks For Music www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep06/articles/pcmusician_0906.htmAre PC Musicians ready for Windows x64? www.soundonsound.com/sos/may06/articles/pcmusician_0506.htmWhy & How To Partition Your Music PC Hard Drive www.soundonsound.com/sos/may05/articles/pcmusician.htmUpdating PC Hard Drives: The SOS Guide www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb05/articles/pcmusician.htmInstalling A New PC Motherboard: The SOS Guide www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec03/articles/pcmusician.htmWindows XP: Is It Suitable For Music? www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb02/articles/pcmusician0202.asp |
Hot Or Not?
There are several schools of thought on Hotfixes.
The easiest approach is to visit the Microsoft web site and have them
all downloaded and installed automatically, to bring your PC bang up to
date. Because a significant proportion resolve Internet security issues,
most commercial DAW builders install them all on customers' machines,
which makes perfect sense.
However, many musicians who never access the
Internet using their music PCs totally ignore Hotfixes, or cherry-pick
the few that may specifically benefit audio performance. I agree with
this 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' philosophy, but it can still be
difficult to sort the hearsay from the hard facts. Anyone running
Windows SP2 who has a 1394b (Firewire 800) port and a Firewire 800 audio
interface should definitely install the
WindowsXP-KB885222-v2-x86-ENU.exe Firewire patch (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885222) to bring IEEE 1394b performance back up to scratch. In addition, Cakewalk specifically recommend that Sonar v1 to v4 users (but not v5 and v6 users) and Project 5
users running Windows XP SP2 install the KB319740 Hotfix to cure
long-term memory leaks when opening lots of software windows. They even
host the file in question on their own web site (www.cakewalk.com/Support/kb/kb2005243.asp).
The Hotfix subject to the most conflicting advice is
WindowsXP-KB896256-v3-x86-ENU.exe
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896256), intended for dual-core PCs
running Windows XP SP2, which improves the load distribution between the
two processor cores when you're using CPU Throttling Power Schemes.
It's not included in the automated Windows Update list and seems
primarily intended to improve the laptop performance of single-threaded
applications such as games, rather than multi-threaded sequencer
applications, so most DAW builders seem to ignore it. However, RME
recommend it to all their dual-core users, because some have found it
cures various issues with hard drive performance, sequencer CPU meters
and stuttering MP3 playback (www.rme-audio.com/english/techinfo/PCIe_04.htm). So, as they say, your mileage may vary.
An AMD-only utility that can be more universally
recommended for those running AMD dual-core processors is AMD's
Dual-Core Optimizer (along with other AMD-specific downloads, this can
be found at www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_871_14098,00.html), which not only seems to improve game performance but also cures erratic CPU meter issues for many Sonar users.
Ultimately, Hotfixes are just like any other update,
and not compulsory. The safest approach is to image your setup before
installing them, so that you can backtrack if you run into problems or
notice no performance improvement.
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