Realtek, Windows 7 64RTM Crackle/static/popping

[AaronDude]

Well that was a silly solution I gave.

Has anyone tried disabling the onboard sound and installing a Creative Sound board or an external sound device?

Do you still hear crackiling when disabling the onboard sound?

I bought an external creative sound card and disabled the onboard sound in the software that appears when you press delete at startup (sorry I don't know what it's called I'm certainly no techie, BIOS?) and still had the problem. Acer still has my computer right now though so I really can't try anything else. UGH this is the second time I sent it to them, why can't they just give me a refurb? The Indian woman on the phone said that was not an option though. The place I bought the computer from J and R said that Acer will work with me though and give me a refurb if they can't fix it this time. Can't return it to J and R but they sure gave me some confidence that Acer should resolve the problem this time.

 

[Frostmourne]

This seals it - it is most likely a motherboard issue - I wonder what motherboard it is?

 

[DarrylGittins]

This isn't a driver problem (for me), because I have the same cracking sound after trying the onboard sound card AND using different USB sound cards.

The problem only happens after the system has been running for a while. A reboot fixes the problem, but then it eventually comes back.

The sound crackles and stutters when the CPU is busy. That is, when I open a Web page, or start a program, I hear pops and garbled sound if I’m playing music.

The problem occurs in any music player (in Windows Media Player, or Winamp).

Here's what I've tried:

Installed the latest drivers.
Tried using 2 different external sound cards.
Installed the Codec lite pack .
Disabled speaker effects (enhancements).
Reset the BIOS to the factory default settings.
Flashed the system BIOS
Twiddled with every imaginable setting in the Sound panel in Windows 7


Thanks LOADS for any suggestions!!

Specs:
Windows 7 Enterprise x64
NVIDIA GeForce GT 220
NVIDIA (Realtek) High Definition Audio
Intel Quad CPU Q8200 @ 2.33GHz
P5QL PRO ASUSTeK
2048+2048+2048+2048;DIMM DDR Synchronous Memory

 

[AaronDude]

This isn't a driver problem (for me), because I have the same cracking sound after trying the onboard sound card AND using different USB sound cards.

The problem only happens after the system has been running for a while. A reboot fixes the problem, but then it eventually comes back.

The sound crackles and stutters when the CPU is busy. That is, when I open a Web page, or start a program, I hear pops and garbled sound if I’m playing music.

The problem occurs in any music player (in Windows Media Player, or Winamp).

Here's what I've tried:

Installed the latest drivers.
Tried using 2 different external sound cards.
Installed the Codec lite pack .
Disabled speaker effects (enhancements).
Reset the BIOS to the factory default settings.
Flashed the system BIOS
Twiddled with every imaginable setting in the Sound panel in Windows 7


Thanks LOADS for any suggestions!!

Specs:
Windows 7 Enterprise x64
NVIDIA GeForce GT 220
NVIDIA (Realtek) High Definition Audio
Intel Quad CPU Q8200 @ 2.33GHz
P5QL PRO ASUSTeK
2048+2048+2048+2048;DIMM DDR Synchronous Memory

Exact same problem I was having the exact same solution I was using. I guess you could send it in for repair if it's one of them big name computers. I sent mine in for the second time and it should be coming back tommorow. I'm hoping they fixed the problem this time.

 

[AaronDude]

Well, I got my computer back. They didn't fix the problem they just "reloaded os" because it was corrupt according to them although it probably wasn't. I guess I won't be buying from J and R or an Acer again. I already got a blue screen of death which I never have got before

 

[roymathieu]

nvidia needs help to fix drivers

For most of us the audio problem is due to DPC latency spikes caused by their Nvidia GPU throttling, and the only way to solve it right now is to disable powermizer.

Well, NVidia is finally acknowledging the problem! Please, everyone, go to this forum and post your system specs to help Nvidia fix their drivers!

