Tech Support > Microsoft Windows > Audio stuttering out-of-the-blue?
Audio stuttering out-of-the-blue?
Posted by dev on November 3rd, 2005


/poster/ said:

> With no apparent reason, all audio files began to stutter a crackle a bit.
> Winamp, WMplayer, all applications are affected. I uninstalled and
> reinstalled the latest audio drivers (soundmax, from the asus website since
> it's an asus mboard). It's a fairly powerful system, P4 2.8, 1gb ram and
> never had this problem before. I'm just unable to get rid of this. In the
> audio mixer, I've enabled Volume control, wave, cd player and line in. All
> the rest (bassboost etc. is disabled). A web site suggested to lower the
> volume or even mute the wave tab, but that also mutes the central volume
> control.
> What else can I do?


Verify that the soundcard (if any) is seated in its slot, and that
connections to it are firm.
Have any cards been installed recently? Are there nearby devices that could
cause static?
Another soundcard (if a card is used) could be tested.

--
For most XP answers and tweaks...
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm
http://dougknox.com http://aumha.org
http://support.microsoft.com

Posted by poster on November 3rd, 2005


Hi everyone,

with no apparent reason, all audio files began to stutter a crackle a bit.
Winamp, WMplayer, all applications are affected. I uninstalled and
reinstalled the latest audio drivers (soundmax, from the asus website since
it's an asus mboard). It's a fairly powerful system, P4 2.8, 1gb ram and
never had this problem before. I'm just unable to get rid of this. In the
audio mixer, I've enabled Volume control, wave, cd player and line in. All
the rest (bassboost etc. is disabled). A web site suggested to lower the
volume or even mute the wave tab, but that also mutes the central volume
control.
What else can I do?

Thanks a lot


Posted by poster on November 3rd, 2005


No add-on soundcard, it's on-board. And there is no recently installed
hardware. It doesn't sound as a connection problem, the audio gaps are quite
'fixed', every second or so there's a gap or crackle. Sth. to do with
excessive network activity perhaps? A month ago I've upgraded from dial-up
to dsl but there were no such problems up to now. Also, there's a sat-card
which creates it's own network connection. Again no problems, up to now.

"dev" <dev@null.invalid> wrote in message
news:%23Bb8ofF4FHA.696@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>
> Verify that the soundcard (if any) is seated in its slot, and that
> connections to it are firm.
> Have any cards been installed recently? Are there nearby devices that
> could
> cause static?
> Another soundcard (if a card is used) could be tested.
>
> --
> For most XP answers and tweaks...
> http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm
> http://dougknox.com http://aumha.org
> http://support.microsoft.com



Posted by Ron Rector on November 3rd, 2005


If it appears to affect all aspects of audio perhaps there is a 3rd party app
running in the background interfering.

Perhaps try the following for a test. (This temporarily disables 3rd party
applications from launching at startup)

Click start/run

Type in msconfig hit ok.
Choose selective startup on the General tab.

Under it untick Process System.ini and untick Process Win.ini
Untick Load Startup items.

Click on the Services tab.
Tick the box that states "Hide all Microsoft services" and then untick all
remaining services. (do not click disable all, untick one at a time)

Click on apply and tehn close.

Restart when prompted.

Now test your sound after the reboot to see if the problem occurs in this
enviroment.
Please post back results.

"poster" wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> with no apparent reason, all audio files began to stutter a crackle a bit.
> Winamp, WMplayer, all applications are affected. I uninstalled and
> reinstalled the latest audio drivers (soundmax, from the asus website since
> it's an asus mboard). It's a fairly powerful system, P4 2.8, 1gb ram and
> never had this problem before. I'm just unable to get rid of this. In the
> audio mixer, I've enabled Volume control, wave, cd player and line in. All
> the rest (bassboost etc. is disabled). A web site suggested to lower the
> volume or even mute the wave tab, but that also mutes the central volume
> control.
> What else can I do?
>
> Thanks a lot
>
>
>

Posted by poster on November 3rd, 2005


Thanks. Before trying this, I disabled the network connection created by the
skystar2 sat card. Problem solved. Not acceptable though, because the card
requires enabled network in order to work, and also disabling it requires a
restart... I'll enable it again and try our suggestion, maybe sth. else
interferes with it, since I had no such problems with this card before.

