IRQ ON LAPTOP

[shindigger]

Hello
Ive got a Sony Vaio
256 RAM
M2200 ATHLON.
Tascam US122.
T1.
I posted recently re glitching and popping during playback of 16 bars.
I also get bad glitching when i move the mouse anywhere within T1.
Ive read that IRQ probs are more or less unsolveable on a Laptop. And even if they were im not sure i would want to attempt a remedy myself.
I want to upgrade to a firewire interface (Firebox seems to be the fellow to choose.
My question is, would i eliminate any IRQ conflicts by simply using Firewire instead of USB?
I want to upgrade the ram on the Vaio but im notspending anything until i know its going to WORK. Its just too easy to spew money on this caper.
Any thoughts gratefully received.

[Cosmic Bandito]

I worked exclusively on Sony Vaio laptop for a while so I'll try to give you a few pointers. First off there is no way to change your device IRQ's on a laptop. So any USB or Firewire device (yes, firewire too) WILL share IRQ's with things like your Videocard etc..but you can minimize pops & clicks in other ways. I used an outdated Vaio Pentium 1.6G laptop until last year (running mostly plugins) without pops & clicks, so you shoud be okay with an AMD2.2 if your not doing heavy duty stuff with it. The trick is to customize windows for your audio so that nothing intrupts you music recording & playback. First off upgrade to at least 512mb or more of ram. Then try some these tips:

1) Uninstall ALL the Sony crap that comes stock on a Vaio laptop. It's all freeware & sony junk anyway.
2) Disable all visual effects in windows, keep it minmal
3) Turn off system restore and unneeded services, do your homework here, here's a link I use. Remember certain things a laptop you do not want turn off.
http://www.musicxp.net/

There's probably some other stuff but I'm not remembering right now. Also I used A PCMCIA souncard, but firewire should be acceptable to. USB will always be flakey and can cause pops & clicks.

I experimented and had to reinstall my OS like 5 times when started tweaking but after I learned XP inside and out. But I became sort of an extreme tweaker.

Good luck!

[shindigger]

nice work. will try all that. i was running compression reverb and chorus for 16 bars across 5 tracks. ran terribly. im sure the tascam has something to do with it too.
am tempted to ditch this for a minimac and firebox. as i need the vaio for other stuff too.
thanks again.