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6. [New] Bypass Windows Explorer (User Interface)

Thanks to texastea006 (Mike) for sharing experience on Windows Explorer settings. If you change settings in Folder options or Task bar properties, this affects sound quality. Windows Explorer (desktop user interface) must not be confused with Internet Explorer as these are separate things. Windows Explorer is a nasty piece of work which consumes memory (10MB-60MB+) and randomly performs tasks. It interferes with running tasks / progams and files being accessed. Hence it affects sound quality.

Solution is to bypass Explorer through stopping Explorer and only running Foobar. After exiting Foobar, Explorer is restarted. Steps:

1. Separate Foobar from Explorer. Foobar > Preferences > Display > Columns UI > Status bar/Systray TAB > Uncheck all items in 'System notification area'

2. Detune Windows Explorer UI.
Control Panel > Folder Options > View TAB > Uncheck as many items (leave 'Use simple file sharing' checked).
Right-click on Start > Properties > Start Menu TAB > Customize > Advanced TAB > Uncheck and Disable as many 'Start menu items' you can (key things needed are Control Panel, Run and My Computer).

3. Download 'Process' utility from link below (freeware). Zip file contains a small (25k) program called process.exe which you must extract to c:\ (your root directory). This program allows access to windows tasks where you can stop, suspend… processes as seen in Task Manager's Processes TAB.

4. Create a ?.bat file and save to your Desktop using Notepad. I call mine 'cicsStart.bat'. Copy following commands into this file:

@echo off
rem Kill Windows UI
start /wait c:\process.exe -k explorer.exe

rem Start Foobar2000 in realtime (%1 allows playing .wav files from File Explorer)
start /wait /REALTIME c:\progra~1\foobar2000\foobar2000.exe %1

rem Start Windows UI after exiting Foobar2000
start /wait /B c:\windows\explorer.exe

5. Start Task Manager (under Options, make sure 'Always on top' is checked). Goto Processes TAB and locate explorer.exe. Take note of memory consumed and CPU activity.

6. Run cicsStart.bat (or other name you have chosen) by double-clicking file on your Desktop. Process explorer.exe in Task Manager should disappear and foobar2000.exe & cmd.exe should appear. Also note all memory consumed by explorer.exe is now available (under Performance TAB). You can copy this .bat file in your Startup directory instead of the Foobar shortcut. This way, computer boots up directly with Foobar without any interference from Explorer.

7. Test sound quality. There should be a nice improvement.

Note you could choose to replace default Windows Explorer UI with other 3rd party versions but I prefer not having any UI present when playing music (most optimal option).

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Atma-Sphere Music Systems, Inc.  

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