BleepingComputer.com: High CPU usage results with cracky/scratchy sound

Hi,

After reinstalling my Windows 7 I encountered problem with my sound. When I run few processes which use like 60-70 % of CPU, sound is cracky (it's just breaking for a second or longer), even when usage of CPU is very small (like up to 10 %) sound is sometimes scratchy, sometimes it works allright.

I checked speakers on another computer and they work allright. I have also rolled speakers cables/keep them away from power supply cables to avoid interference.

Is audio hardware acceleration enabled in Win 7? That's only thing that come to my mind that might cause it. Once I had similiar problem because I lacked audio cable which was joining DVD recorder and motherboard, but I just formatted my HDD and before I didn't have any issues like that.

I have surveyed several topics on these forums which were mentioning some link between high CPU usage and problems with sound, but nothnig specific. Please help with this one!

PS. I have installed all brand new hardware drivers.

Any errors in Device Manager?

Download Process Explorer: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinte...s/bb896653.aspx
Unzip ProcessExplorer.zip, and double click on procexp.exe to run the program.
Click on View > Select Colunms.
In addition to already pre-selected options, make sure, the Command Line is selected, and press OK.
Go File>Save As, and save the report as Procexp.txt.
Attach the file to your next reply.

No errors in device manager. I should add that CPU usage is usually 0-5% (90% of time), I had 60-70% only because I scanned my HDD for viruses.

Btw, when I was posting this topic I was in the middle of Anti-Malware search for infected files and in the end I deleted 4 of them. I'm not sure if something will change now, but I will keep you posted.

 Procexp.txt (2.53K)
Number of downloads: 35

CPU usage looks perfect.
System Idle Process 98.46%

Did you try to reinstall sound driver?
Did you try different speakers?
Are we talking about ANY sound here (music CD, internet, Windows sounds)?

Broni, on Mar 12 2010, 11:25 PM, said:

I have reinstalled sound drivers, the problem remains.

I tried different other speakers and they worked allright, but I used them only for the duration of one or two songs, so It's possible that it didn't appear during the period.

It happens when I use foobar to listen to music, but also when I use movie player, and now I realised It happens even when I'm not listening to anything. It's just one faint scratch and It's gone.

It has something to do with activities I perform on Windows. Just a second ago I clicked on speaker icon on task bar and I could hear a faint scratch coming from the speakers, but when I clicked on it second time nothing happened.

PS. I have run some further tests concerning speakers. I have replaced cable linking central speaker (subwoofer) and PC, supply power cable linking central speaker with outlet and I also unplugged left speaker, then right speaker.

The problem still remains, when one speaker was plugged I could hear a scratch from only one of them, when both are plugged 'sound' comes out from both of them. I could hear few more 'idle' scratches (speakers were turned on but I didn't use them).

One more thing, I have GA-EP45-DS3R and I aws wandering if I could plug speakers to a different jack than 'Front Speaker Out'. I attach configuration of jacks on my motherboard.

 rrr.JPEG (51.88K)
Number of downloads: 12

This post has been edited by Barthelemy: 13 March 2010 - 09:20 AM

Quote

I'd definitely test those other speakers for longer time.
Do you have audio jacks in the back of computer case?

Ok, I will test them tomorrow for a longer period.

The scheme attached to the previous post shows jacks in the back of computer. I also have two jacks up front (microphone and headphones/speakers).

I have plugged speakers now to the front jack, but the problem persists.

I will let you know how the tomorrow tests develop.

OK

I have tested different speakers, unplugged DVD recorder and few other things.. Predictably nothing changed.

Then something flashed in my head and I realised that there was one thing that changed after format. I changed DDR RAM channels, before I had modules in DDR2_1 and DDR2_3 sockets (dual channel), but BIOS couldn't read module on DDR2_1 so I could use only one module, that didn't bother me for over a year. I finally moved modules to DDR2_2 and DDR2_4 and BIOS detected 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) so I was overjoyed, but the downside was crappy sound.

When I placed the modules in DDR2_1, DDR2_3 sockets and I don't have problems with sound but I have 2 GB of memory visible... So, now I wonder what sholud be the course of action. I have scanned modules in both configurations with Memtest86 v4.0 and application didn't find any errors.

I think about updating BIOS, what are your suggestions?

PS. I have updated BIOS and It seems my problem with sound is finally over For the records, I have GA-EP45-DS3R and I have updated BIOS from version F6 to F10 (updates resolve some memory issues). Thank you for your assistance Broni.

This post has been edited by Barthelemy: 14 March 2010 - 11:19 AM

Ha, interesting...
When you have RAM placed in 1-3 slots, how much RAM is reported by Windows (Windows key + Pause/Break)?

2 GB instead of 4, and I have placed modules in different slots, so I, know that slot 1 have some kind of defect.

I didn't see this:

Quote

Excellent