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

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