Downloading makes 7 really slow

[Nikolay]

Well, my download speed is unaffected, it makes the system slow.

 

[zzz2496]

Nikolay,

I've had this kind of problem(s) in my Video editing days, from what I know "lag" or latency spike can happen if your hardware are using the same IRQ (iirc). Here's my "case" back in the day: I have a Video Editing card, a Pinnacle Pro ONE. When I'm capturing, the Audio will lose sync with Video (I'm capturing analogue source using the card's I/O). What I did was, I go to "Device Manager" switch the "View" to "Resources by connection". In my case I know that the Pinnacle Pro ONE card is "fighting" with another card, I didn't know what... Once I see "Device Manager" I knew that it was fighting with my Video Card for IRQ time (OMG!!). Once I know that, I move my Pinnacle Pro ONE card to another PCI slot, which solved my issue.

Here's what you can do, check "Device Manager", switch it to "Resources by connection", see if your AUDIO device (whatever it is) shares same IRQ number with another device. Make a screenshot, we then can all see what is happening...

zzz2496

 

[Nikolay]

Just took a look at my IRQs and found my audio and network adapter using the same IRQ.. Both having the problems I've been having (audio + downloading)..

 

[zzz2496]

There you go... Easy way out, don't use that network interface, use another interface... an Add-in interface or an external one, you pick. Hard way would be look for a way to change that, make those 2 devices NOT sharing an IRQ.

zzz2496

 

[Nikolay]

Both are integrated into the motherboard though, how do I go about changing that?

 

[zzz2496]

The hard way would be disabling ACPI completely and manually assign IRQ and DMA to each and every hardware you got (that is NOT RECOMMENDED), or buy an NIC, and use that instead.

zzz2496

 

[Tepid]

You should be able to change it through the Device Manager.
You can also,,, try uninstalling the device and reinstall it and see if it will grab a new one.
Or as stated, disable one of the conflicting devices and repalce them,, either is ok.

But this is hardware or driver issue and not a windows 7 issue exactly.

 

[Nikolay]

My sister's laptop also gets reduced performance and choppy audio when downloading with my connection.

 

[Tepid]

Then I might try replacing the router and/or modem.
Could have bad hardware there.

As well as all the cables just to be sure.

 

[whs]

I think the IRQ suggestions have the best chance to be the cause. Why don't you connect directly to the modem and leave the router out - just to eliminate this as a possible cause.

 

[Tepid]

My sister's laptop also gets reduced performance and choppy audio when downloading with my connection.

Wouldn't this rule out IRQ handling as the issue?
2 PC's having similar issues on a single network?

 

[Nikolay]

Edit: Nevermind, connected directly to modem. Will test downloads now.

 

[Nikolay]

Okay, this problem gets weirder and weirder. Connected directly to the modem now, no more slow performance while downloading multiple files at once but audio is still very distorted.

 

[Tepid]

Okay, this problem gets weirder and weirder. Connected directly to the modem now, no more slow performance while downloading multiple files at once but audio is still very distorted.

Does this still happen on both PC's?
This could be an IRQ issue, and has all the symptoms of being one, but i'm still not convinced due to this happening on 2 different computers.

Or are they 2 completely different computers?
If so, this is not an IRQ issue but a network or Hardware issue.
Depending on the answers to my questions above.

However, changing the IRQ's or hardware,, may fix the problem, that may not actually be the problem though.

 

[Nikolay]

I can't test it out on my sisters laptop if it's directly connected to the modem since the router isn't sending out the signal. The laptop is running windows 7 home premium x86 and I'm running windows 7 ultimate x64. For some reason there are two High Definition Audio Controllers in device manager and if I disable (16) the audio still works and vise versa (21).

Also, this is how my CPU usage charts look like when I'm downloading. I don't know if this is unusual, but under "CPU Usage History" when the second graph peaks, the first one spikes.

 

[whs]

Do you also have 2 controllers in Device Manager under Sound, Video, etc.

 

[Nikolay]

Yes. Before I did a clean install, there were three devices. High Definition Audio, ATI High Definition Audio, and Unimodem Half-duplex Audio Device. The problem was happening before I did a clean install so I doubt it's a driver issue.

@my last post, when both cores have reached the top, performance gets slow again and I don't know why downloading makes that happen.

When downloading stops, cpu usage goes back to normal. What a surprise.

 

[Tepid]

you have a desktop,, she has a laptop...
Are they both Acer?
Do they use the same hardware/drivers, etc.?

I can tell you this is not normal 7 behavior.

 

[Nikolay]

I have an acer, she has an HP.

 

[stormy13]

You don't have any audio drivers installed, the only thing there is the default ones that Windows installs.

One of those "High Definition Audio Device"'s is the Realtek audio chip that is on your ATI HD 4670, and should have been installed with the ATI drivers. The other will be whatever the motherboard has for onboard audio.

If the onboard audio is also Realtek then installing this,

http://www.sevenforums.com/sound-audio/3756-latest-realtek-hd-audio-driver-version.html

will install the driver for both it and the one on the HD 4670. If it isn't Realtek the would need the exact model number of your Acer to be able to point you in the right direction. Also if it isn't Realtek you can get the driver for the HD 4670 by installing the full ATI Catalyst suite,

http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/1810-latest-ati-catalyst-driver-windows-7-a.html

Edit: One more thing from looking at one of your Device Manager shots, if you're not using the dial up modem at all you can removed it. Uninstall the driver for it through Programs and Features; then power down, pop open the case and remove the modem.