cracking, popping sounds

[Andiesean]

I occasionally hear cracking sounds when online. I have AOL, and I hear the cracking right after I hear the Goodbye message. Also hear popping sounds while playing Nascar Racing 2003 Season. I have Sound Blaster Live 5.1 card with Creative Inspire 5.1 speakers.

ASUS P4S8X
P4 2.4 GHz
ATI Radeon 9700
WD 120 GB
512MB PC2700
SB Live 5.1

[rorai2]

update your sound card driver. Plus the card you have takes every little soud and puts it to the speackers which most people don't hear what your hearing because every one else sound card sucks ( the home end-user market). Basicly what you hear i won't because of the quality of my sound card. And on top of that it is like a montor you have a old 800 x 600 at 60 hertz which most people have they won't see the deatil in some games as if some one like you that has 1024 x 768 at 200 hertz. Just update your sound card driver and if it still does it it's normal. But 1% chance it could be a bad sound card but highly unlikly.

[Volts]

What sort of OS are you using? Win2k? WinXP?

Could just be a driver issue. Have you installed the latest driver? I am using Audigy and is having the same issue as you. Hearing crackling sound and whatnot in some games. After i downloaded the latest driver everything is fine now.

[Andiesean]

I'm running Windows XP. I tried to update driver and caused my system to crash, so I'm still with original driver.

[Cyan]

I had this problem, go into dxdiag (from RUN on the 'Start' menu) and test DirectSound in the (sound) tab.

If it popps there, REMOVE your audio drivers from add/remove, restart, don't let windows install any new drivers (if it asks you) then install the updated drivers.

[Andiesean]

I ran the Directsound test, everything ok there.

[Cyan]

Okay, but try to re-install the drivers by uninstalling current ones - restarting - and install the new ones (dont un-install the Sound blaster software things, just the drivers)

or go into SAFE mode when you install the new drivers.

Is the Popping accompanied by a slowdown? a hicup? visually on your monitor.

Watch what programs you are running in the background. Something might be sucking up processor power and/or memmory.

[Andiesean]

No, the system doesn't slow down or hiccup. Everything seems to run fine, just hear that popping sound. Guess I will have to try to reinstall driver like you said. Thanks!!

I am kinda holding off on reinstalling the driver for now, read my post in Techincal Forum (Sound Blaster Driver update) and you'll know why.

[Volts]

If reinstalling the new updated driver causes your PC to crash, i would suggest you change the physical PCI slot. Try unplugging the card from the existing PCI slot and moved to another free vacant PCI slot. I was having the same problem till i moved it to the last PCI slot in my mobo. All the rest cause system crash and hangups. Good luck!