Re: Music playback is jumpy when opening applications!!

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I was wondering if this issue was ever resolved. I’m still trying to fix the
same audio problem with my Dell pc.
Since July or for the past three months all types of audio and video files
(including internet streaming audio/video) skips like crazy when I try to
multitask on my PC. It doesn’t matter if it’s an .mp3 or .wav file played
with Winamp or a .wmv or .mpg file played with Real Player. I’ve tried every
combination possible with the same frustrating end result.

Here are the specs on my machine:
Dell Optiplex GX270
Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2
Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3.20GHz
2046MB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 128 MB
Creative SB Live! Series
SoundMAX Digital Audio (onboard sound)
Original Hard Drive 111 GB (83 GB available)
Second Hard Drive 186 GB (118 GB available)
16X DVD Drive
DVD/CD-RW Drive

This is a list of maintenance I have done to fix the problem.
*Downloaded and installed the latest drivers for video card & audio cards.
*Updated Norton Internet Security and run complete system virus scans every
other day.
*Defragged both hard drives.
*Ran a Check Disk on both hard drives.
*Updated all media players with their latest versions.
*Unsuccessfully tried to run a Windows System Restore back to a date before
the issue began.
*Replaced the motherboard and heatsink fan.

I’ve had my PC for over two years now and until July, always had great sound
and video no matter how many applications were running at once. I’d
appreciate any advice in trying to get this problem under control.

Thanks,
Frank-John


"MuNk3y0fD3aTh (Dara)" wrote:

> Okay thanks, I'll try that
>
> "Phillips" wrote:
>
> > Have at least the audio files defragmented; if you still have problems, try
> > moving the soundcard in another PCI slot - aleviate IRQ conflicts.
> > If you have onboard sound, check for IRQ conflicts (i.e. what other devices
> > use the same IRQ with the sound) in System Information. Also, try to update
> > the sound drivers - or just reinstall the old ones.
> > Michael
> >
> > "MuNk3y0fD3aTh (Dara)" <MuNk3y0fD3aThDara@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
> > in message news:0FABA866-DAF4-4798-BF49-BADFA819A3B8@microsoft.com...
> > >I think I have 503 MB of RAM (so not too slow) but I only have USB 1.1
> > > so...maybe thats why, although playback was skippy BEFORE I started using
> > > the
> > > external and STILL is...so i'm a bit worried lol
> > >
> > > "heweaver@gmail.com" wrote:
> > >
> > >> It sounds like the machine may be a little slow...what speed CPU and
> > >> how much RAM do you have?
> > >>
> > >> Also, in my experience, the external hard drive will likely be a wee
> > >> bit slower than running music/apps from the local hard drive since it
> > >> also has to deal with the transfer rate of your USB ports etc. I run
> > >> an external drive with MP3's and my laptop does not chop at all when
> > >> playing from any source locally...running a P4 3.0ghz cpu with 1gb of
> > >> RAM.
> > >>
> > >> MuNk3y0fD3aTh (Dara) (Dara) wrote:
> > >> > About a month ago I realised my 20 gig 4200 rpm laptop Hard drive was
> > >> > filling
> > >> > up with wma's, mp3's etc so I purchased a new 250 gig 7500 rpm external
> > >> > Hard
> > >> > drive (USB). Before the new external Hard drive arrived however, I
> > >> > knoticed
> > >> > that nearly every time I oppened a new application such as MSN or Word
> > >> > etc
> > >> > music playback on Windows Media Player 10 would jump and skip the bit
> > >> > of the
> > >> > track playing for approximatly 3 sometimes with cool but disconcerting
> > >> > Matrix
> > >> > style electro-skips. I just thought it was my hard drive having
> > >> > difficulty in
> > >> > opening files with so little manouvering space.
> > >> >
> > >> > But after transfering my music to the new external I still have the
> > >> > same
> > >> > problem of skippy playback (albiet a bit less) when opening a new
> > >> > application
> > >> > with music playing! Arg.. I've tried maximising the RAM usage (what I
> > >> > thought
> > >> > could be causing the problem) but with only minimul effect.
> > >> >
> > >> > So I pose the question to the wise guys of the Windows newsgroups. What
> > >> > the
> > >> > [insert rude four letter word] should I do to stop skippy playback when
> > >> > new
> > >> > applications are opening?!??
> > >> >
> > >> > Thanks in advance guys!
> > >>
> > >>
> >
> >
> >