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Thread: Intermittent audio buzz after installing Windows 7

  1. #1
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    Intermittent audio buzz after installing Windows 7

    Toshiba A105-S4211
    4G RAM

    After installing Windows 7 on my laptop (clean install), everything's good EXCEPT when playing music. There is an intermittent loud buzz which lasts for a second or so - this happens only once every 5 minutes or so, but is very annoying. I tried updating the drivers to Realtek, which came with the computer originally, but it did not help.

    Can someone help?

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Ultimate Member Rocketmech's Avatar
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    Ttry toggling the wifi switch off during playback. You have tried other players?

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    Hi - thanks for answering. I just tried listening to a song in itunes with the wifi off, and got the same loud digital buzz that lasts for about a second, after about 4 or 5 minutes of listening. It doesn't seem to correspond to any actions on the computer - and it's really loud, at least as loud as the music.

    It happens in both itunes and media player. When I was running XP for the last 3 years on this computer, I never heard anything like that. It happened after installing Windows 7, with the built in driver, so I tried finding another sound driver - the original specs on my computer said Realtek, so I found a Windows 7 version called Realtek High Definition Audio driver version 6.0.1.5983. But it didn't make any difference. I'm not sure if that is really the right sound driver I should be using, however.

    Music is very important on my computer so if I cannot figure this out I might have to go back to XP, but only as a last resort.

    John

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    Extreme Member! BipolarBill's Avatar
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    If you have a cell phone nearby, try turning it off for a spell or moving it away from the PC.
    MS MCP, MCSE

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    Hail to the Victors dajogejr's Avatar
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    For the hey of it, unplug it from the power supply and move it to a couch, etc., away from wall outlets or other types of power.

    Some laptops have interference with their AC Adapter and a poor ground.

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    Administrator Steve R Jones's Avatar
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    Ditto the cell phone to close or some other appliance.

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    Hello again - well I tried getting my computer away from any possible interference but no help. Today I listened carefully to the noise, and it seems to be more like a digital "stutter" - the music pauses during the buzz. Online I found a couple of other people that seem to have the same problem, but no solutions.

    Maybe there is another process interfering with my sound driver? Any help is appreciated.

    Thanks.

  8. #8
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    Have you stopped anything in msconfig/startup?

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    Member Kandar's Avatar
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    Could be way off base here but its just a thought. Your problem reminds me of a similar issue I was having several years ago. I was recording in a home studio when I used to get random digital clicks coming through my system and ruining my recording sessions. After much weeping and gnashing of teeth I discovered that a new resident to the area was an amature radio enthusiast and had errected an inconspicuous mast almost in line of sight of my studio.

    He was only there for a month and the problem went when he did.
    Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Train View Post
    Have you stopped anything in msconfig/startup?
    No - I haven't gone that route yet. I see the choices include diagnostic startup and selective startup. What do you suggest I start with, just to boot up and play music? Is the idea to try to isolate some program that's running and might be causing the audio problem I'm having?

    There seem to be over 100 "services" starting up, and only 9 "startup" applications.

  11. #11
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    And there really is no need of having a program start until it is needed.

    I use msconfig.
    Here is how to check msconfig
    Start/Run and type in
    msconfig
    OK
    Startup Tab

    Keep the page open then go to link below. It will tell you what all the entries are and whether you can disable them or not. It will also identify any malware. Disable everything which is not needed to run at start up
    http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/

    Read the Key at top of page. Use the Search box at the top to check all your entries

    When you reboot you will get a message saying you have started in "Selective Startup" Click "Don`t show this message again" then OK

  12. #12
    Member lito pospos's Avatar
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    Check if this buzz sound happening to all audio format .

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    Quote Originally Posted by Train View Post
    And there really is no need of having a program start until it is needed.

    I use msconfig.
    Here is how to check msconfig
    Start/Run and type in
    msconfig
    OK
    Startup Tab

    Keep the page open then go to link below. It will tell you what all the entries are and whether you can disable them or not. It will also identify any malware. Disable everything which is not needed to run at start up
    http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/

    Read the Key at top of page. Use the Search box at the top to check all your entries

    When you reboot you will get a message saying you have started in "Selective Startup" Click "Don`t show this message again" then OK
    Just those programs in the Startup tab, not those in Services, right? Right now there are only 8 in Startup -

    CA Security Suite
    Synaptics Pointing Device
    Quick Time
    iTunes
    Groove Monitor Utility (installed after I had the noise problem)
    RealTek HD Audio Manager """"""
    Java Platform
    Microsoft Windows Operating System (I shouldn't disable this one, should I?)

    Thanks.

  14. #14
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    Disable just these.
    Quick Time
    iTunes
    Java Platform

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    Quote Originally Posted by Train View Post
    Disable just these.
    Quick Time
    iTunes
    Java Platform
    Hello again - I went thru the whole enable/disable process last night it didn't solve my sound issue. I ran a latency checker and found big spikes - my thought is that my laptop is just not meant to run Windows 7. I ran the same checker on my desktop running XP and no spikes at all - all green. So unless you have other suggestions, I think I'm going back to XP by using my Toshiba recovery disk - I hope that works.

    Thanks,
    John

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