Old 06-18-2017, 01:32 AM   #1
wakodoha
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Default Windows 10 for a live show use

I happened to buy a laptop for live performance (backing tracks, Vsts, guitar processing, vocal processing..) that came with windows 10 home.

This is fine for a home use and I have no problem with reaper.

However for a live show situation it feels like there's a bully next to me on stage:
the antivirus can be turned off but windows 10 tells me "if the antivirus is on for too long, don't worry we will turn it back automatically"!
How long is too long? The middle of my set? And why are you acting like I'm a child?
Any solution to this? Or the bully can start some disk access anytime to make your audio pop and click all over the venue?

Also the internet is full of (forced) update stories that suddenly disable your peripherals (an usb audio interface for example). What can be done to avoid this except sealing the laptop in an aluminum case until the tour starts?

How many windows 10 performers out here?
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Old 06-18-2017, 01:35 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by wakodoha View Post
Also the internet is full of (forced) update stories that suddenly disable your peripherals (an usb audio interface for example). What can be done to avoid this except sealing the laptop in an aluminum case until the tour starts?
Don't have it connected online during the show? If you connect your laptop through Wi-Fi, set that network as Metered connection, then updates won't be downloaded at all.


You can disable the Windows Defender services (Win+R, type services.msc).
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Old 06-18-2017, 01:42 AM   #3
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I would disable all networks and wifi during the show. On many laptops, wifi introduces latency spikes. Disable antivirus, and Windows update service from services control panel.
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Old 06-18-2017, 03:31 AM   #4
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Thanks guys.

Quote:
Originally Posted by EvilDragon View Post
Don't have it connected online during the show? If you connect your laptop through Wi-Fi, set that network as Metered connection, then updates won't be downloaded at all.
It's not connected to internet during the show. What I'm afraid is that an update some days before the show disables something just to bully me. Of course there's also a back up (a old XP machine nicely optimized).

I set my network as a metered connection and windows 10 is still updating once in a while and even forcing restarts (cannot it treat me as an adult and waits for me to turn off the machine at the end of the day?)!!

Quote:
You can disable the Windows Defender services (Win+R, type services.msc).
No it won't let me disable it on home edition! Maybe you need some "super responsible corporate adult" edition to be allowed that

Quote:
I would disable all networks and wifi during the show. On many laptops, wifi introduces latency spikes. Disable antivirus, and Windows update service from services control panel.
Antivirus and updates cannot be disabled in 'home' edition.
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Old 06-18-2017, 03:35 AM   #5
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Well now I understand there's a big difference between windows editions when it comes to control.

For the home edition there's apparently a trick for the antivirus: you can install another antivirus and windows defender will stay off. Then the new antivirus would obviously have an off button..
(going to try that right now!)
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Old 06-18-2017, 03:40 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by wakodoha View Post
Antivirus and updates cannot be disabled in 'home' edition.
Run services.msc, search for "Windows Update" service. and stop it and set it to disabled.

It works for me with my laptop which has Windows 10 home.

however, about Windows defender.. I haven't managed to disable it.
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Old 06-18-2017, 09:40 AM   #7
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For any OS for live use:

Test the system with max inputs at home thoroughly! It isn't ready for live use until there are no surprises at home.

Don't allow ANYTHING on your computer to be a mystery to you. No exceptions. There sure shouldn't be anything running in the background that you are unaware of or any network activity allowed without intention.

Keep a master backup clone of your system drive on an external drive.

Keep a redundant 2nd hard drive in the same machine that is a clone of the primary.


Screw something up on the primary? Boot from the secondary and run your show like nothing ever happened. You could have your computer completely destroyed, purchase a new one on the road on the other side of the country, clone from your backup drive to the primary on the new machine and be right back where you left off. No complicated installs and you're running your show again tonight.
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Old 06-21-2017, 08:30 PM   #8
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Thanks Heda for the tip!

Serr is very right, using a laptop for live you should be prepared to anything like your drunk roadie tripping on the cable power, falling with your laptop on the floor and his beer pouring through your keyboard. So you have to be certain something will happen and know of a back up plan..

But this sentence:
Quote:
Don't allow ANYTHING on your computer to be a mystery to you. No exceptions. There sure shouldn't be anything running in the background that you are unaware of or any network activity allowed without intention.
Is basically saying Windows 10 is not compatible for live show use right?
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Old 06-21-2017, 11:39 PM   #9
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I'm still on Win7. It works well on the machines I use, so I've not "upgraded". I realise I can't stay like this forever, though.

Is there a version of Win10 that can be told not to do its own thing? Where you put it in "don't connect, download or change things unless given permission" mode?



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Old 06-22-2017, 10:12 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wakodoha View Post
Thanks Heda for the tip!

