PG Music Home Forums PG Music Product Forums Band-in-a-Box for Windows BIAB Startup Time needs a fixin

I thought I would move it from here:

http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=246092#Post246092

as this deserves some more attention.

Somewhere back several years ago BIAB load time increased dramatically. No one seemed to notice. Many of us are running SD drives and it was manageable. However, with a recent update the load time had apparently been reduced. The claim was 20% but my experience saw a much more dramatic reduction, from all most a minute to 5 - 10 secs. I was thrilled and mentioned this in the forum. But alas for no apparent reason the load time has again increased. Actually it is inconsistent. Two days ago on my Surface it was 5 secs (wow), today 40 secs.

There must be a fix to this.

To find out exactly what your boot times are, we added a reporting function in BiaB 2014 Build 381.

Do the menu action [main menu] [help] [display log of yellow/green messages]

You will see lines like this:

- Bootup time in milliseconds =11,336 [4/1/2014 8:38:34 AM]

That means it took 11 seconds to bootup. So please search through that log, and post several entries.
Note that this is the time from when BiaB first gets control of the program to when its finished booting and drawn everything. So if there was a problem before that (such as a virus checker blocking things, then the bootup time would be listed as shorter than it really was, since the time we display is when we first get control of the program.

Once we get some data from people, we can work on finding out what is causing a boot delay from some people.

Cool, here is from my Surface:

From 6 sec to 57 secs, you can see why I am concerned!

- Bootup time in millseconds =7,428 [4/1/2014 10:51:34 AM]
**** New Session started at : 4/1/2014 10:51:34 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =57,168 [4/1/2014 9:31:24 AM]
**** New Session started at : 4/1/2014 9:31:24 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,279 [3/31/2014 2:10:36 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 2:10:36 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =6,275 [3/31/2014 1:26:05 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 1:26:05 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =31,336 [3/31/2014 1:22:59 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 1:22:59 PM

I tweaked my MSE antivurus to ignore the BIAB program (BBW.EXE) and that dramatically improved my time. Maybe look at something like that.

- Bootup time in millseconds =19,741 [4/1/2014 11:47:16 AM]
**** New Session started at : 4/1/2014 11:47:16 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =44,389 [4/1/2014 7:40:26 AM]
**** New Session started at : 4/1/2014 7:40:26 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =24,170 [3/31/2014 1:38:28 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,318 [3/30/2014 8:04:17 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 8:04:17 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,260 [3/30/2014 12:37:20 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 12:37:20 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =16,354 [3/30/2014 12:02:19 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =47,084 [3/26/2014 11:04:10 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/26/2014 11:04:10 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =47,300 [3/22/2014 7:31:22 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/22/2014 7:31:22 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =46,735 [3/21/2014 11:24:29 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =13,951 [3/18/2014 10:42:27 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =19,036 [3/18/2014 10:37:34 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/18/2014 10:37:34 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,116 [3/17/2014 9:41:28 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/17/2014 9:41:28 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =13,724 [3/17/2014 9:35:27 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/17/2014 9:35:27 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =18,262 [3/17/2014 9:35:02 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/17/2014 9:35:02 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =13,677 [3/16/2014 1:19:17 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/16/2014 1:19:17 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =13,608 [3/16/2014 1:16:50 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/16/2014 1:16:50 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =42,394 [3/16/2014 9:16:08 AM]

This happens to be one evening.
Note initial boot time at bottom for that day.

- Bootup time in millseconds =8,338 [3/20/2014 9:31:17 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/20/2014 9:31:17 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,195 [3/20/2014 8:46:33 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/20/2014 8:46:33 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,151 [3/20/2014 8:05:38 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/20/2014 8:05:38 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,163 [3/20/2014 6:51:48 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/20/2014 6:51:48 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =22,834 [3/20/2014 6:40:00 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/20/2014 6:40:00 PM

Thanks folks!

Start-up time is the most when I open BIAB for the first time of the day. When I close and re-open it's a lot faster.

Here are my most recent bootup logs. Seven seconds seems to be the norm, with an occasional 11-12.

My system takes longer upon the first start of BIAB after a reboot than does a restart. The first entry (today) is an example of this.

Note that I use a SSD boot drive that has the /BB folder (though the RealTracks and RealDrums are on another drive, a regular hard drive).

