Please run this app:
And past here the results.
tks
Pedro
My report (It ins’t accurate since I’m rebuilding some sample indexes) but sound interesting:
CONCLUSION
Your system seems to have difficulty handling real-time audio and other tasks. You may experience drop outs, clicks or pops due to buffer underruns. One or more DPC routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:00:54 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.
\
SYSTEM INFORMATION
Computer name: DAW-STUDIO
OS version: Windows 8 , 6.2, build: 9200 (x64)
Hardware: INTEL, Intel Corporation, DZ77GA-70K
CPU: GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core™ i7-2600 CPU @ 3.40GHz
Logical processors: 8
Processor groups: 1
RAM: 8160 MB total
\
CPU SPEED
Reported CPU speed: 3392.0 MHz
Measured CPU speed: 2276.0 MHz (approx.)
Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.
\
MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES
The interrupt to process latency reflects the measured interval that a usermode process needed to respond to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution. This includes the scheduling and execution of a DPC routine, the signaling of an event and the waking up of a usermode thread from an idle wait state in response to that event.
Highest measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 1520.472497
Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 46.280280
Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 1489.984563
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 34.736525
\
MEASURED SMI, IPI AND CPU STALLS
The SMI, IPI and CPU stalls value represents the highest measured interval that a CPU did not respond while having its maskable interrupts disabled.
Highest measured SMI or CPU stall (µs) 12.074429
\
REPORTED ISRs
Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.
Highest ISR routine execution time (µs): 132.413031
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: dxgkrnl.sys - DirectX Graphics Kernel, Microsoft Corporation
Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 2.958238
Driver with highest ISR total time: dxgkrnl.sys - DirectX Graphics Kernel, Microsoft Corporation
Total time spent in ISRs (%) 5.185447
ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 3114350
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0
\
REPORTED DPCs
DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.
Highest DPC routine execution time (µs): 1652.088149
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: Wdf01000.sys - Kernel Mode Driver Framework Runtime, Microsoft Corporation
Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 4.538524
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: Wdf01000.sys - Kernel Mode Driver Framework Runtime, Microsoft Corporation
Total time spent in DPCs (%) 4.734359
DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 749606
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-999 µs): 7430
DPC count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 1138
DPC count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0
\
REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS
Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.
Process with highest pagefault count: ableton index.exe
Total number of hard pagefaults 22
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 19
Highest hard pagefault resolution time (µs): 10.816627
Total time spent in hard pagefaults (%): 0.000030
Number of processes hit: 2
\
PER CPU DATA
CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 33.360155
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 132.413031
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 22.440124
CPU 0 ISR count: 3114350
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 1652.088149
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 20.424633
CPU 0 DPC count: 738349
CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.776539
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 1 ISR count: 0
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 138.728184
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 0.000747
CPU 1 DPC count: 46
CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.631556
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 2 ISR count: 0
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 88.345519
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 0.014819
CPU 2 DPC count: 4362
CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.107005
CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR count: 0
CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (µs): 43.431899
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 0.000476
CPU 3 DPC count: 148
CPU 4 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.466980
CPU 4 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 4 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 4 ISR count: 0
CPU 4 DPC highest execution time (µs): 92.181604
CPU 4 DPC total execution time (s): 0.021592
CPU 4 DPC count: 6803
CPU 5 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.983903
CPU 5 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 5 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 5 ISR count: 0
CPU 5 DPC highest execution time (µs): 80.348762
CPU 5 DPC total execution time (s): 0.000645
CPU 5 DPC count: 204
CPU 6 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.627137
CPU 6 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 6 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 6 ISR count: 0
CPU 6 DPC highest execution time (µs): 68.818396
CPU 6 DPC total execution time (s): 0.024033
CPU 6 DPC count: 8039
CPU 7 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.057374
CPU 7 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 7 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 7 ISR count: 0
CPU 7 DPC highest execution time (µs): 57.750590
CPU 7 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001090
CPU 7 DPC count: 223
Thanks, I’ll try that one for sure.
I’ve tested with another app which shows all is good with my system
Well it’s a good little app, and it tells me what I already know,
I haven’t had this problem before installing Cubase 7.02 x64. It’s the not knowing the cause I find difficult to deal with. If my PC isn’t powerful enough, I’ll update it. I was planning to do that next year anyway. If it’s my sound card, then so be it. I would start researching sound cards.
Truth is, I have no clue why this is happening. And there have been many others reporting the same issue. They can’t all have sub standard computers/sound cards… can they?
You might find the DPC Latency checker from http://www.thesycon.de/eng/latency_check.shtml also interesting. Don’t forget to check out the Product Sheet PDF!
Thanks, I’ve run both DPC Latency checkers and they both report favourably for streaming audio on my machine.
I’ve only had this problem since installing Cubase 7.02 x64. 7.02 x86 runs fine, no spikes, stutters or freezing. Earlier I installed Cubase 6.5.4 x64 (which will load the same project) and that seemed better, but it’s hard to say if that cures the issue completely without more extensive testing because the problem is completely random. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for it.
Thing is, I really want to use Cubase 7.02 x64. Apart from being able to take advantage of all my RAM, I really like the new Cubase, the mixer, the new features, everything about it. And I have a powerful I7 PC running Windows 7 64 so why not? After all, that’s why I bought it. This is really p!!sing me off!
