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
    2021-03-13T14:20:07+00:00

    Thank you for posting this. Until now I thought it was happening solely on Intel based systems running Windows 10 and that the corruption was based on a conflict between drivers. I had not thought thought that AMD based systems were also affected. It does make sense now that we see AMD systems are also having this issue that it is clearly a Microsoft caused problem. The question still remains as to why it only affects random setups. As I have stated in earlier posts I built 2 identical Intel based computers at the same time with both running Windows 10 home version. Both have been in constant use in the same household since 2019 but only 1 of them has had this problem.  Both are set to automatic updates and have been on the same version of Windows.  After many reinstalls of Windows the one affected finally became stable for about 4 months or so until it started failing the new Windows updates this year. I have tried several "fixes" such as the Windows update troubleshooter and a few which run from the Windows admin powershell command line interface. I have also made sure that the correct Windows services needed were started and running while I tried to run the updates. Meanwhile the second computer keeps running without these issues. Having worked in and with IT since 1983 I have seen many things but I am not a expert on software development. At this point it really would be useful to us if we could get some sort of response from Microsoft as to why their "updates" are causing these type of issues and what they know as to how to correct them but even though we know they are aware of this and have even seen this thread, they refuse to comment.  Perhaps they are just stalling until such time as a new version of Windows finally becomes a reality as they simply do not know how to fix it without rewriting the entire core.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-03-13T15:55:26+00:00

    James as someone who has worked closely professionally in the Microsoft space without getting into detail I can assure you that your last sentence is the exact issue. Question I have for you is those 2 systems are they using the same generation processor and motherboard. As someone who is also in the IT field I know you understand that a difference in generation of the same motherboard or processor can have different chipsets which can cause all kinds of slightly different issues in identically built systems. What I suspect is that this issue is probably affecting only specific chipsets that wasn't accounted for in the coding of the update I mentioned as I have 6 other Windows 10 systems in my home but only my gaming system is affected by this issue. Which also posses the question of is it really a Windows OS update developmental issue or a Manufacturer issue which I have no doubt the Windows 10 development team is tracking. But since this issue is not critical system failure issue I know for a fact its not a high priority for them.

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-03-13T16:12:42+00:00

    one question. do you have your windows installed on a m.2 hdd?

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-03-14T12:34:47+00:00

    Courteny, both systems are built with a Gigabyte Z390 Aourus Master version 1.0 motherboard, an Intel core I9 9900k processor and 32G Corsair memory. Both are also using Samsung SSD's with the exception that 1 has a 1T 840 and the other a 2T 860. However on one of my reinstalls I switched the 2T 860 back to a 1T 840 so that both were the exact same but the issue came back within a short amount of time. As one of the systems did have a internal sound card added and also a different graphics card I removed them from the build and ran solely on onboard sound and graphics. This made zero change to the issue as it returned to the same computer. I also have 2 additional computers running Windows 10 however 1 is a Lenovo all in 1 and the other a MSI laptop. So far neither of those has had this problem but as they are of different builds I did not include them in this. also both Gigabyte systems are connected to the same router using a LAN line however I also tried running them on a wireless connection to remove that part from the equation. This also had no effect on the issue. On my last reinstall I switched the one back to the 860 2T SSD and put back in the sound card and graphics card. This also had no effect on the issue.

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  5. Anonymous
    2021-03-14T12:38:11+00:00

    No they are not M.2 HDD Both are internal SSD's connected by a SATA cable.

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