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ableton to load instead of default windows interface

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 7:51 pm
by miromiric
i somehow managed to delete my windows which i only used for ableton. i had the windows tweaked so every time i started them ableton would start automatically and none of the windows silly proceses would start.
i lost the "how-to" do it.
maybe somone knows something about this and can help?

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 8:16 pm
by Johnisfaster
I guess first you'll need a new copy of windows..

to stop processes you'll need to go to start menu and type in msconfig and then enter and it'll take you to where you can turn those off... I don't recommend turning everything off

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 8:40 pm
by djsynchro
Basic:

http://www.musicxp.net/

Extensive!

http://pcaudiolabs.com/

Hope that helps.

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 8:41 pm
by Moody
You can drop a shortcut to the executable in the startup folder.

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 9:26 pm
by skoov
You mean using windows group policy replacing the Windows "Shell" with Ableton loading instead?

from an earlier tweaking thread

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... ght=gpedit

As I wait for beta 5, i'll post a tweak I use live...

More of a Window$ tweak than a Live tweak, but anyway...

When I use Live in a live environment, I run it as a 'Custom user interface' or 'shell' in Windows XP Professional. Basically what this is if you aren't familiar with it, is replacing Explorer with Live as a shell. This means there is no desktop environment, no taskbar, no start menu, no applets running, etc.

There are many advantages to this when using Live - improved stability, free memory, improved performance, etc. The disadvantage is you lose a practical way to multi-task. (But who needs multi-tasking when you only need to run Live live?)

To accomplish this in Windows XP Pro, type 'gpedit.msc' in the run command. This brings up the 'Group Policy Editor'. Under 'User Configuration' / 'Administrative Templates' / 'System', there is a setting called 'Custom user interface'. By default this setting is 'Not Configured' (meaning Explorer).

If you select 'Enabled' and type in the path to Live (or any application), Windows will boot into Live upon startup without anything else running.

Screenshot HERE

You must include parenthesis if the path to Live contains spaces - ex. "C:\Program Files\Ableton\Live 4.0b4\Program\Live 4.0b4.exe".

Restart computer!

If you do the above & wish to change the setting back, just hit CTRL+ALT+DEL to bring up the Task Manager, hit New Task (Run), type 'gpedit.msc' and change the setting back to 'Not Configured'. Restart and you're back to Explorer. If you use a sound device that requires an applet to be running all the time, then I don't really know what your success will be. I used to use an Emagic EMI USB card that installed itself as a system service and always ran at boot-up. I never had any problems running Live as a shell. If you decide to give it a shot, it won't mess up your system in any way. If for instance you enable this setting & the path or program is not found upon boot-up, Windows$ will load the default Explorer shell.

Unfortunately for Window$ XP Home users there is no Group Policy Editor. If you use Window$ 98, there is a different way to do this & I'll post how to as well as show you some other groovy crap like creating a boot-menu if anyone requests it. But for now, I'll assume noone is still running 98.
_________________
IBM Thinkpad T40 (23738CU)
Intel Pentium-M 1.5GHz (Banias)
Windows XP Professional 5.1.2600 Service Pack 1
512MB DDR RAM
Intel(r) 82801AA AC'97 Audio Controller

VSTi used: Kontakt, Reak[/quote]

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 10:31 pm
by amo
wow skoov, what a tip ! I'll try that later on, seems nice somehow, and freaky !
Thanks,
amo

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:01 pm
by protocol
skoov wrote:...
Must try this. :-)

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 12:25 am
by forge
damn, not for XP home :(

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:43 am
by Anubis
forge wrote:damn, not for XP home :(
Yeah, that feature alone is almost worth the proce of the upgrade to Pro... but not quite. Is there a way to do something like this with Home ed.?

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:24 am
by dave dominey
does this workin windows 2000?
i see the group policy editor but im wary 8O

regards
dave

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 11:39 am
by miromiric
yayayayyayyya thats the one!

good work.
ableton is 100% efficient working in this mod.

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 12:53 pm
by skoov
It is cool booting up my new Vaio and the Live splash screen being the first thing to appear out of the inky blackness... :lol: like an Ableton Appliance.

i've played live with this config,rock solid.

credit must go to dirtybomb for the tip.nice one

dave dominey,w2k should be ok too,take care with the old syntax.If you have issues just hit the windows key and run "explorer" from the start menu and windows will emerge from the shadows like a familiar but slightly boring relative in all its glory

:wink:

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 5:44 pm
by martin808
is there any way to boot up to ableton but be able to rewire reason as well?

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:11 pm
by Mike Goodwin
this is a fantastic tip.

thanks!

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:14 pm
by martin808
yes!!! you can just load up task manager and rewire reason too. perfect.