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Gear / Technical Help => Post-Processing, Computer / Streaming / Internet Devices & Related Activity => Topic started by: zowie on February 10, 2004, 11:57:15 AM

Title: when laptop power dies . . .
Post by: zowie on February 10, 2004, 11:57:15 AM

Is there a way to have WIN XP close and save a recording in progress (wavelab, SF, or other) when it hits the low battery thresholds?

Title: Re:when laptop power dies . . .
Post by: mfh2014 on February 10, 2004, 12:06:03 PM

Hmmm...depends on your software...I use Samplitude and it writes directly to WAV file so if my system crashes or powers down...i have the wav file...sometimes when this happens the header is messed up...but all the data is still there....i guess it really depends on how your software writes to disc...but there is certainly a way to find out....my motto, esp with laptop recording...test, test, test...

matt

Title: Re:when laptop power dies . . .
Post by: John Kelly on February 10, 2004, 12:32:44 PM

My suggestion is to not let it get that low. ;)

I don't think you can have Windows do that automatically, no.  But like Matt said, use software that writes the wav directly to disc (instead of to a buffer) so that if something happens the file is always there.

Title: Re:when laptop power dies . . .
Post by: mirth on February 10, 2004, 12:44:54 PM

You can have it set up to automatically shut down Windows but whether or not it will wait for you to acknowledge the end task box or just shut down is only something testing on your part will reveal.

Title: Re:when laptop power dies . . .
Post by: zowie on February 10, 2004, 12:54:07 PM

I've tested it with windows set to shutdown and to hibernate.  Lost the files both times (just a test run).

Of course not running too low is better, but I'd like some insurance.

Title: Re:when laptop power dies . . .
Post by: mirth on February 10, 2004, 12:59:32 PM

Both times you tested it what app were you using? I could see you losing the files if you're recording in Sound Forge.
Wavelab & other apps that write to the file directly might have the header problem that Matt mentioned but that's easy enough to recover.

Title: Re:when laptop power dies . . .
Post by: Willie T. on February 10, 2004, 02:19:45 PM

I have used Wavelab in the past, and when the battery died, all i had to do was plug it in, and the file was fine.

Title: Re:when laptop power dies . . .
Post by: zowie on February 10, 2004, 07:00:52 PM

I was using Wavelab.  File didn't seem to be there.

Title: Re:when laptop power dies . . .
Post by: Scooter on February 12, 2004, 05:40:47 PM

Make sure you have Wavelab set to record "Named File", not "Temp File" in the record dialog window.  If you select "Temp File" and your rig crashes, it will leave your files as a wierd "$$$" file.  That is if you can even find it.  I have heard that you can recover these "$$$" files, but i don't have any frst hand exp.

Title: Re:when laptop power dies . . .
Post by: zowie on February 12, 2004, 06:28:07 PM

Thanks, I'll play with it tonight.