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Posted by: coffeeman Sep 28 2007, 01:32 AM

I haven´t been able to record anything yet because evrytime a try my computer dies , it turns off and literaly dies, why could that be? Im using my Line 6 Tone port, and software I have tried Live! ; Audacity and Reaper.

Thanks.

Posted by: tonymiro Sep 28 2007, 02:13 AM

It's a bit hard to diagnose without further info Coffeeman - but I'll make a first pass at it. Before I do have you checked for any log file or startup/system error messages that might indicate the cause/s? If you have these can you post them on the board?- might save a lot of trouble shooting time. Also would help to know your actual full pc setup and what you are doing at the point of crash and the type of crash (crash to desktop/keyboard lockup/blue screen of death/black screen of death/pc restart...)

Nevertheless -

IF your pc dies regardless of what sequencer etc you're trying to run Coffeeman it may be a hardware rather than a software issue.

Following this line as a first stop I'd try completely uninstalling the line 6 software - particularly the dlls. (Save anything crucial that you want to keep though.) If you have a good reset point prior to when you installed line6 then I'd probably use that. Once you've uninstalled line 6 reinstall it carefully. Sometimes you can get major problems with audio interfaces if the installation of the audio driver is faulty. I know this sounds like I'm pointing to a software issue but it's the dlls that is at fault and so when you try to run the line 6 audio you get a crash. In this case I'd say that is faulty hardware implimentation/installation.

If that doesn't work then you may have an IRQ conflict between your audio card and some other peripheral OR it might be a fault with your USB connector. For either check the Window's System to see if that is reporting any issue here. If you have an IRQ conflict then its a case of tediously removing peripheral cards and moving them about.

USB device error may be a case of checking your USB dll - most likely auto-installed as part of your o/s but you might have installed at a later date if you added USB 2 support post hoc. (BTW as a general rule it's often better to run USB devices from the USB that is connected to the mobo rather then on a flyer cable. The later sometime give odd errors.)

Again with the USB - if it is causing problems then it might well be a case of checking how you are set for the actual startup of the pc. I've seen some pcs where peripheral cards don't boot up properly at switch on unless you have set a short delay. If something draws too much juice immediately (often a graphics card) on switch on it can stop other devices being seen by the pc - it then may crash if you try to load.

Some other possibilities - unseated RAM chips. Audio software tend to draw on a lot of RAM and if its not properly installed then you can easily get crashes. Also if you're ram sticks are not the same type you will wipe. (AND yes I've seen pc pass POST and seemingly run with mismatched/badly installed RAM. Only becomes an issue when you start to write to the bad ram...) Video card - again pretty much the same - bad seating will wipe you though if that was the cse here I'd be surprised that you passed the POST. Over heating - if your cpu over heats you will almost certainly wipe - audio software can push a cpu hard enough to tip it over the edge if your system is running hot.

Afraid these are really suggestions as, like I said I'd need a lot more info to really attempt to diagnose.

Cheers,
Tony

BTW - caveat et emptor warning - I"m not nor have ever been in IT in any way. Just offering ideas based on things I've come across. Others on here however have backgrounds in IT and may be able to give much better suggestions.

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Sep 28 2007, 02:19 AM

I used to get a Blue Screen everytime I switched my Pod XTL off or unplugged it while the PC was still on - a reinstall of Windows for a different reason fixed that. So, it could be something like that combined with a faulty USB connector as Tony suggested.

Posted by: coffeeman Sep 28 2007, 02:28 AM

Thanks a lot for your answer Tonymiro. Well I have a laptop , I bought in germany 3 years ago in a supermarket so I guess it isn't the last invention in technology. But it does have a good configuration , it has an AMD AThlon 1.79 GHZ, 512 MB in RAM and 50 GB in Hard Disk.

The only detail that I can give you is that the computer is very hot when Im using the toneport , It only shut down , if like it went out off bateries.

Im uninstalling some software I don't use to free some memory, and I'll uninstal and re-install the line6 software and live and I'll let you know. I guess if it is a hardware problem I'll have to buy a new computer.

