System Freeze and Audio Problem

Anonymous
2020-02-11T18:37:30+00:00

I have just purchased a new computer but as i installed programs, a problem was introduced. I think I had seen the same problem on my previous computer, but that is a long story!

The effect is that the computer freezes for about 5 seconds and then continues. Associated with that is a message from the Realtek Audio informing me I have just plugged a device into the audio input. It does not require there to be any audio playing at the time this happens, though if there is audio, then that either goes silent or issues what can best be described as a buzz until the system resumes. The audio can also go into a state which i can only describe as like a stutter, where maybe it freezes for a few milliseconds at a time over a period of about 5 seconds. Sometimes this produces the Realtek message, though not always.

It seems that sometimes this can be triggered by activity, e.g calling a new web page in the browser. Often on returning to the machine after a period away, where the screen has blanked, waking the system up causes the Realtek message, but no obvious freezing of operation.

But the problem can also occur when the machine is not being used. I can be in the next room eating lunch and hear the audio freeze for the period associated with the problem.

With the new system, I started by sequentially installing the programs I required. This was a processed performed over several days as I was also working on the machine as well. Among the programs I had always installed was OpenOffice, I had been using this since it was first available, though I think generally LibreOffice now does better. But as I installed OpenOffice after several days without a problem, I heard the quality of the sound change and the problem started. On average, the problem manifests itself about once an hour, so i think the initial trouble free period up to the installation of OpenOffice identifies the culprit, but uninstalling it did not help. Windows repair tool claims to identify a problem and to have repaired it, requiring a reboot, but the problem still returns, so something somewhere is damaged. Google does nothing but confuse attempts to find the Realtek drivers which could be reinstalled.

I don't know where to go. I can't believe I am the only person suffering from this problem, yet I cannot find reference to such a problem on Google. So this is my last ditch effort to solve the problem before resorting to a clean install.

Regards, Paul Dixon

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Performance and system failures

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

102 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2020-06-16T16:02:21+00:00

    I'm using i5-6500 CPU, Asus Prime H-270-PLUS MOBO, Crucial 16 (2x8) GB KIT DDR4 2400 MHz CL16 Ballistix Sport LT Dual Ranked Seasonic M12II-520 Evo PSU, MSI 1060 GTX 6 GB, Samsung 250 SSD, Hitachi 1TB HDD, Logitech MX Master 3, Logitech G413 Keyboard, original Windows 10 Pro - 10.0.18363.

    But I don't think that this is HW related issue. First when this "sound freezing" occurred, it was in march this year, it slowly got worse up to the blue screen. First blue screen was just ordinary restart. But after second, system was really slow, I was unable to open chrome, command prompt doesn't respond and so on. I had to restore windows and after that everything worked well. I was thinking that I got some spyware or something but I didn't found anything. After couple weeks, blue screen occurred again and after restart everything worked well. On next blue screen I had the very same issue with chrome, whole system was really slow. I tried to restore windows again but didn't worked. I was not able to boot normally so I had to reinstall whole system. After month, freezing occurred again and I can tell, that this is going worse and worse. Yesterday I got blue screen again without damage. 

    What I found is, when I'm using external DAC (Digital audio converter) freezing doesn't happens. Also freezing happens when I'm watching video on youtube or listening spotify but not in any game. So this issue is happening only when I'm using Realtek audio(analog audio output not digital) output and only in certain apps. 

    I saw, that there is some another strange bugs with printers etc after may update. Could by this related? Maybe we should set up ticket on windows support? I don't know but I'm using my PC as daily driver (I'm am SW developer) so this is really big issue to me.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2020-06-16T14:51:36+00:00

    I agree. I am using an Intel 9900k on a Gigabyte Motherboard, Gigabyte keyboard, Razor Mouse, Corsair Memory, SoundBlaster Card and Gigabyte video card. After windows install my system seems to work for a few days. Then it slowly gets worse. A reboot does help for a short time buy usually less than 1 hour. Not rebooting will usually crash my system after a short time. It does seem like a memory leak but why it causes both sound and video problems and are the mouse problems also video related are at the moment lost to me.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2020-06-14T22:14:40+00:00

    I also have an Intel i7. Mine is an 8th generation 8700k. I agree that gets worse over time, when i formatted  the pc it took some days for the freeze to appear, i noticed as i install more applications and games the issue comes more consistently.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2020-06-14T16:11:01+00:00

    OK I agree it is likely the only way to trace this. Logitech keyboard and mouse, Intel i7, Realtek audio(analog audio output not digital). I am convinced it is a software update - likely a driver and to me it seems to be something with a memory leak as it gets worse over time, gets reset with a reboot and degrades from there. Certainly most prominent watching Youtube video.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2020-06-14T07:37:11+00:00

    It's all so strange, maybe we have certain peripherals that windows somehow reacts weird. I have a Razer keyboard and headset.  A steelseries mouse. What do you guys have? It’s kind of stupid to ask this, because anyone who has one of those peripherals should get the same thing, but maybe we have something similar, let’s start by mentioning the most absurd things such as the peripherals

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments