When you restored from a backup did you wipe the destination hard drive completely first?

TheJackAttack, post: 423954, member: 34377 wrote: When you restored from a backup did you wipe the destination hard drive completely first?

No, I didn't.

I would start by redoing your backup. Wipe the destination harddrive completely if possible then restore your image. If you are utilizing the inbuilt Win7 or Win8 utility you might have issue there unless it gives you an option.

To answer the other question, you do NOT have to do periodic updates if the machine is working correctly. I might update the BIOS from the manufacturer but that would be it baring complications. Just keep it off the web altogether. Many updates are for security purposes and not necessarily functionality.

TheJackAttack, post: 423958, member: 34377 wrote: I would start by redoing your backup. Wipe the destination harddrive completely if possible then restore your image. If you are utilizing the inbuilt Win7 or Win8 utility you might have issue there unless it gives you an option.

To answer the other question, you do NOT have to do periodic updates if the machine is working correctly. I might update the BIOS from the manufacturer but that would be it baring complications. Just keep it off the web altogether. Many updates are for security purposes and not necessarily functionality.

Thanks Jack. I'll try it.

TheJackAttack, post: 423958, member: 34377 wrote: Just keep it off the web altogether. Many updates are for security purposes and not necessarily functionality.

I think Jack just nailed it here...

If you really want a production machine to run at its optimum, keep it off the web. I never use my production PC to go online, unless I'm downloading patches or updates/drivers for the production software I am running. I install the updates or fixes, and then get the hell offline again. LOL

Having your production computer online all the time means also having a virus protection program running, which can also slow things down considerably.

Here's an article that may be of benefit to you: (#17 is about disabling updates)

[[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.tim-cart…"]Optimizing W7 for Audio Production[/]="http://www.tim-cart…"]Optimizing W7 for Audio Production[/]

I agree with the guys, off the net you go.

Thing is, you had to restore because it was no longer booting up. So there was a problem.
A slow computer after reinstall may indicate a defective HDD. Download and run crystaldiskinfo, it's free and clean. If the hdd pass this test, good chance that it's not defective but you could have data corruption. If it doesn't pass the test, backup your stuff and buy a new drive.
Open a command line (cmd) and type chkdsk c: /f
It will check the integrity of the files and may fix a few problems.

After all that if the computer isn't running ok, it's time for a complete reinstall. A restore is good only if every files are replaced.
Thats why many people use image tool like drive image, acronis, Ghost etc. to make a backup of the OS while it is clean and optimum.
Thing is if you change anything in the settings or drivers, you would need to make another image each time. So if you restore you have the best config.
This leads to another possibility of why the computer is not running well. After when the restore you used as been saved, you might have changed settings in windows and/or in your DAW that the restore didn't include. You might want to redo them (unless you can't remember)

And of course : drivers UPDATE ALL DRIVERS !!

On last resort, you can follow some optimization guide, there is a few you can find only, from simple to deeply uncalled for.
Here is a fairly good one : http://www.native-instruments.com/en/support/knowledge-base/show/752/windows-7-tuning-tips-for-audio-processing/

Thanks for all the help guys. I tried to reformat today and it wouldn't let me. Apparently the disc is in use, even after I disabled everything (really, everything).

So, I have a few things yet to try. Thanks pcrecord, I forgot about chkdsk, I'll give that a go next.

You can't format your c: drive from Windows. It seems that Microsoft won't let their OS kill themself..;)
You need to boot up to a USB Key or the Windows CD. Search on creating a Bootable USB Key.

But, it is pointless to do a format and reinstall if the drive is defective. That's why I suggested to check it with CrystalDiskinfo...

If the drive is not defective, try the chkdsk and get back to share your results.

pcrecord, post: 424031, member: 46460 wrote: You can't format your c: drive from Windows. It seems that Microsoft won't let their OS kill themself..;)
You need to boot up to a USB Key or the Windows CD. Search on creating a Bootable USB Key.

But, it is pointless to do a format and reinstall if the drive is defective. That's why I suggested to check it with CrystalDiskinfo...

If the drive is not defective, try the chkdsk and get back to share your results.

Will do. Thanks again.

So the disk is good. Then I tried the chkdsk, but it wouldn't because the drive was in use. So I scheduled a check on the next startup. Here's where I'm at now.

Checking file system on C
The type of file system is NTFS.
Volume label is OS.

A disk check has been scheduled.
To skip disk checking, press any key within 1 second(s).

And here I sit frozen.

The system froze at that point ? at 1 second ? ... Mmm either their is a big corruption of Windows files or there is something else going on.

Could the system fan be full of dust and need clean up ? if a computer is overheating, it could give problems like that.
Other than this, it could be a Ram memory problem (you could download memtest)
Or if you could boot with a usb key and make the chkdsk from there.. maybe.

In any case, I use some other Tools that might be frightening (many found on Hiren boot cd)
You might want to check with an IT