Notebook Powermizer Issues - Please post here - NVIDIA Forums

 

[AaronDude]

For most of us the audio problem is due to DPC latency spikes caused by their Nvidia GPU throttling, and the only way to solve it right now is to disable powermizer.

Well, NVidia is finally acknowledging the problem! Please, everyone, go to this forum and post your system specs to help Nvidia fix their drivers!

Notebook Powermizer Issues - Please post here - NVIDIA Forums

Does this go for desktops as well? I have a nvidia geforce gt220 in this acer desktop.

 

[roymathieu]

For most of us the audio problem is due to DPC latency spikes caused by their Nvidia GPU throttling, and the only way to solve it right now is to disable powermizer.

Well, NVidia is finally acknowledging the problem! Please, everyone, go to this forum and post your system specs to help Nvidia fix their drivers!

Notebook Powermizer Issues - Please post here - NVIDIA Forums

Does this go for desktops as well? I have a nvidia geforce gt220 in this acer desktop.

hmmm I dont know, maybe we're having different problems but seeing the same symptoms (sound crackling/popping/stuttering). you should only post on the nvidia forum if you're 100% sure that your nvidia card is the problem. in other words you should only post on the nvidia forum if disabling powermizer solved your sound problems.

here's how to diagnose the powermizer dpc latency problem
1. download dpclat.exe from DPC Latency Checker
2. download gpuz from techPowerUp! :: Download TechPowerUp GPU-Z v0.3.8
3. start both programs, put them side by side, and play some music. switch to the sensors tab in gpuz
4. if you have the problem, (almost) each time you'll see your gpu clock change (up or down) in gpuz, you'll see a red latency bar in dpclat.exe and you'll hear a sound glitch
5. check if disabling powermizer solves the problem: download powermizer switch from Powermizer Switch - get the most out of your video card, install, reboot, and repeat step 3. now gpuz should show your gpu is always at the max clock and you should not see those latency spikes nor hear sound glitches

if you have a desktop and disabling powermizer solves your sound problems by all means go ahead and post on nvidia's forum!

 

[lobo6877]

Same prob, crackling in audio - in speakers and headphones. It only happens though when I'm playing a game and I press keys on the keyboard. If I stand still, audio fine. If I move, audio crackles. This also happens if I'm using a gamepad, so it is not the keyboard. I'm thinking it might have something to do with nvidia.

older drivers and codecs, and changing audio settings have had no effect. hope someone finds a solution

 

[lobo6877]

haha! fixed it! turns out it was this old HP keyboard I was using. After hours of troubleshooting, I wish I would have tried swapping keyboards first. It's very old, from the 90's. perhaps the volume controls on it are messing up the audio, or maybe there is no insulation on the wire and it was causing interference, who knows. Maybe some of you need to check the hardware you are using because all this stuff worked fine with XP. > Messed up my audio with WIN7. good luck.

 

[marcin0903]

I have same problem with crackling, but it only occures when I am playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - after 1-2 matches it starting to crackle a little, but after sometime it is more annoying and louder. I have latest Realtek drivers. I do not think it is because of my steering devices, because I have Logitech G15 keyboard and Razer Deathadder mouse. Any tips?

And one more thing I haven't noticed crackling when I was talking with someone through Skype, TeamSpeak or Xfire... It's weird - any solution?

I've got Asus P6T Delux, Intel i7 920 2.66GHz and Gainward GeForce GTX285 1GB + 6GB RAM and using USB headphones.

 

[wonderwhy]

I was also having this problem with popping sound, but in addition to it, my mouse was lagging simultaneously with it (i haven't seen anyone mention this yet). Internet search proved to be not much help, but i have figured out the solution myself using DPC Latency Checker.

You may have different case, I think that this sound popping can possibly be a result of different causes.

Anyway, in my case it turned out to be not GPU or audio driver, but network driver.
I have a pci "Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC" network card installed and onboard "Realtek High Definition" audio. I have updated my system through Windows Update recently and it installed new network driver among other updates (this one was "recommended" update). It turned out that not only the new driver is faulty and causes such critical DPC Latency increase during network activity (downloading test file makes good indicator), but windows have actually "updated" to an older driver version!

