tracktion lagging

[mrj1813]

Hello, bear with me.

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 at 2.40 Ghz, 8 gigs ram, win 7 64 bit
M-audio profire 2626
tracktion 5.4.3

Was using 5.4.2 with minimal problems. I had a SSD for EZdrummer2 and sampletank3 samples, and two 7200 rpm drive, one for programs/OS and the other for my music projects. Couple weeks ago my computer was suddenly caught in an infinite boot cycle that I couldn't fix with my VERY limited computer knowledge. Brought it in to the local computer repair shop.

They were able to fix it and said it wasn't a virus. Weren't positive on what caused it, something had corrupted the boot registry or something like that, like leftover stuff on the drive from when I put Win 7 on it a few months ago (had been using xp but wanted to go to 64 bit). Or maybe a failed windows update, they didn't give me a great answer that I could understand.

Anyhoo, while it was in the shop I had them put in another SSD drive (same type my samples were on) to be my C drive and had them move everything over from the old C drive. Figured that would make my programs load super quick. So my current config is:
C: SSD with programs/OS
D: optical drive
E: SSD sample drive
F: old 7200 disc drive which used to be the C drive that still has all the data on it
G: old 7200 disc drive which has been my project drive for a long time

Brought it home last week and initially was pretty good. When I first loaded a project I had to browse for it cuz I figure the drive letter had changed to G: instead of I think it was E: previously (even though it was the same physical drive). Things seemed fine but now tracktion has serious lag.

If I don't have any projects selected, tracktion loads quickly. If I have a project selected it takes a while for the edits to appear, 10-15 sec. While it's thinking it states "not responding" in upper left corner. On the Projects page, when I hover the mouse over any clickable area, the popup help lags a split sec where it used to be instantaneous. When I select an edit to open it takes a while again and gives me the "not responding' while it's thinking. On the Settings page, seems to be no problem with lag, everything I click happens very fast. Projects are loading noticably slower, even ones without much in them.

In an actual edit, the lag is quite noticable with things like creating a new track, trying to move clips around, undo. I can't slide or move a clip in real or almost real time, which is infuriating. The cursor seems to move quickly, vol/pan are fine, plugs take longer to open but once they are the controls work quickly without lag. There is lag with moving an input to another track, turning record on and off, and after recording a clip there is lag until to waveform actually shows up. When I try to drag the bottom edge of a track input to make it bigger....lag. This is all new behavior since the computer repair.

The only things I downloaded after I got the computer fixed were Malwarebytes and CC cleaner. I turned off CC cleaner actively running in the background with no effect. Same antivirus I have used forever. I did start using the Windows firewall instead of the AVG one I had been using so I shut that off with no improvement. I did upgrade to Tracktion 5.4.3 a few days ago so I went back to the F: drive (which used to be the C: drive) and still has all the programs/data on it, and I opened up Tracktion 5.4.2 which behaves exactly the same with the same lag. This seems to only be a Tracktion thing also. I can open up S-gear or EZdrummer2 in standalone and they work perfectly with no lag.

I don't think this is a latency issue as that has to do with sound monitoring, right? I usually use 256 or 512 buffer at 44100. Sound plays back just fine, no pops/clicks. CPU level is fine, in the 40's in an edit with a fair amount of stuff. Using all 4 cores, max monitoring latency 5ms, low latency buffer size 5.8 ms, internal buffer multiplier X1 256 samples 5.8 ms, which are all settings I've never changed. I've tried every buffer setting with no change. I'm thinking somehow this all has to do with the fact that the drive letters got moved around but I don't really know. Did some googling but can't find much.

Very sorry for long post but would appreciate any help.
thanks in advance
sam

for your time, here's my 12 year old rapping 2 Chainz/Wiz Kalifa in a karaoke cover, recorded tonight in Tracktion although the lag made it a pain in the ass.