[GeneralOreo]

So yesterday while watching a DVD on my PC I noticed that moving the mouse on the screen created a sound distortion/noise of some sort... I ignored it, and now the sound is everywhere! Whenever there's sound, through any sound application, though mostly through iTunes (latest version), it's just there w/o even moving a mouse now. When I'm doing something through like browsing forums it gets much worse.

It can't be my sound card/drivers because I have a USB DAC and when I used it the sound was still there, and it can't be the speakers too because I used headphones with that DAC.

Even more depressing is that lately my PC can't wake up from sleep correctly sometimes. I click the mouse and it starts, but there's no video to the monitor! I try to shut down or restart over and over until I get video feedback and it's on an error screen talking about a system error last time or restart failure or whatever, and I continue to vista.

I thought it could be my HDD, I have two partitions, one on C for vista/programs and D for media stuff like iTunes and both have no errors. I tried checking the second option last night for the D drive, scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors, it got stuck at 5000 and I went to sleep but when I woke up the PC was in sleep mode and again I had to restart/shut down half a dozen times to get back into vista.

Oh, and the PC also randomly shuts down or sleeps, not even sure which sometimes, like every few days... or more, I don't know but it's something I noticed lately.

PLEASE someone tell me they know what's gong on.

[rainforest123]

Hello GO:
First, I want to set your expectations. Intermittent problems are, for me, difficult to troubleshoot. If your vehicle makes a noise, but when you take the vehicle to your mechanic, your mechanic will probably tell you to return when your vehicle is making the noise.

1.
Is this a desktop or laptop?
If a desktop, did you build it?
If not, is it under warranty?
If from a computer company, which brand & model?
Which version of Vista? 32 bit or 64 bit?
Which service pack?

If a custom computer, which:
Motherboard; brand & model
CPU: brand, model, speed
RAM: brand, speed, size; # of sticks
HDD - IDE or SATA / SATA2; brand, model, size / capacity.

If a desktop computer, do you understand electrostatic precautions?

Go to the HDD manufacturer's web site and download the latest diags for your HDD.

Run Microsoft's ram diag from the Vista DVD.
Go to www.memtest86.com .
On the left, left click "downloads"
If your computer does not have a floppy disk drive, download the .ISO file.
You will need 3rd party optical disk burning software. The steps you need to follow depend upon the 3rd party software you have. I use Nero 6. After downloading the .ISO.zip file, I unzip / extract the .ISO file; then, I RIGHT click the .ISO file; open with Nero 6. Nero does the rest.



2.
"It can't be my sound card/drivers because I have a USB DAC and when I used it the sound was still there"
Not necessarily.

2.a. When did the problem begin? Date please.

2. b. Can you relate the onset to updating the drivers; installing the DAC?
Which brand & model?

2. c.
Does your computer have built in / integrated audio, or if a desktop computer, an audio card?


3.
"and it can't be the speakers too because I used headphones with that DAC.".
Good troubleshooting.

RF123

[rainforest123]

DO:
Please clarify "2.
"It can't be my sound card/drivers because I have a USB DAC and when I used it the sound was still there"".

Does the problem occur when you use your DAC?

Does the problem occur when you use the sound card?
If yes, which sound card; brand & model?

If the problem occurred when using the sound card, was the DAC attached?

I would like to see what you have in Device Manager.
RIGHT click "computer" or "my computer"
Left click "manage".
Maximize the screen.
Left click "device manager"
Left click the "+" to the left of sound, game stick, etc.

Send a screen shot.
How to create a screen shot.
Creating a screen shot requires:
1. a keyboard with a key labeled "Print Screen". This may be abbreviated "PrtScn", "PrntScn", or some other variation. It is usually to the right of the F12 key
2. a destination program. Microsoft WordPad, and Paint, which are built into Windows 95 and beyond, as well as Microsoft Word, not a part of Windows will suffice. My favorite is Paint, because it provides the greatest versatility. Paint saves images, by default, as bitmap files [ .bmp ], which are very large files, but we will work around that issue. Paint also provides editing features.
2.a. To open Paint
left click "start"
left click "programs" [ or "all programs" ]
left click "accessories
Left click "paint"
3. Press the "PrtScn" [ or similar button ] on your keyboard.
4. Open the destination program [ see # 2 above ].
5. Maximize the screen of the destination program.
6. Left "edit" across the top.
7. Left click "paste".
8. Save the file to your "Desktop", "My Documents", or other location of your choice.
8.a. If using Paint, save it as a .jpg / .jpeg.
Left click "file"
Left clicks "save as".
Near the bottom, where it says "save as type", left click on the down pointing arrow.
look for jpeg or jpg.
Left click on jpeg or jpg.
Left click "ok".

Come back to this forum & thread.
Left click the button "go advanced".
Left click the button "manage attachments".
Browse to the location of the file.
After you have found the file, left click the button "upload".
When finished, left click "close window".
Left click the button "submit reply".

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...creenshot.mspx

RF123

[GeneralOreo]

Oh wow thanks for the reply, those are huge posts.