When i rolled back to the original driver (the one that comes with the system) everything was fine!


-----
'Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC'

Faulty network driver version:
6.108.331.2008 (31.03.2008)

Working network driver version:
6.111.530.2008 (30.05.2008)
-----


Hope that helps!

p.s.: Mine is a desktop pc, not a laptop. MB is MSI P965 Platinum, GPU is NVidia 7600GS with v191.07 drivers

 

[zandorvh]

Confirmation

My sound crackling and popping goes away once I run the GPUZ application.
It is still good after I quit GPUZ. Whatever it does, I have no clue...!!
However, the latency checker continues to give short red lines.
I thought this piece of information might be of use to anyone who is troubleshooting this powermizer issue.


mei_

 

[BradBoston]

GPU-Z

Holy crap, GPU-Z (run once) has solved my problem! Weird. Signed up to post this. Thanks zandorvh.

 

[Vandriel]

I have been having this same problem as well. Can't seem to get rid of it, turning Loudness Equalization off in the sound manager seems to help alot. The popping also seems to decrease by a huge amount (its still noticeable just not as loud) If I have a flash video paused on firefox. I honestly think that this is more a windows Issue than anything, seeing as how I get it on my SB Audigy card as well. I just wish I could figure out what exactly is causing it. Any help or ideas on this matter at all is appreciated, but judging by the length of this page I'm not expecting any miracle fixes right now.

 

[frogbutt]

I just bought a new HP desktop about a week and a half ago at Best Buy and had the same problem as so many others. The sound would be fine for about an hour and then the static sounds would start. After about two hours I'd have to re-boot. I called HP three times and two times got idiots who didn't speak English. The other time I got someone who did speak English, but he was as clueless as the others. I finally called up Best Buy today and it turns out they have a 14 day no questions asked return policy, so I reformatted the HD and took it over there and exchanged it for a cheaper e-machines that had everything I wanted on it. Surprisingly, my last computer was an e-machines and I got over four good years of constant use out of it. I've been running a web radio on this new one for about nine hours straight now and have not heard a single pop. So if you have a brand new machine and have this problem just take it back to where you got it as soon as you can. It's not worth the trouble to try to fix it.

 

[Bungieben]

I have the popping sound driving me nuts on an Acer 7736g. Just brought it over xmas so i sent it back only to be replaced with a new laptop with the same problem.

Dillema... return laptop and ask for full £600 refund because i am not putting up with this for that money or !!!!!!!!!

Just signed up to this forum as i was looking for a solution and didnt realise how wide spread with fault is.

At least i know now it's not me.

 

[zandorvh]

I installed the latest drivers from NVidia (195.62) and the sound problem is permanently gone. (No need for GPU-Z)
Yet the DPCLatency still seems to be on the higher end...

 

[DarrylGittins]

Still no joy here.
The sound crackles and stutters when the CPU is busy. That is, when I open a Web page, or start a program, I hear pops and garbled sound if I’m playing music. The problem only happens after the system has been running for a while. A reboot fixes the problem, but then it eventually comes back. This isn't a driver problem (for me), because I have the same cracking sound after trying the onboard sound card AND using different USB sound cards. The problem occurs in any music player (in Windows Media Player, or Winamp).

Here's what I've tried:

Installed the latest drivers.
Tried using 2 different external sound cards.
Installed the Codec lite pack .
Disabled speaker effects (enhancements).
Reset the BIOS to the factory default settings.
Flashed the system BIOS
Twiddled with every imaginable setting in the Sound panel in Windows 7
Turned off Aero to use a basic theme
uninstalled any energy saving software by asus or any software that is made by asus

 

[xJadenx]

Fixed

After trying everything else posted here my solution was to use the latest version of PowerMiser switch. It worked and I no longer have any problems with sound. I hope this helps somebody else.

my system
Win 7 64bit
realtek on board hd audio
nvidia gtx260m gpu