- Bootup time in millseconds =12,652 [4/1/2014 1:11:42 PM]
**** New Session started at : 4/1/2014 1:11:42 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,005 [3/27/2014 12:02:19 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/27/2014 12:02:19 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =6,758 [3/26/2014 11:56:53 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/26/2014 11:56:53 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =6,994 [3/22/2014 6:58:40 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/22/2014 6:58:40 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =11,340 [3/22/2014 3:57:42 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/22/2014 3:57:42 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,003 [3/21/2014 4:13:37 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/21/2014 4:13:37 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,399 [3/18/2014 5:21:11 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/18/2014 5:21:11 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,138 [3/17/2014 11:38:55 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/17/2014 11:38:55 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,443 [3/17/2014 11:23:29 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/17/2014 11:23:29 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =12,888 [3/17/2014 11:12:48 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/17/2014 11:12:48 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,224 [3/15/2014 3:33:07 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/15/2014 3:33:07 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,136 [3/15/2014 3:06:39 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/15/2014 3:06:39 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =23,620 [3/14/2014 4:56:34 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/14/2014 4:56:34 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,314 [3/13/2014 6:54:54 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/13/2014 6:54:54 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =6,992 [3/12/2014 2:37:03 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/12/2014 2:37:03 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,242 [3/12/2014 2:20:40 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/12/2014 2:20:40 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =11,630 [3/12/2014 2:19:38 PM]

This is on a 10 year old XP machine. I'm impressed!!

- Bootup time in millseconds =8,835 [4/1/2014 1:12:38 PM]
**** New Session started at : 4/1/2014 1:12:38 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =10,054 [4/1/2014 11:42:18 AM]
**** New Session started at : 4/1/2014 11:42:18 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,176 [4/1/2014 11:17:10 AM]
**** New Session started at : 4/1/2014 11:17:10 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,326 [4/1/2014 11:11:31 AM]
**** New Session started at : 4/1/2014 11:11:31 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =11,576 [3/31/2014 6:45:04 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 6:45:04 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,480 [3/30/2014 2:36:37 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 2:36:37 PM

and on 6 y/o Vista
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,798 [4/1/2014 2:51:16 PM]
**** New Session started at : 4/1/2014 2:51:16 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =6,723 [3/31/2014 2:10:28 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 2:10:28 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,007 [3/31/2014 2:07:33 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 2:07:33 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,998 [3/30/2014 4:32:19 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 4:32:19 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =6,015 [3/30/2014 11:02:14 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 11:02:14 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =6,179 [3/30/2014 10:34:30 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 10:34:30 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =6,158 [3/29/2014 8:47:17 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/29/2014 8:47:17 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,995 [3/29/2014 8:43:58 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/29/2014 8:43:58 PM

Startup times all over the shop, from ~5 to ~20 secs

Stats:

- Bootup time in millseconds =5,718 [02-Apr-14 06:25:59 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =17,884 [02-Apr-14 06:24:20 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,499 [28-Mar-14 02:23:22 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =16,430 [28-Mar-14 05:54:37 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,557 [25-Mar-14 09:13:07 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,240 [25-Mar-14 03:09:38 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =14,524 [24-Mar-14 11:17:51 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =37,986 [23-Mar-14 10:05:21 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,967 [22-Mar-14 03:40:28 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =7,937 [22-Mar-14 01:31:10 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,637 [22-Mar-14 12:58:00 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,265 [22-Mar-14 11:40:57 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =17,904 [22-Mar-14 11:23:34 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =13,137 [21-Mar-14 06:25:55 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,150 [20-Mar-14 04:20:07 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =13,020 [20-Mar-14 02:16:08 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =11,021 [17-Mar-14 12:20:12 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,092 [16-Mar-14 02:10:41 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =15,043 [16-Mar-14 10:46:15 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =10,453 [15-Mar-14 01:26:31 PM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,004 [14-Mar-14 11:13:18 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =19,965 [14-Mar-14 07:22:53 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,450 [12-Mar-14 11:33:54 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,326 [12-Mar-14 06:26:16 AM]
- Bootup time in millseconds =15,011 [12-Mar-14 06:00:55 AM]

Intel core i7 3.2GHz
12Gb RAM
Always faster after restart, probably because of Windows Cache
Just doing a single launch of the application, no song loaded etc shows a lot of I/O:

- Bootup time in millseconds =23,901 [1-4-2014 21:48:35]
**** New Session started at : 1-4-2014 21:48:35
- Running Windows Notepad.exe to display file C:\bb\Data\FlashMessageLog.txt [1-4-2014 18:53:25]
- Bootup time in millseconds =22,493 [1-4-2014 18:53:16]
**** New Session started at : 1-4-2014 18:53:16
- Running Windows Notepad.exe to display file C:\bb\Data\FlashMessageLog.txt [1-4-2014 18:49:42]
- Bootup time in millseconds =22,839 [1-4-2014 17:35:36]
**** New Session started at : 1-4-2014 17:35:36

