Sound card crackling

Computer Forum Sound Cards and Speakers
1

I am currently running Win2k and Linux and have done so for months.

The other day, after burning an audio CD, my sound stopped working and there was just crackling. This crackling varies in volume and responds to mouse movement, modem activity etc. Only MIDI works! mp3 etc and system sounds can’t be heard.

According to Creative Support, I reinstalled the card (no change). I then changed PCI slot. It then worked perfectly. About 3 days later (also after burning a CD) it broke again (reinstalling didn’t help). I don’t dare risk another PCI slot and I don’t want to put a new card into a possibly malfunctioning (ASUS A7V133) motherboard! Is it my board or sound card? Any ideas?!!

Cheers!

2

What soundcard and burning software are you using ?

The second time it stopped working, was it the first time you burnt a cd since the first crash ? If so, it might be an incompatibility between your cd-rw and soundcard.

I would uninstall the burning software, the soundcard as well as the cd-rw, then put the soundcard in the pci slot it previously was. (before the first crash)

Then try the soundcard (with the latest drivers).
If it works, install the cd-rw.
Then try both the cd-rw and the soundcard. (no burning, just try to read an mp3 cd or a game cd or something)
If it works, install your burning software.
Try both the cd-rw and the soundcard (again no burning)
If it still works, then burn a cd amd see what happens.

This is the best way to find out what causes the problem.

If the soundcard doesn’t work in the first place, load the bios default settings, you may have played in the bios and changed a setting without knowing it and try it in every slot. (don’t forget to disable the onboard sound if there is any as well as anything related, like the game and midi port for instance)

Also, use the latest drivers for your motherboard.

P.S. Please post your detailed system specs like hdd, psu, video card, etc.
You could put them in a signature so it will always be shown, you won’t have to think about it ever again.

3

If it’s the SB Live! it’s likely the source of the problem when combined with the infamous 686B southbridge. Get the latest Via 4-in-1 drivers (or whatever the hell they call them now these days) as well as the latest drivers for the SB Live!

4

Thanks, but…!

Thanks for the advice. I’ve had a look and am busy recording my system specs as you recommended. The sound card is, in fact, SB Live! Player 5.1, not Digital. The burning software is Nero Burning Rom.

I’m confused as to how it could be an incompatibility between CD-RW and soundcard, as both have worked fine since I got the computer and I haven’t changed either. My worry is that if the soundcard is the problem, putting it in another empty PCI slot may damage or destroy the slot, and I’m running out of PCI slots!!! Is there any way I can check to see if the slots I’ve used so far are damaged?

Also, is it possible to replace or repair individual slots (I’m guessing not!!), or would a new motherboard be necessary if I run out of space for my PCI components?

Thanks for your help :good:

[QUOTE=harrack52]
What soundcard and burning software are you using ?

The second time it stopped working, was it the first time you burnt a cd since the first crash ? If so, it might be an incompatibility between your cd-rw and soundcard.

I would uninstall the burning software, the soundcard as well as the cd-rw, then put the soundcard in the pci slot it previously was. (before the first crash)

Then try the soundcard (with the latest drivers).
If it works, install the cd-rw.
Then try both the cd-rw and the soundcard. (no burning, just try to read an mp3 cd or a game cd or something)
If it works, install your burning software.
Try both the cd-rw and the soundcard (again no burning)
If it still works, then burn a cd amd see what happens.

This is the best way to find out what causes the problem.

If the soundcard doesn’t work in the first place, load the bios default settings, you may have played in the bios and changed a setting without knowing it and try it in every slot. (don’t forget to disable the onboard sound if there is any as well as anything related, like the game and midi port for instance)

Also, use the latest drivers for your motherboard.

P.S. Please post your detailed system specs like hdd, psu, video card, etc.
You could put them in a signature so it will always be shown, you won’t have to think about it ever again.
[/QUOTE]

5

I’d try a different soundcard first rather than a new motherboard. With a new motherboard, you’ll have to reinstall Windows (at least if you want the least potential problems). There is a known issue between the SB Live! cards and the 686B southbridge like I mentioned earlier. Creative supposedly fixed it, but it’s still kinda a hit or miss. Creative has hurt themselves with extremely poor support, and there are other viable options available. If you have a spare sound card available (or even integrated sound on the motherboard), try using that and taking out the Live! and see if you get the sound issues.

6

Is the problem reproducable in Linux as well, or just Windows? If it’s just occuring in Win and not in Lin, it’s probably just a driver problem. If that’s the case, there’s always an alternate set of drivers that are supposed to be better than Creative’s for everything but gaming. This isn’t a huge stretch of the imagination, considering Creative’s shaky driver history. It’s called the KX Project. Also, make sure you have the latest drivers for your motherboard’s chipset.

7

Damn, I have the Audigy 2 ZS and they’re not fully supported.

I don’t have problems with it but would have liked to test the drivers out !

8

Well, it’s fully supported in Linux with ALSA drivers. You could always switch… :wink: Seriously though, they are supposed to fix the compatibility issues with the EMU2k soon, and the drivers they do have are partially compatible.