Anyway I just formatted and did a fresh install, after getting everything up to date I started iTunes and yep, it's still there. I'm not sure if the problem is not as bad or completely gone with other applications though. With iTunes it gets really bad when I move the mouse.

I'm going to cry.

So to answer those questions...

- It's a desktop, and yeah I built it. I'm using Vista 64. No idea if it's service pack 1 or not, I used the auto update thing in the control panel after the fresh install to get all the latest updates and install them. If that includes SP1 then I guess I have it. BTW, before this problem was still there when I just had to do a new update so it's not the very last update that's causing this.... I think.

- Specs: Q6600, 4GB DDR2 800. 320GB WD SATA HDD, GIGABYTE P35 motherboard, a DS4 REV 2.0...

- electrostatic precautions... yeah, everything was fine when I built it like months ago and I didn't open the case or touch anything since then... and like I said it's only with itunes or at least really bad with itunes so it can't be hardware. Maybe I just wish it's not hardware though, with my luck who knows. >_>;

- I ran memtest overnight months ago and everything was fine...

- The problem began around April 6... sorry I'm not sure about this.

- The DAC was installed months ago, it's not new, model is Headamp Pico. I only attach it when I want to listen to music with my headphones so when I'm not using it it's not attached and the player is the sound card.

- yes my PC has integrated audio, but I'm using the x-fi xtremegamer sound card. Integrated is disabled from BIOS.

- I downloaded the diagnostic tool from WD's website and did a test for my drive and it passed.

- pic of device manager with some of the stuff expanded, I didn't bother with some of it as the pic would get too big and most have nothing to do with the sound... there are no errors/question marks on any device.

[GeneralOreo]

And I can confirm now that it's not just iTunes... just played a song through windows media player and noticed that the noise is back whenever I open or close a web browser or do any activity with it...

[rainforest123]

GO:
Which Vista 64 bit?
RIGHT click "computer".
Left click "properties".

What is Q6600?

If the problem occurs after a reformat, re-install, it is either caused by hardware, or the same software
[ driver or program ].

You might want to try another re-format, re-install. Testing after installing drivers; then after installing EACH program!!!

Try this:
Disable your x fi audio card, or remove it.
Turn on the integrated audio, in BIOS.

That would tell you if the problem is with Windows or your Creative Sound Blaster x fi ....

Is x-fi xtremegamer sound card the DAC?
When requesting brand a model, Creative Sound Blaster x-fi xtremegamer 70SB073A00000 would be really helpful, because not all of us are willing to search the internet for every component available.

Which brand ram?

Could be ram; run memtest again.

Run WD's diag.

What kind of mouse? USB, PS/2. Wireless? Corded?

Years ago, there were occasional conflicts between mice connected to serial ports & modems using the same IRQs.

I will try to help you. Please provide the requested information.

RF123

[rainforest123]

Disable your current mouse in Dev Mgr.
Turn off PC.
Disconnect current mouse.
Connect different type of mouse; PS/2, for example if you are using a USB mouse.
Turn on your computer.

RF123

[rainforest123]

Check Creative's KB for problems.
http://ask.americas.creative.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE?New,Kb=ww_english_add,U={B8F60310-DA4F-11D3-94F4-00500463020E},Company={CEAE216D-8719-4C00-AC9F-03BC258F7B70},d=1130251443648,VARSET=ws:http://us.creative.com/

Have you looked through Creative's forum, for similar problems?
http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/?region=CLI

RF123

[GeneralOreo]

Finally! It was the videocard, my 8800GT, I went to circuit city and bought an ATI 2400 card and it's all OK now.

I tested the memory, each stick, all 4 of them... first with memtest then I manually switched them and took them out. I also tried one with each slot and nothing changed. I thought I'd use my external HDD and when I played the itunes songs from there, backed up on it, there was no distortion sound and everything played just fine... but it wasn't because of the different HDD, but the window size. When I played songs on the external HDD they were played in a small window, quicktime or not itunes I think... when I made the itunes window smaller the noise went away.

Resolution changed things too... at the lowest resolution it didn't matter if itunes filled the entire screen or not, there was no noise. At higher resolutions though it returned. What also confused things was that when I uninstalled the video drivers it didn't matter that itunes was running at a higher resolution, the noise still went away.

Anyway, considering that I was also having a problem with the video signal not showing after shut down/sleep and I needed to restart several times... I figured it must be the videocard. Its memory must be screwy or something because it interfered with sound at high resolutions... or something. I'm still not sure what exactly the problem was, but I have a new videocard now and everything's fine. Well I have to buy a better one if I want to play PC games, but I might as well wait for the new cards coming out at the end of this year.

Thanks for your replies rainforest123.

[rainforest123]

GO:
Congratulations!

I am certain that you are correct about the diagnosis, but your initial complaint "I noticed that moving the mouse on the screen created a sound distortion/noise of some sort" doesn't fit, to me.

Good job.


Please use the thread tools to mark the thread solved.

RF123