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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  2. Anonymous
    2020-05-16T13:33:35+00:00

    Please keep all of us informed of how you are progressing. I also have this problem. So for it has cost me a couple thousand dollars to completely rebuild a new computer which unfortunately also has caught whatever is causing this issue. It slowly gets worse. It has to be some kind of interaction between updates as it works flawlessly and degrades over time. It is obviously a software issue as changing all hardware does not solve the issue. The only reason there is not a ton more reporting this issue is because they don't know how to get here! I suspect it is much more common. I fear the only way it will be resolved is to gt a complete list of installed programs and updates from all with the issues and find commonalities. I use YouTube as lot and it is now almost unwatchable. Sound quickly begins to lag followed by the freeze and buzz which become more frequent. Stopping the video and restarting it seems to reset the issue but it quickly returns.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-05-17T01:51:28+00:00

    I really am not much closer than in my last report. An event is usually, though not always, coincident with a flurry of Ethernet activity. I am also getting BSODs at a rate of about one every one, maybe two, week(s). Stop Report varies in cause.

    I don't tend to watch much online video on this machine, it is audio that stutters, whether streamed online or playing from my disk. Stutter can occur whenever I switch windows, though I have about 5 freeze events per day, as I said previously, not always while I am at the keyboard.

    I have had trouble with the retired machine which now acts as my media server, that has times when video and sound will not stay in sync. It also has had freezes, though not very frequent. These as stated previously required power off to clear. This has only minimal installs and I only run what I need to view streamed video, which is typically just a browser, so it is not heavily loaded with applications like my working system but still exhibits problem.

    I am suspecting drivers which block in some way. I am also suspicious of my router, supplied by AT&T and manufactured as far as I can tell by a company called Pace. I have had to have one replaced because it frequently failed to respond for several seconds and my impression is that they are very poor in reliability.

    So still struggling to make sense of the problem, but will report if I make any sort of breakthrough.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-05-17T02:20:42+00:00

    Hello

    I also have the same problem as him. Although I don't have any problem with the audio. But I think what causes this problem for me is that there are many lines on my screen. I tried to investigate either it was my screen that was causing the issue or something, so I tried downloading an app called Splashtop which lets me mirror the screen of my computer to my phone. But the same thing happens. The cursor and screen was still lagging.

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-05-17T10:55:25+00:00

    I think i managed to fix it by using a spare HDD and by using an external audio device. Not sure if it will work for all of you, though

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