On Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:39:50 -0800 (PST)
carrt7 <carrt7@gmail.com> wrote:
> I ran AudacityBeta1.3.9 happily in Vista and in Linux, on a HP530 laptop
> (Conexant High Definition sound card). When I installed Windows7 on the
> same machine, Audacity had an initial hiccup, then ran fine for 2 weeks,
> then would not run at all (gives screen display and notice "Program has
> developed error: Windows is searching for a solution" - then closes).
>
> When I uninstalled Aud1.3.9, and then reinstalled it, the whole process
> seems to have started again, complete with initial hiccup. I am enjoying
> the "honeymoon" 2-weeks while it lasts. Any suggestions?
Uninstalling and re-installing Audacity would not change the preferences
stored in the Beta .cfg file. However if you have ever had a 1.2 version
of Audacity, 1.3 will take preferences common to both versions from the
1.2 settings in the Windows Registry. If that's the case, resetting the
1.3 preferences would at least restore them to the 1.3 factory settings.
Instructions to reset the .cfg file are here:
http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php?title=Audacity_Preferences#reset_betaDone. For results see below.
All that said, the problem is more likely to be down to the drivers of
that Conexant sound device. Have you made sure that has up-to-date
drivers specifically intended for your particular computer model and
for Windows 7, as provided by the motherboard or sound device
manufacturer?
http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php?title=Updating_Sound_Device_DriversDone (by using ControlPanel, Sound, ManageSoundDevices, Recording, Driver, Update). Result = gets Conexant (mfr) driver dated March 2007! (My previous driver was Microsoft July 2009.) WIll try it - for result see below. Can't see anything on Conexant site offering ANY drivers for sound cards (they're mainly into modems and TV) for any version of Windows.
Can you describe what exactly happens with the "hiccup"? Are there any
error messages, if so what do they say? If this crash occurs opening
Preferences, it's because you have no recording and/or playback
devices enabled and connected. This type of crash will be fixed in the
next 2.0 Release. Meantime you can go the system mixer:
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=Mixer_Toolbar_Issues#cp"hiccup" is sudden "Error selecting input device - check .... settings", usually when pressing the Record button, even in middle of session. Today it occurred on pressing Shift-Record during a session (to add to the recording I was making). I click the dialog box OK, it disappears and all is well (without need to visit Preferences, which are already set properly).
Other hiccup is similar to the known bug - when I select "Preferences" the "Error selecting input device..." message appears - but even when input/output devices are ALREADY correctly selected. This usually exits from Audacity, but not always (?)
And are you running Linux and Windows 7 on a dual boot system,
choosing between them when you start the computer?
Yes. GRUB in the MBR, and Windows7 and DebianLinux on separate partitions - with one VFAT file storage partition available to both, which is where the music files are.
*** RESULTS *** of resetting audacity.cfg to single-line, and installing Conexant old drivers as above, and setting all volume controls to max via the sndvol32 loudspeaker icon:
- no glitches at all when accessing Preferences (so far)!
- no crashes at all, so far!
- chaos over selecting IP and OP devices:
(a) I set Audacity/Preferences/Host=MME and PlaybackDevice=SpeakersUSBAudio,
and I set ControlPanel/ManageAudioDevices/Playback=SpeakersUSBAudio.
A previously downloaded track played back through the laptop speakers, but another track recorded earlier today (via the USB sound card) played back correctly via the USB sound card to the hifi - without me changing any settings between playing the two tracks!
After several more attempts to set Preferences, all tracks finally played through the USBAudio output.
(b) I set Audacity/Preferences/Host=MME and RecordDevice=lineUSBAudio,
and I set ControlPanel/ManageAudioDevices/Recording=lineUSBAudio. Although the ControlPanel display showed the USB input music signals activating the level indicator of "lineUSBAudio", Audacity recorded nothing (or sometimes a high-pitched bleeping sound).
(c) I set Audacity/Preferences/Host=MME and RecordDevice=MicrophoneUSBAudio,
and I set ControlPanel/ManageAudioDevices/Recording=MicrophoneUSBAudio, or LineUSBAudio. Audacity recorded nothing in either case (sometimes a high-pitched bleeping sound).
(d) I set Audacity/Preferences/Host=MME and RecordDevice=MicrosoftSoundmapperInput,
and I set ControlPanel/ManageAudioDevices/Recording=lineUSBAudio. Audacity records fine!!
(But if I set ControlPanel/ManageAudioDevices/Recording=MicrosoftSoundmapperInput, it records silence)
Using the hint you gave to see all available devices in ControlPanel (rclick any device on ManageAudioDevices Recording tab, check "ShowDisconnectedDevices" and "ShowUnavailableDevices") I found another device "WaveOutMix" ... I didn't try this.
Gale, you seem to have solved my problem, at least for now, so many thanks. I hope the above helps you sort out some of the problems with Windows 7.
Tony
PS: Sorry to hear you are male! I was enjoying this fantasy of a large short-sighted 50-year-old with boundless energy behind a huge desk piled high with papers, solving the world's problems with a snap of her fingers.
