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

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-06-25T16:30:31+00:00

    To all following this thread, Last week I used Samsung Magician to securely erase my original 2T SSD and reinstall windows 10. So far I have updated it to the latest version that has been available 1909. I have installed Nvidia GeForce drivers, Creative SoundBlaster drivers, McAfee security suite, Malwarebytes, Adobe Acrobat reader, Canon printer drivers, MSN software, APC battery backup software, Firefox, Gigabyte motherboard drivers, Intel Driver and Support Assistant, and a few Microsoft Store Apps. As far as I can tell all programs are at the latest version and all drivers have been updated. I have not installed any type of Gaming software, Utility software or work type other than a VPN. So far my system has been completely stable with no issues. Now I an left wondering what else may be going on. For the record I still have My 1T SSD fully loaded with all my software and also all drivers and Windows up to date. It is currently unplugged. The thing is if I unplug my 2T and boot up the 1T my system will run for less that 10 minutes before it freezes, crashes, ETC. The rest of the hardware is all the same. Anyone have any more ideas?

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-06-18T14:58:03+00:00

    I had this same problem pretty soon after getting my pc. At the time, uninstalling the Nvidia HD audio driver solved the issue. However, the problem started up again about a month ago, and now the same fix hasn't helped.

    Not sure if this will be useful to anyone here but figured I'd share just in case.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-06-18T13:30:53+00:00

    I am not sure if this has happened to others but I have forgotten to add that when my computer is doing this, there are times that my keyboard also malfunctions. While typing it will also take the last key I used and keep adding it until I force it to stop. Not sure how it is related but it adds to the frustration. 

    Now yesterday I got tired with the nearly constant freezing and such and switched hard drives again. I used Samsung Magician to do a secure erase on my EVO 860 2T SSD then unplugged my other drives and did a clean Windows install. So far I have only did the Windows updates and installed drivers for my Video card, Sound card, Motherboard, and Printer. No other programs. I want to see if it's really Windows doing this or possibly another program we all may be using and not know about. If it is Windows then the problem should come back soon. This problem is making my computer almost unusable.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-06-16T16:41:40+00:00

    This problem does seem to have started around March. While I do not have an external DAC the problem does happen to me using onboard sound and also using my PCIE SoundBlaster Z card. What I am doing on my PC does not seem to make much difference. It freezes reading E-Mail, Playing card games, Searching the WEB, ETC.  A reboot might make it run for a little while but sometimes it's only for a minute or so. I don't really know how to read and understand the EVENT logs but even then I have had this happen while looking and not seen anything show up. I may be looking at the wrong things though. I would like to get help from someone, especially Microsoft.

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-06-16T16:31:06+00:00

    One common thing seems to be YouTube video. Before I totally built a new system when I could not solve the issue the most noticeable issue was YouTube where it started with Sync issues with audio then the stuttering/freezing started. Again for me it started also in March. I use Realtek audio. So far it gets worse over time (which I still think is symptom of memory leak) and if I reboot every day it usually can hold off issues but sure does not help the fact that I host a web site on the computer.

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