Is my laptop too slow for playing music?

[gip111]

So I revived an older laptop running Win7, 1.6 MHz and a bit low on ram 512 mb upgradable to 2GB.
Anyway, connected an HRT music streamer II to going to my system but it has a skipping , stuttering sound to it, just not very clean and I'm wondering if it has to do with the fact that the laptop is too slow or perhaps win7 is a bit too much for this old laptop. I also tried a powered USB hub but no change noticed.
The HRT does fine with faster PC's.
Thoughts?

 

[E-Stat]

perhaps win7 is a bit too much for this old laptop

Win7 will constantly thrash with 512 MB of memory. 2 GB will work, but more is better.

 

[petehall347]

if you are running other programs at same time it will play up .. 1.6mhz is rather slow for 7 ..unless multi-core ..
best advice i have is run an old version of ubuntu or linux mint etc ...
or win 95 ... xp should run too .

 

[gip111]

I know I'm pushing it with win7, I didn't think it would make much difference since I would be using USB. Will definitely get more ram and perhaps even change to a small Linux distribution.

 

[robert_kc]

So I revived an older laptop running Win7, 1.6 MHz and a bit low on ram 512 mb upgradable to 2GB.
Anyway, connected an HRT music streamer II to going to my system but it has a skipping , stuttering sound to it, just not very clean and I'm wondering if it has to do with the fact that the laptop is too slow or perhaps win7 is a bit too much for this old laptop. I also tried a powered USB hub but no change noticed.
The HRT does fine with faster PC's.
Thoughts?

Some people have had satisfactory results with the MS II. Mine has been sitting unused for several years, because I haven’t been able to get it to work with Windows XP Media Center running on an AMD Athlon 64x2 dual core CPU 4600+ with 2 GB RAM. (Same problem: skipping.) When I contacted HRT shortly after I bought it, I received a dismissive answer - i.e., the problem was that my 5 year old (at that time) PC was "too old". At the time I bought the MSII, HRT did not specify minimum system requirements, so I am dissatisfied with HRT. I wish that I had returned it for a refund.

I’m hoping it will work when I get a new Windows 10 PC – probably later this year. Given the short support cycle for most hi-tech gizmos, I'm concerned that Windows 10 will be "too new" and won't be supported ... we'll see ...

 

[gip111]

I can't say it is a HRT problem since I have used it in other machines and works good in my win10 PC as well, with the exception of the old, slower laptop. However, when the HRT gets pushed to 24/96, it starts to stutter, a call to HRT support I was told to try a powered hub and I must say, in this case it worked.

 

[whell]

I know I'm pushing it with win7, I didn't think it would make much difference since I would be using USB. Will definitely get more ram and perhaps even change to a small Linux distribution.

I suspect a small footprint Linux distro would help. I had the same issue with Win 7 and drop outs on a lower spec laptop, but moving to Linux cured it. Currently using either Ubuntu Studio or MX-14, both use the XFCE desktop which is nice and efficient.

More RAM can't hurt either. :yes:

 

[robgmn]

Until you can upgrade the memory disable all nonessential programs that start automatically when you start windows. Then go into Windows 7 and disable all of the arrow and other functions that use memory unnecessarily. you may be able to free up just enough memory to keep it from stuttering, but 512 K is certainly not enough for Windows 7.

 

[satkinsn]

To be clear: your computer is fast enough. Memory is the issue here - as others have noted, 512K, and even a gig of memory, is simply not enough. Two will let you boot the computer and do one thing with it, like play music. I wouldn't bother turning off services and other arcane tricks for reclaiming dribs and drabs of memory - there's not enough to really matter, compared to your severe shortage of memory. The only thing I would be tempted to do, and even then I'm not sure it matters, is kill the Aero effects.

More memory. That will do it. If you can get to four you'll be much, much happier.

s.

Edit - As for Linux, most people don't want to go there. If you do, you still need more memory, unless you're running something tiny like Puppy. The major flavors of Ubuntu, the Mint spin-off, Fedora, Debian (mostly), Arch all are going to want a couple of gigs minimum to run a modern desktop and apps, and four is much, much better. Again, more memory, unless you really know what you're doing and can hack a minimal Linux system with, say, a command line audio player. Not most peoples' idea of a Good Time.

 

[g..v]

What's the rumor about having a flash drive plugged in to the computer. Can this help if you're short on installed memory?

 

[zerorectify]

Win7 will constantly thrash with 512 MB of memory. 2 GB will work, but more is better.

Exactly @ 512MB its writing to tha page file way to much with 2GB it should be fine with 7 x32 , 3 GB is even better you can put 4GB in it if it fits but it wont all get used (but most of it will thats what I would do in a minute ) in 32 bit windows.

I did that 4GB thing on my long retired old P4 desktop way back then when it was new right away (like a few days ) on XP x32 it was a decent move .
I think it came with 2GB .

Presumably you have 32 bit win 7 if you have 64 bit 4 GB would be an acceptable minimum and probably be fine for 99% of folks that was a coomon 7 x64 configuration .

 

[gip111]

Thanks for all the replies.
So I had a little time today and installed the max 2GB ram on this 10 year old laptop, installed MX-14 and so far so good, no pops, drops or stutters, sounds clean.
I basically just wanted this old laptop as a music source.

 

[gip111]

I suspect a small footprint Linux distro would help. I had the same issue with Win 7 and drop outs on a lower spec laptop, but moving to Linux cured it. Currently using either Ubuntu Studio or MX-14, both use the XFCE desktop which is nice and efficient.

More RAM can't hurt either. :yes:

Having used mostly Ubuntu Linux, MX-14 sure gave me a tough time trying to find the USB DAC. I gave up on Clementine but eventually figured it out on VLN.
Any idea how to use Clementine to play cd's ?

 

[robert_kc]

I used CCleaner / Tools / Startup utility to disable a number of programs from running at startup on my Windows XP PC that is equipped with a dual core CPU and 2 GB RAM. Based on testing for an hour, my Music Streamer II worked OK. This is the first time I’ve gotten MSII to work without skipping.

Based on this, I’m hopeful that when I get a new Windows 10 PC that MSII will work reliably.

Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[satkinsn]

What's the rumor about having a flash drive plugged in to the computer. Can this help if you're short on installed memory?

No. Flash drives are far slower than internal drives which are, in turn, far, far slower than memory. In theory, you could use a flash drive to cache content that memory was holding onto - basically giving memory a place to look for what it used recently but ran out of room to keep - but this is done much more efficiently, as a rule, inside the computer.

s.