windows glitch, poss sound related

[Spaceboy]

Got an annoying issue with this new install of Win7 since winning the mushkin SSD over chrimbo...

System was running fine on exactly the same hardware barring the SSD, before the re-install.

Problem is this : In games I get a "glitch" every few seconds where it appears that the system loses a few frames and then catches-up again... there is also a sound glitch when this happens. So I quit the game, fired up winamp and there's a sound glitch there too :( Basically every few seconds the sound will blip silent for a fraction of a second, or sound very slightly distorted.

I've tried both the sound drivers that came with the mobo, and the latest version off the MSI site... it's the Realtek drivers btw.

I need to run the realtek drivers as opposed to the windows default because I like to have speakers and headphones plugged in and have the same output going to each - which doesn't seem doable without them.

So in short, what appears to be a performance issue in games, is apparent just running winamp and nowt else... which makes me think it's a sound driver problem as all other hardware has remained the same barring the reinstall of win7 on to the ssd.

Any ideas / thoughts greatly appreciated :)

[Snakedoc]

Run task manager and see if you get any CPU usage spikes and which programs might be causing them. Sounds like an installed program or service is malfunctioning.

[Spaceboy]

Good thinking, but alas... I get the glitches (in F1 2010) just browsing around the paddock / menu area - cpu doesn't go much above 20%

[Snakedoc]

I was meaning while in Windows, see if there are any spikes while idle. Then see if any program jumps to the top of CPU usage. Also, how is your page file setup with the SSD? Do you have one? 4GB of RAM?

[Spaceboy]

nada, only firefox jumping 4% :D

[Snakedoc]

The Page file, is it on the SSD or on another drive?

[Spaceboy]

4gig ram, 2 gig pagefile on the SSD.

I have noticed there was an msiexec running... not using any cpu though... killed it, no effect.

/edit: msiexec is back... wonder what's spawning that :ninja: Still using no cpu though

[Spaceboy]

Update: shutdown all non-windows applications and services including A/V and the problem persists :(

/edit: uninstalled realtek drivers, same issue with the windows default drivers too :(

I'm out of ideas now considering the issue happens in games, winamp, and VLC... reinstall time again ?

Just to clarify, there isn't a performance issue in winamp and vlc, just the sound glitching. In games, the sound glitching coincides with a performance glitch as well, as if the game is dropping frames.

[iGoD ReLeNtLeS]

I would say a reinstall if this has been since you reinstalled last time, probably some dodgy windows files are a little corrupt.

Could also try a HDTune test, perhaps the SSD has a slight problem or something.

[Spaceboy]

Atto and as-ssd both report good speeds... atto upload here http://forums.aria.co.uk/showpost.php?p=793705&postcount=4

Guess I'll do a reinstall over the weekend, again :rolleyes:

[Snakedoc]

Before you reinstall, try creating a new user profile and login with that.

[Sniperdude]

do you have bad DPC latency ? download the checking tool and let it run for a min see if you get spikes

http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml


try disabling any power saving like EIST and C1E and also set the windows power
profile to performance

worth a try

[Spaceboy]

Will do later, cheers :-)

As for DPC - never heard of this before, but it looks a bit strange to me :confused:

[Sniperdude]

mine don't go above 233


you might wana try and sort that out and see if that helps
it might not but help at all


try switching off power saving thing from the bios and test again

[Spaceboy]

try disabling any power saving like EIST and C1E and also set the windows power
profile to performance

worth a try

Okay, found the EIST/C1E - had no idea what they were so they were left at default :D Turned them both off (from auto and enabled) and the DPC latency is much improved - rarely spikes about 100 microsec, occasionally up to 1000. :thumb:

However the sound issue and performance glitch persists :(

I can't see a "performance" power profile, I have however been in to the "balanced" profile and turned all power saving off... no effect.

/edit:

Before you reinstall, try creating a new user profile and login with that.
Just tried that too, same problem :rolleyes:

Thanks for the suggestions peeps :thumb: but looks like another reinstall this evening.

[Sniperdude]

ok is your power plan high performance mode ?


if not change it to it then re-enable EIST and C1E


and test again

[Spaceboy]

I have no high performance power plan, just balanced and power saver :confused:

However, I currently have a VERY fresh, vanilla install with ONLY gfx, Raid, and sound drivers installed and it's working fine so far :thumb:

1 and 2 installs ago (this evening :rolleyes: ) both had the sound glitch and the only difference I can tell is that the CHIPSET drivers seem to be causing it :mad:

Now to reinstall everything :rolleyes:

1 minor annoyance... I tried updating the BIOS and it wiped out any overclock settings I had... and now I can't get the previous overclock stable on the same volts... time to revert the BIOS revision I think :D

[Sniperdude]

set the balanced one and it in the advanced settings to this


http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo97/sniperdude_2008/Capture-4.jpg

[Spaceboy]

I'll delve in there if the problem recurs... so far so good though, I'm just not installing the chipset drivers ;)

Advice appreciated though :) :thumb:

[Snakedoc]

Glad it's sorted, even if it was in an annoying way!