Using non-dedicated Windows 10 PC as DAW?

BirminghamSam

New member
Is anyone successfully using a Windows 10 PC as both their recording machine and for everything else you use a computer for? How are you doing it?

I'm thinking I'd set up two different user accounts, where the audio one loads just the bare bones for audio (no Internet, no anti-virus, etc, and I physically unplug the network cable) and then the other account has a more standard software configuration. I'd appreciate any tips, or problems you ran into and solved!

For years I've been running 2 separate computers (1 = recording studio, 1 = everything else), but I'm hoping with Windows 10 and current hardware I can consolidate on one. My main studio apps are Cubase and Wavelab.

Thanks for your help!

Sam
 
A lot of folks do that...use their "everything" computer...though not sure how much dual profiles will make it better, since you still have one underlying OS...so whatever "junk" it has to deal with when you are not using it as a DAW, will still be tied to the OS when you do.

I still run my DAW as a standalone computer...offline....and in doing so I was able to strip it way down, and it stays that way, lean and fast and purpose-built.
I will never run my DAW any other way...but also, my DAW is in my studio, like all my studio gear, so I have little need to flip back-n-forth.

If I need to be on the net while in the studio...I grab my "everything" laptop and bring it to the studio, and plug it into the network connection there, which I have for when I need to download/upload stuff, using my "everything" computer as the go-between.

Anyway...it's really up to you to decide if that dual profile approach works for you, and you will tell over time how well it works for you. I think it will be messy, because if/when you do want to use the net, you then have to log out of the DAW, log in to the other profile and connect...etc...and depending how often you need to do that, it might become a PITA...plus, if you ever forget, and you end up connected to the net, no AV...while on the DAW...then....?
 
Interested in the question as well, my DAW's have all been dedicated also. But, due for an upgrade, and we're in the process of getting a new win 10 for a general machine. I will have it built -for lots of the options I'm used to having in a PC now -all our 'general ones have been 'the old DAW's since about three or four revs ago :>)
Anywho, this'll also be my first 'test bed as a PC with all the junk on it' + loading up as a second/optional DAW'. Should be interesting.
 
I think it's been 12 or more years that I have been recording on a DAW. I use the same laptop for both and have never had any issues.
Don't use torrents and **** sites and you should be okay lol.
 
Here's a thought ..question. All my StudioCat's DAW's Jim always used the Pro' ver of whichever Win we were running. I think it might have been for the options ..or easier to deal with, not sure exactally..?
 
I found windows 10 to be pretty bloated. I had a general purpose-laptop that I used for live sound. After I updated to Win 10, it didn't run fast enough anymore. (It wasn't a high-spec machine, but clearly win10 is more of a resource hog than 7)
 
Computers are cheap enough nowadays to have more than one. I have a laptop a desktop, an ipad, and 2 dedicated music only rackmount computers. And im not a techie nor rich. :)

When i need some software download, program, vst, etc, most of the time I'll just download it on my phone, then transfer it to the music computers.

Both music PCs are never online and running windows 7.
Works fine and I have piece of mind.
:D
 
I personally would not wish to take the chance of any update or malicious site compromising my recording computer. Keep them separate would be my advice.

You can get a laptop for $200 at a used dealer. Use that for the stuff that is not important.

Trust me, once you lose files because you didn't keep them separate, you will understand why...

I now have 3 internal and 3 external drives for recording and backups. I only use internet on my recording PC for ILOK, Waves and other software updates related to recording. I do not even trust this site enough to open on my recording PC.

I also refuse to do any Microsoft updates on my recording PC. It works flawlessly now. Not about to fix something that isn't broken.
 
Win 10 sucks. If you've got older hardware, chances are the mfrs don't have drivers for it.
Right click to shut down, call up file explorer? Really? AN extra click for everything. Sorry, rant over. I just hope my old Win 7 machine keeps ticking for my music stuff.
 
I'm also a long time Windows 7 DAW user and have zero reason to upgrade to Win10. I even fought it tooth-and-nail when Micro$oft was trying to shove the upgrade down everyone's throats. Our spare laptops at home have 10 and that will be as far into our computing environment Windows 10 gets. For DAW purposes I will be holding out as long as possible with 7.

My professional experience with Windows 10 would be, at best, mixed. It works fine when it works, but the problem is that I've seen updates break the OS (to the point of system restore or complete system reload) and other "my network disappeared" type random major functionality issues to ever trust it. Clients only get Windows 10 on new PCs if they specifically request it or upgrade to it on their own, otherwise we're still buying Windows 7 Pro until they don't offer it. FFS sake if something is working great then friggin keep using it. Don't fix what aint broke.
 
Re this above, I'm at Vista with my DAW -the only problem I have with this one is I need to get to 64bit.
The home' pc is XP.
If you're looking at upgrading, I guess a good question now is- How long would we expect to hold on with Win 7 (or 8?
 
If you're looking at upgrading, I guess a good question now is- How long would we expect to hold on with Win 7 (or 8?

Win7 will be supported by M$ through 2020. That can be further extended, like they did twice for Windows XP. Even once that vanishes, the already installed music software will be good for as long as they're functional and/or the software developer stops sending out updates and supporting Windows 7. With no Windows updates being applied to Win7 software companies likely won't have anything to patch unless it's functionality within their app / bug fixes, which have nothing to do with the operating system. Many software companies supported XP for a while after it was formally retired by Micro$oft.