The only thing I haven’t tried yet is to disable Hyperthreading in the bios. Maybe I’ll try that next, though I’m reading mixed reports about that.
Lookbeat, an accepted rule of thumb is to set your virtual memory to the equal amount of ram memory. You have yours set to 2G, increase it to 8G.
As to the HDs your are using, I am very confused. Are you running non-partitioned 1T and 3T HDs? So you have your C drive is 1T without a partition? What is the buffer cache space on the HDs? For example and as a comparison, I run two 500G HDs each split into three partitions, 100G/200G/200G and the HD has a 32mb buffer cache runs @ 7200rpm. So my OS is loaded on a 100G partition for pretty quick access, that’s my point. My Cubase write drive is one of the 200G partitions. The 2nd drive has the C drive mirrored on it with Norton Ghost, and I manually mirror the Cubase write drive using a program called Mirror Folder onto the 2nd drive 200G partition whenever I feel the need. The other two 200G partitions have MP3 music files on them for listening pretty much, and all my recording software downloads, etc. I also have two usb 500G external HDs that I can copy files to if I need to.
Anyway, the big HDs are interesting, and typically they might have 3 discs to accomplish OK write speeds, but the smaller the disc, the faster the operation. For example, if you are writing your Cubase tracks to an unpartitioned 3T HD then you are going to have write and read problems that a 200G HD will not have.
Also, you did not say what numbers the DPC checker was showing? On my system I show 120 - 180.
mr.roos
I’m no having I/O issues. I have this on my system:
8g RAM
8g PF
Schedule Background Services
OS on c:\ 7200 RPM disk - dedicated 1tb disk sata 3
Cubase is installed in d:\ - RAID 0 of two 3 tb 7200 disks
cheers
Pedro
Also DSP latency.
I will change my PSU to an ax1200i and memory to 16gb also.
Before spending money I would wait. The 7.03 update is imminent.
Whether or not the CPU spiking and stuttering problem has been addressed, I have no idea. Personally I’ve tried everything from Cubase adjustments to Windows tweaks and BIOS tweaks. I was even starting to suspect my EMU 1820m sound card, but instead installed the Live 9 x64 demo. No spikes and no stutters.
Maybe try that. If Live 9 x64 runs smooth in the same system then so should Cubase. Besides, 8 gigs is plenty.
Cheers.
I installed Live 9 x64 also, but just for compare performance. No problems at all. But this is not the case, I’m using 6.4 without any problems!!!
My sound card is pretty decent, fireface 400. I will change my power not for this problem but I have two video cards demanding such power.
cheers
Pedro
Fair enough. A decent PSU will be good for the future I guess, and RAM is cheap so can’t do any harm.
I will be shocked, however, if it makes any difference to the problem we are experiencing.
Yes, I expect the same.
OK, that pic of your DPC showing usage? Do you understand that you are reading in the 1000s and I am reading under 200?
Let me translate this: the DPC usage program should not show ANY readings in the yellow. Green is what you want and is easily arrived at if your computer is set up for audio. But, OK, you seem convinced otherwise. Good luck.
That is correct. Mine looks like this, attached:
Looks like he needs to find out what is causing that and I suspect that will be the end of it. Wish I was so lucks. At least he has something to work on.
ETA: The DPC on my machine will run like that for ever. However, I’ve noticed that when I open a session in Cubase it always begins with a CPU red spike. If I leave DPC checker running while the session loads I get one big almighty red spike in DPC checker.
Dark blue man, are you running XP? Man, if you are running Win7 64bit, I want to know exactly what you have done to accomplish this! I want this! 
Trust me you don’t want the problem I’m having with Cubase 7 x64
No I’m running Windows 7 64 Ultimate. But I can tell you what improved my DPC latency considerably, something I discovered in my research while looking for a solution to my Spiking/stuttering problem.
Go into your BIOS, search of an option called HPET Mode and turn it off. You might want to google it first. It appears to be favoured among gamers for smoother play and snappier audio. I was expecting it to cure my issue after seeing the DPC improvement it made, but alas, no 
Edit: you should find it in “Power management Settings” but I’m unsure if it is relevant in XP. I just switched mine back on but changed it from 32 to 64. It’s made my DPC slightly higher but I’ll leave it for a while and see.
Good luck.
OK then check this weirdness out, see attachments. Open from the bottom up, I think
Att 1: DPC running for ages on my desk top.
Att 2 DPC While I load a session in Cubase
Att 3 Cubase after the session has loaded
Att 4 DPC about 20/30 seconds after closing Cubase
Now, how friggin crazy is that?
Oh I see, I can only add 3 attachments. I’ll make another post for the last one.
Last one seconds after closing Cubase. I assure you I get no such behaviour with DPClat without opening and closing Cubase.
And get this. I can open, use, push and close any program, including audio apps like Live x64 and Soundforge… hell, I can even burn a DVD and DPClat doesn’t bat an eye lid, not a flicker.
What the hell is going on?
Hi guys,
I have the same problem running a project with 3 (!!!) audio tracks, with 1 (!!!) plugin. As you can see my PC is quite enough for handling this kind of project! It just starts crackling again and again, both during recording and listening. Really have no idea. CPU usage is almost 0 (obviously). Tried to change Buffer and Asio size but no results. It happens even when just checking the monitor and playing my electric guitar through the DAW.
I’m really disappointed.
With Hope