Audio notifications: Very inconsistent


  1. Posts : 17
    Windows 7 Ultimate, 64 bit
       #1

    Audio notifications: Very inconsistent


    Usually they work perfectly but sometimes they don't and I have no idea why. Of course I've checked to make sure Control Panel, Sound is set up properly. It always is. What can I check?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,784
    Linux Mint 18.2 xfce 64-bit (VMWare host) / Windows 8.1 Pro 32-bit (VMWare guest)
       #2

    Can you give some examples both of audio notifications which work correctly and which don't?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 17
    Windows 7 Ultimate, 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Email notifications mainly. Also some websites that use audio notifications. Its intermittent, that's why its so vexing.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 34
    Windows 10 Pro 64 bit
       #4

    I have a similar problem with email coming via Thunderbird. But it is consistent. The delay between the notification appearing on the screen and the bell sounding is several seconds.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 1,784
    Linux Mint 18.2 xfce 64-bit (VMWare host) / Windows 8.1 Pro 32-bit (VMWare guest)
       #5

    Stabbing in the dark, but here are some thoughts:

    * Do any other sounds which normally work, work when the audio notifications don't work? If some do and some don't in those situations, which ones don't?

    * Perhaps there is some ill-behaved process running in the background which sometimes interferes with sound. Whenever the problem occurs, go into Task Manager and kill one non-essential process at a time, then test sound again, to see if the problem at one point goes away. If it does, you have likely found the culprit.

    * Reboot into Safe Mode with Networking, to see if the problem occurs there. Only the bare essentials run in Safe Mode, so if the problem doesn't exist in Safe Mode with Networking, then it's probably a Windows issue which can be tracked down and disabled, thereby enabling the sound to work.

    * This one will take more time and patience than the above: Run MSCONFIG, and hide all Microsoft processes. Disable one or two non-Microsoft, non-essential-looking processes at a time from running at startup; then reboot, and see if the problem has disappeared. If you're able to finally track down the offender in this way, then you simply leave that one item disabled from the startup process.

    Good luck.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 17
    Windows 7 Ultimate, 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    > Can you give some examples both of audio notifications which work correctly and which don't?



    Opera Mail in particular. Often works, sometimes not. Notifications through browsers seem to be more consistent, maybe 100% recently. I need to check it in Safe Mode with Networking next time. Great suggestion. I always forget to do that!


    I've disabled everything in msconfig - I run a very lean operations here. Services.msc is always very trim as well of course. Everything conceivable just about is disabled and only enabled when needed. Its a huge help when you're running archaic equipment like I am.
      My Computer


 

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