If you can get Win7 cheap then get it. If not, then perhaps 8.1 or even 10 if cheaper. For those already using music software with Win7, there's no compelling reason to upgrade. None. By time there could be a reason Windows 12 or 13 will be available. Upgrade then. Or maybe try Linux, which I'm hoping to do in a few years. ;)
 
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(this was a reply to a post above that I should have quoted - sorry, I'm a newbie to this message board - Sam)
Good to know that you have 12 years of success with the single-PC setup!
 
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I think it's been 12 or more years that I have been recording on a DAW. I use the same laptop for both and have never had any issues.
Don't use torrents and **** sites and you should be okay lol.

Good to know that you have 12 years of success with the shared single-PC setup! Thanks.
 
Gone are the days when I could afford a dedicated DAW. I now do all my work on a "shared" PC running Windows 10.

Some caveats:

I'm VERY careful about what extras I load onto the machine and try to keep the internal disk drive down around 50% capacity.

When used as a DAW, the Wifi and Anti virus software are turned off and nothing else is allowed to run in the background. I've also followed one of those "optimise your Windows 10 for sound recording" lists of suggestions.

Most important, neither my wife nor my 12 year old son who thinks he's a computer whiz are allowed near my laptop.

Working that way (and at the risk of jinxing myself) I've not had any problems.
 
"Gone are the days when I could afford a dedicated DAW. I now do all my work on a "shared" PC running Windows 10." (given up on "quote").
You surprise me Bobbs? My (fixed) retired income is about £12000pa but I have a dedicated music computer in a bedroom developed for son's use. An AMD 6core 3G, largely redundant now. My main PC is this HP g6 i3 laptop which does all my email, forum work etc but also has some audio capability in it. Abobe A 1.5 and a couple of Samplitude freebies plus Cubase El6 (if I want to hunt up the dongle! Rarely do.) . That audio kit is mainly used for listening/modifying clips from forumites. noises etc.

Then there is a modest 2.7G 2 core machine next to me as I type in my living room. This is hooked up to a 40" JVC "semi-smart" TV (combined bday and crimble prezzie from me to me!) That runs sound out of an ESI 1010e PCIe AI to a pair of very small but quite acceptable powered speakers.

I had another W7 (all above are 7) PC but converted that 10 for the craic..HATED it! It just takes so much longer to find and do what you did in W7! I have since given the machine to daughter for her's and grandson's use. One GS uses 10 at school so that's ok.

Audio meltdowns with 10 updates? Yes, read of lots of those. I too am going to hang onto W7 for as long as I can. Is there a cut off date for 8.1? I have never used it but if it means I can stay away from 10 post 2020, worth a do!

Windows 12? Don't think so. I read somewhere that Ms reckon 10 is the last OS they will produce and it will just be incrementally "refined" (aka "buggered up" for minority users such as we) with updates. To my mind, don't matter WHAT they call it, the 2021 updated W10 will be SO bent out of shape we will all call it Win 17!

Dave.
 
Sigh. My retirement income is actually rather more than yours but there are two differences.

First, I have a 12 year old "afterthought" to bring up and kids are expensive...and the Global Financial Crisis then Brexit. When we moved to Australia, my UK pension gave me betwee $2.40 and $2.50 to the pound. After the pound collapsed during the GFC, that went as low as $1.48 to the pound.

It was just recovering (back to a bit over $2.00 to the pound) when a bunch of lying imbeciles persuaded the stupid Brits to vote to leave the EU and I'm back to getting about $1.60 to the pound.

As for Windows 10, I had some system specific issues that persuaded me to "upgrade" and I was one of the lucky ones. No real problems an actually some features I like about it....not least that I now have way more HDD space available. However, I've also heard the horror stories and my upgrade was in the "dragged kicking and screaming" category.

Anyhow, whether Windows 7 or 10, so long as you're careful about what rubbish you allow to be loaded on your computer, things still work. FYI, at one point this week, I had Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition and Adobe Photoshop all running together and, amazingly, it all worked!

(At this point, I just did a check and realise that the only non-audio/video programmes I have running on my computer are Chrome, Thunderbird and Open Office. Maybe my system isn't as "shared" as I thought....
 
So sorry Bobbs!

Yes, I quite agree, we were shafted by a bunch of xenophobic, racist twats. I sent my son and his partner in France E100 for crimble, cost me £93 odd this year!

BTW, wrong place to post I know but I have just learned on the news that private schools, Eton, 'Arrow and the like, get TAX breaks..FFS why?

Dave.
 
Has anyone ever had a computer 100% reliable? I always run multiple machines and when I get a new one, this does video, the old 'best' one then runs audio, the next old one runs less demanding applications down to the old XP machines kept running for software reasons - as in old expensive software that MUST remain on XP. As this usually means at least two machines have the same software, a fault on one just means moving to the next one. I use external USB3 drives and have never been stuck. Just move them to the next machine, and carry on. No way in the world would I buy one amazingly specific computer and relying on it - especially with Windows 10, which I like, but which refuses to obey my requests for no updates. Clearly it knows best, and needing it to boot up fast, when it wants to install updates I don't want is a pain - especially when some wreck existing setups.

Two, preferably 3 machines - never one!
 
Aye Rob!

I would go down with the Screaming Habdabs if I only had one PC! I have had things break and NOT having another machine to get help with would be terrible.

Dave.
 
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