Serr is very right, using a laptop for live you should be prepared to anything like your drunk roadie tripping on the cable power, falling with your laptop on the floor and his beer pouring through your keyboard. So you have to be certain something will happen and know of a back up plan..

But this sentence:
Quote:
Don't allow ANYTHING on your computer to be a mystery to you. No exceptions. There sure shouldn't be anything running in the background that you are unaware of or any network activity allowed without intention.
Is basically saying Windows 10 is not compatible for live show use right?
Well, if it is really truly impossible to have root access with Windows 10, then that would follow. Is Windows 10 like the watered down iOS that restricts root access or something? (Then they use charged terms like "jail break" to create a narrative that such a basic and expected thing as root level access to your machine is somehow unusual.)


Anywho...

Whatever OS you choose, know your system and don't leave yourself surprises. Test everything.

Then learn how to make 1:1 clone backups (I still like the convenience of Carbon Copy Cloner for this.)

You'll know that at the end of the day you can take a computer off the shelf from any store, install your favorite SSD, clone your system to said SSD, and you're doing your gig tonight with no surprises.


The ONLY exception that can come up is with any software authorizations that read the unique serial numbers burnt into the physical chips in hard drives and logic boards. (They do this to prevent swapping a hard drive as a workaround to copy protection.) Keep a record of all software authorization codes as a simple text file that you keep adding to. Keep contact info here too because some of the overzealous copy protection disables the codes for one time use or does some math against a serial number.
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Old 06-22-2017, 11:14 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by planetnine View Post
Is there a version of Win10 that can be told not to do its own thing? Where you put it in "don't connect, download or change things unless given permission" mode?
Yes, the Enterprise version (LTSB). Kinda hard to get to it.

W10 Pro is also very good since you can tell it to defer any updates for up to a year. That is good enough for me. Also, everything mentioned is not a problem if you simply disconnect your laptop from the network while running the live gig... Which is what I would recommend with any computer anyways, PC or Mac regardless.
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Old 06-22-2017, 11:52 AM   #12
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Yep, only allow your own network (if you use one for wireless control) and don't announce it.
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Old 06-22-2017, 01:05 PM   #13
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The guys at Sweetwater always have good info for optimizing computers.
https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare...or-windows-10/
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Old 06-28-2017, 07:39 AM   #14
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Sweetwater's advises are here:
https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare...or-windows-10/
It's good to make some tests for each change.
For example when I changed Reaper to be run as administrator as advised Reaper became sluggish with all the cracks and pops in the sound. Reverting back the sound was ok again..
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Old 06-28-2017, 08:43 AM   #15
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Quote:
Anywho...

Whatever OS you choose, know your system and don't leave yourself surprises. Test everything.

Then learn how to make 1:1 clone backups (I still like the convenience of Carbon Copy Cloner for this.)

You'll know that at the end of the day you can take a computer off the shelf from any store, install your favorite SSD, clone your system to said SSD, and you're doing your gig tonight with no surprises.
I'd go one step further, if the show can't go on without the computer-
Have a back-up computer ready to go.

A microphone or guitar amp can last a lifetime without a show-stopping problem (although you should carry some extra cables & guitar strings). Have you ever gone a year without some kind of computer problem? Computers are the least reliable things we own! And, most "computer problems" take more than a couple of minutes to fix. (It's not always the "computer's fault", but that's not the point.)
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Old 06-28-2017, 09:07 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by DVDdoug View Post
Have a back-up computer ready to go.
Yes!
I have suffered rebootings while performer doing a solo making time.
And I have seen shows saved by the backup system
Have the backup system running and ready so you can just switch the inputs quickly from the mixer and keep going.
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Old 05-27-2020, 09:27 PM   #17
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Hi all, just as a follow up: I have played around 15 shows with Reaper on Windows 10 since my last post.
Most shows went fine and only one time a song completely stuttered as the PC decided it had something else to do (maybe some indexing that was re-enabled in an update).
I used a backup PC (that I never had to use), a constant state of paranoia and I want to share some experience.


Let's be clear first: Windows is the worst OS for live use.
(One acceptable way to use Windows is to dedicate one laptop exclusively for live use and disconnect it from internet for ever)


Some important points:

1. You cannot have separate power settings for different users. That means you need to not forget to switch to performance settings before a show and switch back to normal use after. If you forget to go back to normal your PC will heat and age much faster.

2. There is a lot of bloat to clean and everything can come back with an update. This is not your OS, you are borrowing it from Windows and they can do whatever they please. Not only things you have removed can be installed back but new process that you don't even know can be installed, which means you need to waste a lot of time investigating what kind of new trouble each update is bringing.

