Stuck at the starting gate

bikewriter · Post by **bikewriter** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 12:46 pm

Audacity was working fine until this morning. Not sure what I did. Mostly looking into trying to lower the input level (which was already showing at zero) because my live recording was clipping/distorting. I also downloaded the Lame encoder (though I think I already had it.) Now, suddenly, when I hit the record button the cursor does move and no recording takes place. Instead it just pulses as if it wants to move but can't. What's really odd is that I've already uninstalled and reinstalled the program and it still does the same thing. I'm running V1.2.6 on Windows XP. I tried installing the new Beta but it does the same thing,too.

Post by **kozikowski** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 3:10 pm

<<<my live recording was clipping/distorting.>>>

I'll fill in the blanks. You're recording something like a turntable or cassette machine by plugging an adapter cable into the Mic-In of your laptop. Did I hit it? Has this ever worked? I'm guessing no.

Most Windows laptops need a little help like a USB audio adapter to connect stereo show cables. We've been recommending the UCA202.

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9477

Reinstalling Audacity has nothing to do with trashing the program files. Audacity keeps its personality in separate configuration files and they tend to survive a reinstall. So the new Audacity just picks up right where the old one left off. You can actually "resintall" Audacity by trashing the configuration files and restart the program you already have.

I can't tell you how to do that on a Windows machine. We need to wait for the Windows elves.

Koz

bikewriter · Post by **bikewriter** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 4:05 pm

Thanks for your reply. Actually, I was recording live using a microphone, something I had done successfully numerous times.
It sounds like the configuration files are the issue and I'm guessing that they are in the registry.
I'll wait for some more pointers before proceeding there

Post by **kozikowski** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 6:10 pm

The Audacity 1.2 settings were in the Dreaded Windows Registry, but Audacity 1.3 keeps its files separate -- I have no idea where.

If the microphone volume slider in Audacity won't do it -- or has no effect, then you may need to adjust the Windows Control Panels directly. That's basically all Audacity is doing, anyway. Audacity doesn't directly touch any of the sound services. It always goes through the Operating System to get there. That's usually safe, but it can get lost in the face of competing programs.

You can cause craziness like this if you install Skype or other conferencing or calling system. Skype Does Not Play Well With Others.

Koz

bikewriter · Post by **bikewriter** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 11:31 pm

I do have Skype, but I've had it for a while and Audacity was working fine until today. I wish I could remember what I did, exactly.
I know I downloaded the Lame Encoder and changed a few settings. This issue is not about volume.
When I hit Record, the cursor does not move and display a spectrogram like it used to.
Instead it just sits there at time zero and twitches like it wants to move but something is holding it back.
I was trying to reduce the record volume when it happened, though it seemed like the input slider was already at zero.

All menu items are grayed out while this is happening.
Meanwhile, the program will still play back earlier project files but it will not record new ones.

thomasthetrn · Post by **thomasthetrn** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 11:35 pm

Question??

I'm exporting a file that I just recorded and save it as an Mp3 format. I'm successful on the first run, then I make a second recording and try to do the same thing and I get the message saying some files may not be able to read this. This makes it unreadable by WMP. Anybody know what thats about or how I can fix it??

Post by **kozikowski** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:32 am

<<<play back earlier project files but it will not record new ones.>>>

This is one of the symptoms of running out of hard drive space. You should have between 10% and 20% of free space left on your system drive and the drive you told Audacity to put the work.

Edit > Preferences > Directories.

Audacity will not work into a badly fragmented drive, either. When was the last time you did an Error Check and Defragment?

Koz

bikewriter · Post by **bikewriter** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 10:17 pm

That's not the issue.I have 48GB free, 34%.
I need someone to tell my how to clear the registry.

Post by **kozikowski** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:43 pm

http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php? ... references

Koz

bikewriter · Post by **bikewriter** » Sat Oct 02, 2010 1:08 am

I can't get this to work.
I deleted all the reference from the registry, then reinstalled the program. It actually worked for a while. I recorded one track and then a second.
On the third try it didn't record, the cursor swept but I got no spectrogram. Then, before long I was back with my original symptom. Cursor will not move off the start point.
I'm about ready to give on on this program.
THIS IS A pc RUNNING xp. ver 1.26

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