Yep, I am an avid advocate of having a dual boot PC. You can legally install your Windows software on a second partition on your hard drive. Install it clean, then strip it of all unnecessary stuff. Install a free antivirus to run while you are downloading all updates, drivers and other stuff you need, including the latest version of your DJ software of course. Also download ccleaner and wise registry cleaner and wise drive cleaner.
Install all the software, run updates, register online if necessary. Run in-app updates. Once you have all you need, turn off all network adapters. Remove the antivirus. Go to remove programs hit the tab “windows software” and remove everything you don’t need. Remove all printers and such.
Switch off all power saving features, like sleep hard disk, sleep monitor, standby/sleep mode, processor stepping, screen savers, etx.
Another one to switch off, imho, is the indexing feature. Your DJ software will run it’s own index, so you don’t really need it.
If you know what this does, Run “msconfig” and switch off all services you don’t need.
Run ccleaner (both disk and registry clean) several times til it shows no more problems. Do the same with both Wise bits of software.
You should have a clean & lean, unconnected install now with ONLY the stuff on it you need to DJ.
Don’t go online with this install again. When there is an update you need (for your DJ software or controller driver or such), download it from your other “regular” install and run it through the virusscanner. Then transfer it to the DJ install. I recommend and external harddisk. This will be seen from both installs, so you easily transfer that way. This is also the best way to transfer new tracks.
If you follow this way, your system will not deteriorate over time (or only VERY slowly) and will be as stable as you can get it. It will be at maximum speed all the time, with no unnecessary services running in the background. No internet connection means no way for bad stuff to enter, no “secret” background processes using the connection.
Hope that helps.
Greetinx.
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