"Ron Rector" <RonRector@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FC8A7A1A-65D7-46E6-B1A6-8D879ABEE949@microsoft.com...
> If it appears to affect all aspects of audio perhaps there is a 3rd party
> app
> running in the background interfering.
>
> Perhaps try the following for a test. (This temporarily disables 3rd party
> applications from launching at startup)
>
> Click start/run
>
> Type in msconfig hit ok.
> Choose selective startup on the General tab.
>
> Under it untick Process System.ini and untick Process Win.ini
> Untick Load Startup items.
>
> Click on the Services tab.
> Tick the box that states "Hide all Microsoft services" and then untick all
> remaining services. (do not click disable all, untick one at a time)
>
> Click on apply and tehn close.
>
> Restart when prompted.
>
> Now test your sound after the reboot to see if the problem occurs in this
> enviroment.
> Please post back results.
>



Posted by poster on November 3rd, 2005


Ok Ron, I did what you suggested and the audio is fine, along with the
sat-card. I guess now I have to enable services one by one, to find out
what's causing the trouble, right? I'll post back tomorrow, thanks.


"poster" <notworking@email.com> wrote in message
news:dkctv4$lmb$1@newsmaster.pub.dc.hol.net...
> Thanks. Before trying this, I disabled the network connection created by
> the skystar2 sat card. Problem solved. Not acceptable though, because the
> card requires enabled network in order to work, and also disabling it
> requires a restart... I'll enable it again and try our suggestion, maybe
> sth. else interferes with it, since I had no such problems with this card
> before.
>
> "Ron Rector" <RonRector@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:FC8A7A1A-65D7-46E6-B1A6-8D879ABEE949@microsoft.com...
>> If it appears to affect all aspects of audio perhaps there is a 3rd party
>> app
>> running in the background interfering.
>>
>> Perhaps try the following for a test. (This temporarily disables 3rd
>> party
>> applications from launching at startup)
>>
>> Click start/run
>>
>> Type in msconfig hit ok.
>> Choose selective startup on the General tab.
>>
>> Under it untick Process System.ini and untick Process Win.ini
>> Untick Load Startup items.
>>
>> Click on the Services tab.
>> Tick the box that states "Hide all Microsoft services" and then untick
>> all
>> remaining services. (do not click disable all, untick one at a time)
>>
>> Click on apply and tehn close.
>>
>> Restart when prompted.
>>
>> Now test your sound after the reboot to see if the problem occurs in this
>> enviroment.
>> Please post back results.
>>

>
>



Posted by poster on November 5th, 2005


I don't have the time to figure this out now. There's definitively sth going
on with the sat card since when I disable it, audio is fine. Right now
however, it's ok, with the card enabled, go figure... Most of the time
though, it stutters and crackles...


"poster" <notworking@email.com> wrote in message
news:dkcus5$lmb$2@newsmaster.pub.dc.hol.net...
> Ok Ron, I did what you suggested and the audio is fine, along with the
> sat-card. I guess now I have to enable services one by one, to find out
> what's causing the trouble, right? I'll post back tomorrow, thanks.
>
>
> "poster" <notworking@email.com> wrote in message
> news:dkctv4$lmb$1@newsmaster.pub.dc.hol.net...
>> Thanks. Before trying this, I disabled the network connection created by
>> the skystar2 sat card. Problem solved. Not acceptable though, because the
>> card requires enabled network in order to work, and also disabling it
>> requires a restart... I'll enable it again and try our suggestion, maybe
>> sth. else interferes with it, since I had no such problems with this card
>> before.
>>
>> "Ron Rector" <RonRector@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:FC8A7A1A-65D7-46E6-B1A6-8D879ABEE949@microsoft.com...
>>> If it appears to affect all aspects of audio perhaps there is a 3rd
>>> party app
>>> running in the background interfering.
>>>
>>> Perhaps try the following for a test. (This temporarily disables 3rd
>>> party
>>> applications from launching at startup)
>>>
>>> Click start/run
>>>
>>> Type in msconfig hit ok.
>>> Choose selective startup on the General tab.
>>>
>>> Under it untick Process System.ini and untick Process Win.ini
>>> Untick Load Startup items.
>>>
>>> Click on the Services tab.
>>> Tick the box that states "Hide all Microsoft services" and then untick
>>> all
>>> remaining services. (do not click disable all, untick one at a time)
>>>
>>> Click on apply and tehn close.
>>>
>>> Restart when prompted.
>>>
>>> Now test your sound after the reboot to see if the problem occurs in
>>> this
>>> enviroment.
>>> Please post back results.
>>>