- Bootup time in millseconds =42,026 [1-4-2014 12:52:47]
**** New Session started at : 1-4-2014 12:52:47
- Bootup time in millseconds =21,903 [31-3-2014 17:43:49]
**** New Session started at : 31-3-2014 17:43:49

- Bootup time in millseconds =22,063 [31-3-2014 15:58:52]
**** New Session started at : 31-3-2014 15:58:52
- Bootup time in millseconds =37,630 [31-3-2014 11:44:15]
**** New Session started at : 31-3-2014 11:44:15
- Bootup time in millseconds =28,348 [30-3-2014 22:02:48]
**** New Session started at : 30-3-2014 22:02:48

My mean and standard deviation looks to be the worst!! Why me?? I hope this can be fixed I hate long load times and my entire working career I have tried to reduce variance (SD^2).

FWIW: I've noticed the incredible number of IO reads too. No other program I use (e.g., Adobe Premiere, Lightroom, or Photoshop, or Cakewalk Sonar X1) takes nearly as long to launch as BIAB. As others have noted, relaunching BIAB results in a much faster time.

Seems BIAB loads a huge number of files it doesn't really need to minimally operate before displaying the chord window. I think old Windows operating system did something similar years ago. MS got around that by changing the series of events, such that the OP displayed the splash and login screens sooner, while the OP continued to load files. Maybe BIAB could do something similar? Seems like a simple programming solution, but I'm no programmer.

Bob

It's hard to discern any pattern from these numbers, but I hope the reporting of same helps PG Music. I can see why several of you are frustrated. We haven't heard from rharv yet; it might be his fault.

Those with horrible load times, try disabling your antivirus.

switching on my keyboard and my (usb) soundcard before starting band in a box seems to reduce my loading time with 50 %

Not bad, actually:

- Bootup time in millseconds =6,771 [4/2/2014 2:17:26 PM]
**** New Session started at : 4/2/2014 2:17:26 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,154 [3/29/2014 1:05:37 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/29/2014 1:05:37 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,144 [3/29/2014 1:04:16 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/29/2014 12:32:11 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,156 [3/29/2014 12:28:10 AM]
**** New Session started at : 3/29/2014 12:28:10 AM
- Bootup time in millseconds =5,181 [3/28/2014 11:42:40 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/28/2014 11:42:40 PM

WIN 8.1 64 Bit RAM 8GB

The load-up time is also impacted by what soft synths are present on the various tracks. For example, if Sampletank is present on a track when BIAB loads, the time increases noticeably.

Peter specifically said this reported time is related only to BIAB and starts only when it has grabbed all the files. So it should not be dependent on any AV scanning. But it is a good idea anyway and I did just this long ago.

My computer has 1.84 Dual Core Celeron processor, 2 GB of DDR2 memory, 80GB main drive, 1TB secondary drive and Windows XP. BIAB 2014 Build 381.

Avast antivirus program is programmed to ignore my music programs. Below are the boot-up times.

- Bootup time in millseconds =56,210 [4/2/2014 5:56:42 PM]
**** New Session started at : 4/2/2014 5:56:42 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,202 [3/31/2014 8:57:30 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 8:57:30 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,840 [3/31/2014 6:52:22 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 6:52:22 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,924 [3/31/2014 6:38:48 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 6:38:48 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,174 [3/31/2014 6:34:49 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 6:34:49 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =20,611 [3/31/2014 6:10:13 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 6:10:13 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =27,880 [3/31/2014 5:12:40 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/31/2014 5:12:40 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,279 [3/30/2014 7:45:18 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 7:45:18 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,194 [3/30/2014 7:32:55 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 7:32:55 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,355 [3/30/2014 7:22:38 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 7:22:38 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,106 [3/30/2014 6:42:50 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 6:42:50 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =25,007 [3/30/2014 6:38:23 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/30/2014 6:38:23 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =58,253 [3/29/2014 8:57:57 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/29/2014 8:57:57 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =36,979 [3/29/2014 8:37:45 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/29/2014 8:37:45 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,415 [3/25/2014 6:36:55 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/25/2014 6:36:55 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =29,052 [3/25/2014 6:20:26 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/25/2014 6:20:26 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =9,277 [3/24/2014 9:55:26 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/24/2014 9:55:26 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =8,924 [3/24/2014 9:34:59 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/24/2014 9:34:59 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =34,989 [3/24/2014 9:27:54 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/24/2014 9:27:54 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =56,724 [3/17/2014 6:10:37 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/17/2014 6:10:37 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =35,372 [3/16/2014 9:24:43 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/16/2014 9:24:43 PM
- Bootup time in millseconds =48,318 [3/15/2014 8:49:42 PM]
**** New Session started at : 3/15/2014 8:49:42 PM