Silicon Seclusion

    Deep in the Microsftian man-cave, among the software detritus and the skeletal remains of long-disposessed CD’s, lies my innocence.

   I emerged from a long weekend of worshipping at the altar of reinstallation, a much more self-aware geek…but no longer the pimple-faced paradigm of pubescence that I once was.

OK, so much for the alliteration.  3 years of pounding away with the comings and goings of what seems like thousands of software programs (I tend to push my computers to the max), I decided it was time to wipe out my DAW’s hard drive and start all over.

Yes, I’m a PC guy (please…don’t), and I run Win XP Pro, ‘cause…well….I’m used to it, and it’s stable, and almost everything still runs on it.  But things were going South on me — starting slow, running even slower…programs were crashing, and the BSOD (blue screen of death) was becoming a daily occurrence.  Pro-Tools was barely running…Source-Connect wasn’t, and AudioTX had to be coaxed and cajoled to work decently for a few minutes of connection time.

These are seminal moments.  I started with a trip to Fry’s for a brand new HD, to add to the drive already in my tower, so I could fall back if  the new installation attempt went to hell in a handbasket.

Actually, things went quite well…not only did I succeed in almost all my goals over the weekend, but I also mounted a dual-boot with Windows 7 RC (release candidate).  The “new” DAW is nimble, starts up fast, and runs like a deer.

I’m going to try to refrain from “dumping” everything into the computer this time.  Lean.  I want to run only audio-related software and nothing else to the extent that I can.  Of course there will be browsers, and some anti-virus, Word, and a FEW other things, but I really don’t need to put photo, FAX, and FaceBook in there with my Sound Forge…so that’s my plan.

Below, a couple of observations along the way you might find helpful:

1)  Google Chrome has arrived. It’s lightning fast, stable, and innovative.

2)  Source-Connect is a pain…and what the heck is Q-Manager??!!  Even the tech support person said it’s not needed to run the Source-Connect program. 

3)  Source-Elements Desktop is not much better.  I’m still wrestling with the wireless network configuration.

4)  Pro-Tools is even worse. All that I-Lok stuff, and proprietary hardware.  Built for MAC and they tried to adapt it to PC.  I wouldn’t even bother ‘cause it’s WAAAAAAY more than a voice-actor needs, but I paid the $250, so by gum, I’m gonna install it.

5)  GREAT FREE PROGRAM!!  Magical JellyBean Keyfinder.  Need to know what those cryptic registration codes are for all your single-user-install MS programs?  JellyBean Keyfinder.  Free, quick, simple.  It does one thing and does it very well.

6)  Win 7.  See LifeHacker.com for a really great synopsis of how to approach a fresh, or upgrade install of Microsoft’s newest creation.  This one, they really got right!

That’s about it.  I’m cruisin’ with my “new” computer.  “Made me wonder why I waited so long.

CourVO