>>
>>

>
>



Posted by Yves Leclerc on November 5th, 2005


Your SAT (SATA card??) could also be using the same IRQ as the sound card.
It is normal when two devices use the same reasource, at the same time, that
one "pauses" while the other is using it. The only way to "fix" this is to
move the SAT (SATA??) card to a different slot.


"poster" <notworking@email.com> wrote in message
news:dkj4jj$331$1@newsmaster.pub.dc.hol.net...
>I don't have the time to figure this out now. There's definitively sth
>going on with the sat card since when I disable it, audio is fine. Right
>now however, it's ok, with the card enabled, go figure... Most of the time
>though, it stutters and crackles...
>
>
> "poster" <notworking@email.com> wrote in message
> news:dkcus5$lmb$2@newsmaster.pub.dc.hol.net...
>> Ok Ron, I did what you suggested and the audio is fine, along with the
>> sat-card. I guess now I have to enable services one by one, to find out
>> what's causing the trouble, right? I'll post back tomorrow, thanks.
>>
>>
>> "poster" <notworking@email.com> wrote in message
>> news:dkctv4$lmb$1@newsmaster.pub.dc.hol.net...
>>> Thanks. Before trying this, I disabled the network connection created by
>>> the skystar2 sat card. Problem solved. Not acceptable though, because
>>> the card requires enabled network in order to work, and also disabling
>>> it requires a restart... I'll enable it again and try our suggestion,
>>> maybe sth. else interferes with it, since I had no such problems with
>>> this card before.
>>>
>>> "Ron Rector" <RonRector@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>> news:FC8A7A1A-65D7-46E6-B1A6-8D879ABEE949@microsoft.com...
>>>> If it appears to affect all aspects of audio perhaps there is a 3rd
>>>> party app
>>>> running in the background interfering.
>>>>
>>>> Perhaps try the following for a test. (This temporarily disables 3rd
>>>> party
>>>> applications from launching at startup)
>>>>
>>>> Click start/run
>>>>
>>>> Type in msconfig hit ok.
>>>> Choose selective startup on the General tab.
>>>>
>>>> Under it untick Process System.ini and untick Process Win.ini
>>>> Untick Load Startup items.
>>>>
>>>> Click on the Services tab.
>>>> Tick the box that states "Hide all Microsoft services" and then untick
>>>> all
>>>> remaining services. (do not click disable all, untick one at a time)
>>>>
>>>> Click on apply and tehn close.
>>>>
>>>> Restart when prompted.
>>>>
>>>> Now test your sound after the reboot to see if the problem occurs in
>>>> this
>>>> enviroment.
>>>> Please post back results.
>>>>
>>>
>>>

>>
>>

>
>



Posted by Plato on November 6th, 2005


Yves Leclerc wrote:
>
> Your SAT (SATA card??) could also be using the same IRQ as the sound card.
> It is normal when two devices use the same reasource, at the same time, that
> one "pauses" while the other is using it. The only way to "fix" this is to
> move the SAT (SATA??) card to a different slot.


Which is where the term, Plug and Pray came from. Before PNP, one would
just put the jumper on the IRQ set of 2 pins on your card and/or use a
firmware writing thing to flash your NIC to the irq you wanted. Thus,
one only had to plug once, and not Pray. One didn't have to play the
Musical PCI Slot Game

Yes of course I understand and have come to like the auto-assignment of
IRQs.


Posted by poster on November 6th, 2005


It's sat as in satellite. It's a pci, dvb-s tv card.


"Yves Leclerc" <yvesleclercNOSPAM@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:He9bf.20413$LF3.1110867@news20.bellglobal.com ...
> Your SAT (SATA card??) could also be using the same IRQ as the sound card.
> It is normal when two devices use the same reasource, at the same time,
> that one "pauses" while the other is using it. The only way to "fix" this
> is to move the SAT (SATA??) card to a different slot.
>




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