Subject:Can I make SF5 work solely in RAM?

Posted by: JoePublic

Date:10/28/2001 4:48:32 AM

Hi,

I use SF5 to clean edit and chop up mixes i make whilst DJing. With ram being so cheap, I have 702mb sitting in the machine.

Any suggestions on how I can get SF to load the file once, then always play with it in RAM and then only save back to the disk when I'm finished, to avoid all those grinding big disk load/save actions that take so long? I know I can use the cutlist/regionlist and then save to a new one when I'm done, but for things like noise reduction and eq changes, this doesn't alleviate the hdd usage, cause it still has to read and write from one end of the file to the other. Undo is disabled and I'm operating directly on the file.

Any pearls of wisdom

Mike
veryevilmike@hotmail.com

Machine is a Duron900, 702mB pc133 ram, win98SE (2000 next week)

Subject:RE: Can I make SF5 work solely in RAM?

Reply by: pantezuma

Date:10/28/2001 4:57:03 AM

Hi. I'm new to this forum, but think heard something on other forum (windows related) that may help.
Maybe you can create a ramdrive (don't know exactly which parameters to use in config.sys) and then set the TEMP dir of SoundForge pointing there.
In the other forum ramdrive was made for windows virtual memory, so I think it may work with SoundForge too.
Hope it helps.

PD: I'm editing this message cause I've tried my post after posting it...
It didn't work for me (I must say). Maybe wrote bad some parameters in config.sys (ramdrive.sys) but it gave PAGE FAULTS and FATAL EXCEPTIONS etc, etc...
OK. I've done what I had to do... If you still want to try it, It may work with you...
Good Luck!!!
Bye!!!

Subject:RE: Can I make SF5 work solely in RAM?

Reply by: beetlefan

Date:10/28/2001 10:50:01 AM

You could disable virtual memory but I don't recommend it.

Subject:RE: Can I make SF5 work solely in RAM?

Reply by: PatrickL

Date:10/28/2001 2:46:12 PM

Are you saying saving the song in RAM instead of disk? if so the short answer is no, but there are plenty of ways to optimize so you get the same result anyway.

It's microsoft itself that doesn't recommend disabling RAM but you can do it so programs run entirely on the RAM. Unfourtunately most programs were programed to utilize VM but then go to RAM once started cos back then RAM wasn't so cheap. Try setting the VM settings to 0 min and 96 max if you need a static setting. The same min and max recommendations are still hold overs from older days. You don't need to reserve and slow that part of your Hard Drive (slow because the Hard drive is being accessed amidst the other chores).

I would highly recommend getting a second hard drive and direct all audio/media files there. You will notice improvements right away and defrag depending on how much you save to a particular drive. Try to avoid 60+GB HD's simply because they are more prone to failure.

Take out a stick of ram because your 98se will optimize 512 better than 702.

And perhaps chop several seconds through out the song put them together to make 30 seconds and make you edits there until you have a finished product.

-there is also a crazyman's tweak dealing with what you ask but most ppl end up coming back to 0 and 96 or static RAM

Subject:RE: Can I make SF5 work solely in RAM?

Reply by: PatrickL

Date:10/29/2001 12:42:45 PM

I actually tried to speed up my computer for games yesterday. Through multi tweaking, So go ahead and disable Virtual Memory. After that, activate all the programs you usually use and then some. See if any errors come up and what program (no errors come up for me with 14 apps). 512mb SDRAM. 98se. 600mhz. If errors do come up on programs you use. Enable it back or use 0 Min and 96 Max

Also try setting you disk cache to avoid pauses. If there are no pauses in games (which is more intensive than multimedia apps) leave it alone.

START>RUN>type SYSTEM.INI

look for vcache heading if it is empty add the following
__
[VCACHE]
MinFileCache=1024
MaxFileCache=131072
ChunkSize=512
__

MinFileCache and ChunkSize should be as stated but if you do not have 512mbr calculate your own. 25% of RAM is optimal, but it should also be divisable by the 512 ChunkSize.

I run Cubase and Acid and had only a Cubase stutter so these setting run optimal for me. Cubase stutter cos of multi-quantizing. With a 600mhz machine it is more stable than some 1.7GHZ machines I've heard of.

Once again this is tested using a resource-hungry game, so any tweak is noticable immediately. Eventually it reflects well in overall system apps. These tweaks may not work well for everyone. Or different tweaks are needed.