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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
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.
that is really bizarre, because i started to have my problems in june with a fresh install of my windows 10. i never updated my last install of windows, and it remained with windows 10 with no updates. but when i installed the fresh version i updated to the latest update pack and then the problems started to appear. somewhere in june 2020. i also have built my own pc for 2 decades and i am pretty thorough with what i install.
Hello. I have the same problem like you describe, but mine it is a little bit different. I am using the browser to watch a video and lets say that i also play a computer game that uses my microphone and headphones. at some point in time, it stutters but what i have noticed, is that when i open sound control panel, the speakers (where i have my high definition audio device enabled as playback) is blinking for 2-3 seconds, and then i get an message in the middle of the screen that my sound device is now the default device. I will post a printscreen with the error if needed. Have you guys figured out what is going on? i've tried everything, reinstalling drivers, reinstalling windows, reinstalling antivirus, hence i am using bitdefender, looked online for this issue, and noone lese has it, made the whole list of suggestions that the moderator said. nothing works. it is from windows, i am pretty sure of it and it has to do with something that triggers it... either an update or something else.
and to finalize how it manifests after the stutter, it makes all my applications that were using sound silent (everything is on mute) and i have to restart all programs in order to have sound again.
this is really annoying for me.
For myself, the issue became less prominent when removing Intel RST and improved even further when updating drivers using the program IObit Driver Booster. It detected outdated drivers that ASUS and Intel wasn't showing available to download. One of the drivers i noticed specifically was an M.2 driver and some audio drivers. My OS is installed on the M.2 which could very well been the issue of why Windows was studdering the way it was. Also using IObit Advanced System Care cleaned up the registry as well. So far after working on the computer for 4 hours, I haven't ran into a studder yet. I am not promoting the products, just giving my experience with how they have worked for me so far. I'll post an update after a few days of testing.
Yes, I the problem is still there. I never had Intel Rapid Storage Technology on my pc and today I went to another blue screen and after reboot, my system was broken in same way like couple months ago. So I don't think we found solution yet.
The problem is still there but happens only once per day now. When RST was installed, it would happen almost every hour or so. I used IObitUninstaller to remove it and its registry files, so nothing too special on my end. I don't like going into Registry if i don't have to. The freeze that still occurs is linked to the hard drives somehow. When checking performance in Task Manager, the CPU usage will drop to 0% but my hard drives show a spike in usage. It would be great to figure it out entirely but I can live with it only doing it once a day.
