[linux-audio-user] Were's the weak link?

[linuxmedia4 at netscape.net]

Hi,

I installed the Indigo IO card on my FC5/CCRMA system. I've done 
everything I could think (or was suggested) to optimize my system to 
allow for smooth, uninterrupted recording, including buying a 7200rpm 
drive, tunning my hard disk, trying different 'Frames/Period' and 
'Periods/Buffer' settings in qjackctl. My BIOS dosen't allow for 
reordering of IRQs, so I disabled any peripheral that I absolutly could 
do without, but I'm still having problems.

I'm running ecasound and jackd (both with realtime priorities). When
recording or in playback, sometimes I hear disruptions, but they don't
always end up in the actual recording. But there are *always* a few
noticeable pops, clicks or even loss of data in the actual
recorded audio files.

Can anyone spot where the "weak link" is in my system. I put in this
post (what I believe) is the most relevant information...

My system...
Dell Precision M50 laptop
2 GHz Processor
1 Gig Ram
2.6.16-1.2080.16.rrt.rhfc5.ccrma
7200rpm hard drive

'cat /proc/interrupts' (before disabling peripherals) shows:

   0: 3945911  XT-PIC [........N/  0]  pit
   1:    2898  XT-PIC [........./  6]  i8042
   2:       0  XT-PIC [........N/  0]  cascade
   5:   16931  XT-PIC [........./  0]  Intel 82801CA-ICH3 Modem, Intel
82801CA-ICH3
   7:       4  XT-PIC [..P....../  0]  parport0
   8:       1  XT-PIC [........./  0]  rtc
   9:       2  XT-PIC [........./  0]  acpi
  11:    8900  XT-PIC [........./  0]  yenta, yenta, yenta, pcmcia2.0,
Indigo IO, uhci_hcd:usb1, uhci_hcd:usb2, ohci1394
  12:   78714  XT-PIC [........./  6]  i8042
  14:   74419  XT-PIC [........./  1]  ide0
NMI:       0
LOC:       0
ERR:       0
MIS:       0

'/sbin/hdparm /dev/hda' shows...

  multcount    = 16 (on)
  IO_support   =  3 (32-bit w/sync)
  unmaskirq    =  0 (off)
  using_dma    =  1 (on)
  keepsettings =  0 (off)
  readonly     =  0 (off)
  readahead    = 256 (on)
  geometry     = 16383/255/63, sectors = 117210240, start = 0

(3 reads of) 'hdparm -Tt /dev/hda'...

/dev/hda:
  Timing cached reads:   1368 MB in  2.00 seconds = 683.60 MB/sec
  Timing buffered disk reads:  112 MB in  3.03 seconds =  36.93 MB/sec
/dev/hda:
  Timing cached reads:   1368 MB in  2.00 seconds = 682.87 MB/sec
  Timing buffered disk reads:  120 MB in  3.02 seconds =  39.68 MB/sec
/dev/hda:
  Timing cached reads:   1368 MB in  2.00 seconds = 683.64 MB/sec
  Timing buffered disk reads:  120 MB in  3.02 seconds =  39.75 MB/sec

Thanks,
Rocco