Thanks.

Posted by: tonymiro Sep 28 2007, 02:44 AM

If it's really hot then that's probably the issue Coffeeman. Laptops sometimes overheat it they have poor air circulation. My wife has an annoying habit of using her Sony whilst lying on bed with it on a pillow. Bad news as the pillow blocks the cooling exhaust in and out . Make sure your laptop is raised up on the legs on the underside - this will help with circulation and that none of the air intakes are blocked. If there are any filters then after 3 years they may well need a quick clean.

If this doesn't help you might need to do the following:


If you know what you are doing you might be able to fit a new cooling sink/fan to the cpu in the laptop (the old one may either have died, come adrift or just not be up to the job) with thermolyte glue. Laptop's though are a bit of a pain to do hardware switches in - not a lot of space and the parts are both fiddlier and more expensive then a desktop. (I had to reseat and glue my cooler when I changed the harddrive on my laptop just last year - the little beggar was blocking the hd cradle!)

One thing - and maybe a bit painful - pc's tend to have a built in shelf life. I sort of see all of ours on a three-five year upgrade cycle regardless of how cutting edge it may have been when it was new. This is more painful with laptops because of their cost but imo it still remains the same... If your laptop has been overheating for some time save, if you haven't already done so, all your important stuff externally now and start considering a replacement as it might give up the fight soon. Overheating is often an indication of imminent hardware failure I'm afraid.

Cheers,
Tony

Posted by: coffeeman Sep 28 2007, 03:00 AM

Thanks for your answers.

Posted by: erik Sep 28 2007, 04:12 AM

you can always put your pc on "feets" so air can flow underneath the pc or you can put it in an open window. Or you can try to open it up as much as possible (there is usually a lot that can be taken of with a screwdriver) just be carefull with it when it's open.

You just have to do as much as possible so it will keep it's cool

edit: Put it in a refrigerator/freezer!!

Posted by: MickeM Sep 28 2007, 05:26 AM

I had that too, mine dies all the time without warning. I cleaned the fan from dust and after that it hasn't died once. Try that first!

My second guess. Since you seem to only have it with your equipment, maybe there's a grounding problem?
I have that currently on a stationary computer, if I start messing with the connections to the sound card, like plugging in a speaked when the computer is on it cuts power and then boots immediately.

I also had a laptop which had a battery with a bad connection, one could think that if it runs on power the battery is bypassed but it so happened that if I moved the laptop and the battery lost contact, it died.

But I'm just a dumb user and speak from the own experienced problems I had and how I solved them (except for the grounding problem, I just stopped messing around with the plugs. problem solved sort of). Besides these I know very little of how a computer works inside.
I see tonymiro has lots of qualified suggestions that are on a higher level that may help you.


Yes... that could work, or move to one of the poles Mind that guitars react on temperatur changes as you step into the freezer.

Posted by: tonymiro Sep 28 2007, 05:37 AM

Yep - check and clean the filters and cooling first Coffeeman. But also back your important data up as precaution asap.

Tried the freezer bit - my fingers and toes turned blue and fell off - not good for playing the guitar . OK the way I play it didn't make that much difference .

Cheers,
Tony

Posted by: coffeeman Sep 28 2007, 06:48 AM

Dear Friends,

Thank you all for your advices.....I'll let you know how it works.

I live in Bogota, Colombia , as you may know we don't have seasons and Bogotá is 2600 mts over the sea so it's pretty much cold specially at night, during the day we have a nice weather most of the time, but I always practice at night , so I have to warm up really well. So I guess Im not going to the poles I prefer to stay here.

Posted by: kahall Sep 28 2007, 10:46 AM

I hope supermarket means something else other than grocery store in Bogota. They don't sell laptops at those locations in the US, although I would not be surprised if they started to. Is that what we would call a Super Store, as in Super Walmart?



ahhh I love your country, always have even though I have never been there and know next to nothing about it. Just saying the word Bogota brings back memories of Rush 2112 and other things that have to do with lofty altitudes as well..