Sound crackling problem - Windows XP

robbie1876

Ok, just recently upgraded to XP Pro (to get around a netwoking problem, but not complaining). I have MusicMatch MX running most of the time, streaming music off the internet while I work. Problem is that when I try to do anything else, such as use a browser, Word, Excel or any application, there is an annoying crackling sound whenever any other application tries to do anything, no matter how trivial. Clicking a link in a browser crackles. Formatting text in Word crackles...etc

What I have tried:

1) Tried updating drivers for soundcard. Model is Creative Audio PCI (ES1371, ES1373) (WDM) according to system hardware profiles. But Creative's soundcard installer for this model says I have no Soundblaster card installed and won't proceed.

2) Turned off a load of services ala Black Viper's site. No effect on the problem.

3) Checked that MusicMatch was streaming properly. I have it set up with a 1Gb cache and the broadband connection is fast and stable. Fairly sure it's not MusicMatch.

Anything else obvious I could try?

Thanks (again) folks,

Robbie

OfflerCrocGod

Go to Control Panel -> Sounds and Multimedia -> click show volume control in taskbar (Little speaker icon) apply that then click on the icon, make sure that all options are displayed Options -> Properties click ALL the little boxes in the list apply. Once all your sound devices are showing go through all of them and disable them(the mute option), the noise could be coming from the microphone so mute everything excluding Volume and Wave. Check if noise is stopped, if not mute everything.....go through any sensible combinations you can see to check.

robbie1876

Thanks, CrocGod, good suggestion unfortunately didn't work. I've everything muted bar Wave, and the crackling's still there.

OfflerCrocGod

Control Panel -> Sound... -> Audio tab click on advanced in sound playback change the type of speakers WinXP thinks you have, see what happens.

BigEejit

You dont have an Abit IC7 or IS7 by any chance? ... theyre noted for having sound related problems, particularly with microphones, but with sound out from the onboard and pci soundcards as well

robbie1876

hmmm... tried all the different speaker settings, no difference. I don't have an abit motherboard, can't remember the make offhand, but it's not abit. I don't have a mic attached to the system, btw.

I noticed in the system sound devices settings that the Creative sound card is listed as PCI, but it's definitely an onboard sound card. Wonder if this is the problem, as the driver update didn't work, as mentioned above. All these things were listed in System / Device Manager / Sound, video and game controllers:

Audio Codecs
Creative Audio PCI (ES1371, ES1373) (WDM)
Game port for Creative
Legacy Audio Drivers
Legacy Video Capture Drivers
Media Control Devices
Video Codecs

ColmOT [MSFT]

These issues are generally caused by a badly written driver.

Try looking for a newer ( or maybe an older) version of the driver.

OfflerCrocGod

These issues are generally caused by a badly written driver.

WHATEVER IT IS IT'S NOT WINDOWS:D

po0k

your card's fried.

does it have a SPDIF output by ay chance? You may have plugged the wrong thing into it.

OfflerCrocGod

Try playing a CD and see if the crackling noises occur because such an operation will be wholly hardware bound (if the cd is directly connected to the card), if there is no noise then you can assume it's something in the s/w.

robbie1876

Just tried a CD now, and the crackling is still there. Couldn't tell you how the CD is connected to the soundcard, but I guess its through the software.

Well I've just today ordered myself an Audigy Platinum soundcard off creative.ie, they had it on offer for €99 inc delivery, seemed like a sweet deal - great software bundle too.

So I presume that when that arrives and is installed properly my problems will be gone forever. Btw, I sent a mail to creative asking them if I was using the right driver for my card, still waiting on a reply but I'll keep you posted once I've tried what they suggest.

Cheers,

Robbie

darktooth

There is a version of Linux, no install linux, I think, that runs direct from cd and dos not affect Windows. I got my copy free on a Linux magazine.

If you can find a copy you could load it up and see if it can detect your card and you can listen to it sounds like.

How do you know it is not your speakers, did you listen on headphones ??

Can you get Quake (one) to run on XP ?

OfflerCrocGod

Knoppix it's bril for trouble shooting many a prob in Windows which I though were h/w related at first came to be resolved through Knoppix once it showed it worked fine on Linux:D. If your using a sound card your more then likely connecting your CD drive to your sound card through a little thin cable, not through s/w.