computer sounds like plugging and unplugging external device

Computer is constantly making sounds like an external device is being plugged in and unplugged. No matter what program (mostly DOS games) but even as I type this. I tried everything I can think of: unplugged internet, reset all Microsoft settings in Windows, e.g. sharing, or letting another person access my computer, etc.. Scanned for Trojuns, viruses, everything using Avast, ESET, and Kaspersky, nothing works.

You wouldn't happen to have a virtual drive of some kind installed, would you? Like something that can mount ISOs, etc? Such programs are Alcohol, Daemon Tools, WinCDEmu, MagicISO, PowerISO, etc, etc.

Maybe even a RAM drive?

A bit off topic, but...

Many years ago there was a quite long thread here about pcs making the 'USB unplug' sound when you walked away from the computer. I thought folk were imagining it, until one day I got up to make a cup of tea and as I filled the kettle, I heard the familiar 'biddle-ip, biddle-ip' USB sound. I never found out the cause, and one day it just went away - but the discussion continued here on Seven Forums.

Why would leaving your workstation be detected by the pc ? AFAIK, the mystery was never solved.

BTW, several pcs later, it's come back. About 15 seconds after I go to make a cuppa - 'biddle-ip, biddle-ip' ...

Hello,

Did you know that the Sounds the Windows OS makes can be customised? In the Sounds Settings Control Panel item, it is possible to customise the sound Windows makes after an identified Program Event occurs.
By Default, some of the Program Events are pre-assigned with sounds, while other Program Events are left unassigned with no Sound.

By chance, one of the Program Events may have been assigned a new Sound, causing this occurrence of the "External Device Sound" to be triggered.

You can check yourself if this is the case.

Open Control Panel\Hardware and Sounds, then click on Sounds icon, followed by clicking on the Sounds Tab.

Navigate down to the sub-window under Program Events.

Click on each Program Event in turn and see if a sound has been assigned to the Event.

If the Event has an assigned Sound to it, then the Window looks like this:

In which case click on the Test button with the Green arrow head, to see if the sound matches the one you are experiencing.

If the Event has no Sound assigned to it, then the Window looks like this:

In which case these Program Events can be ignored, as they produce no Sound when the Event occurs.

Proceeding in this Manner, selecting all Program Events one at a time, will eventually lead you to discover if any Program Event has been re-assigned to the "External Device Sound", that you are experiencing in such an annoyance.

Hope that Helps.

Thank you all, but I neglected to tell you that the mouse temporarily freezes with the sounds.


SNIK: Process Explorer didn't seem to work. I couldn't see any program going off when sounds happened.


F22SimPilot: Uninstalled my VPN and ISO programs. No good.


iko22: I muted all of the sounds, still freezes without sound. No good.


I'm at a loss.

Here is a list of all programs on my computer:

vonhaase9 said:

Thank you all, but I neglected to tell you that the mouse temporarily freezes with the sounds.


...


iko22: I muted all of the sounds, still freezes without sound. No good.


I'm at a loss.

Maybe that is telling you something? What sort of mouse are you using, wired or wireless? Would it be possible to try a different mouse, and see if that alleviates the freezing (with or without the sound warnings)?

My thoughts too. I tried both wired wan wireless, both Logitech.

It could be the mouse or printer or in fact anything USB connected. You shouldn't use a registry cleaner. Those are snake oil and can do damage to your OS. Try LatencyMon once and see what it says. Resplendence Software - LatencyMon: suitability checker for real-time audio and other tasks

Your list says UltraISO is installed. Is that not uninstalled? If not, use Revouninstaller.