3. Each update is a potential destruction of your setup. I did well to never connect to internet a few days before shows: one day an update just removed the compatibility with my USB interface and it took a day or two for the manufacturer to react and issue a new driver.

In conclusion using Windows 10 feels like I have to bring a bully that I hate on stage and wonder if he is going to collapse on the mixing desk during the show.
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Old 05-27-2020, 10:10 PM   #18
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That is why
- my live system still is on Win7 (with any auto-update disabled
- my live system is not a laptop but an dedicated "embedded" box
- my live system is dedicated for exactly thi use and not used otherwise
When I ever need to switch to Win10, I will use an "embedded" distribution, that is a lot more configurable than the "office"-type distributions. (Win 10 embedded is used a lot in the company I work for).

-Michael
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Old 05-28-2020, 06:47 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wakodoha View Post
Thanks guys.

It's not connected to internet during the show. What I'm afraid is that an update some days before the show disables something just to bully me.

I think that's being overly paranoid.
- But at the same time, for a mission critical system, overly paranoid is probably wise!


BUT REALLY: Anyone using a pc for live performance should not use that PC for anything else but audio. (As with Mschnell's setup) A "live performance" pc needs to be stripped to the gills, even using custom (lite) Windows builds, if you know where to find them. And simple things like turning on & off essential services becomes a giant PITA after a while.

Just get a cheap computer for internet use. You'll kick yourself for not having done this years ago.

---------------

Oh - As far as Windows Defender, you CAN disable it permanently, but not with Windows Home edition. Get a copy of Windows Pro, then do a little Googling to find the procedure. (It has to do with altering some "group policy" settings.)

Win10 Pro also give you the option of controlling your rig remotely, from another pc or possibly a tablet. That can come in very handy for soundchecks & other duties.

Last edited by Cableaddict; 05-28-2020 at 06:58 PM.
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Old 05-28-2020, 06:55 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mschnell View Post
That is why
- my live system still is on Win7 (with any auto-update disabled
- my live system is not a laptop but an dedicated "embedded" box
- my live system is dedicated for exactly thi use and not used otherwise
When I ever need to switch to Win10, I will use an "embedded" distribution, that is a lot more configurable than the "office"-type distributions. (Win 10 embedded is used a lot in the company I work for).

-Michael
Very wise. - But I personally find Win10, properly optimized, to be just as slick as Win7 was, and with a lot less tweaking required. I would hate to have to deal with the old GUI's and such.

------------------------

For anyone using Win10, I recently read that build 1607 is the last one to use, as the later versions have some cpu-hogging / latency-inducing anti-malware stuff. (I don't know all the details.)

I'm in the process now of trying to find a copy, even a "lite" version, if that's possible.
If anyone knows where to find this, please PM me !
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Old 05-28-2020, 07:01 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DVDdoug View Post
I'd go one step further, if the show can't go on without the computer-
Have a back-up computer ready to go.

A microphone or guitar amp can last a lifetime without a show-stopping problem (although you should carry some extra cables & guitar strings). Have you ever gone a year without some kind of computer problem? Computers are the least reliable things we own! And, most "computer problems" take more than a couple of minutes to fix. (It's not always the "computer's fault", but that's not the point.)

Yepper.


I carry a spare duplicate pc, PLUS I carry cloned copies of all my drives, in external enclosures. Including (esp) the boot drive. Usually if you have a serious problem onstage, it will be with the boot drive or a corrupted OS, so it's much easier to get going if you just plug-in the backup and reboot.

Also carry a spare LCD, spare DVI cable, etc etc etc ....
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Old 06-16-2020, 03:11 PM   #22
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Have been using REAPER onstage as Live-FX- and backingtrack machine for several shows since end of 2019 and the experience was flawless. Processing 20 input channels with 176 FX plugins - gating, EQ, compressor, automated reverbs, delay throws, FX busses, volume automation on guitar solos etc. - on 128 samples buffer. Guitar & bass amps all in the box.

The key component before you even consider doing this has already been mentioned:
Have 2 redundant systems doing the same thing. If 1 fails, make sure it doesn't take longer than 10 seconds to switch over to the secondary system.

In my case 2 used Lenovo Thinkpad W-Series workstation notebooks (W530 and W541) with Quad i7 CPUs (~350 bucks each) and 2 RME MADIFaces (ExpressCard), happily running Windows 10.
Starting playback via REAPER web remote on my smartphone, both machines synced via OSC. If 1 fails, the second takes over, during the song.
BRILLIANT Setup!

Not satisfied with Guitar Solo volume on song 4 from last nights show? Edit it while sitting in the tour bus.

Oh, and I never had a fail. But I'm prepared :-)
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