Sound crackling with X-Fi Xtreme Music

[Johny_B_Nasty]

Hi folks!

I hope you can give some hints on choosing for solving sound problems. Recently I'm experiencing problems with my Creative X-Fi Xtreme Music.

It started already a couple of month ago, but surely with Bi Ming during the day. Ie, when the work load for the computer gets heavy, a strange crackling of the sound kicks in. Whenever I move the mouse the crackling is there.

This is accompanied by raising sound distortion (except VOIP).

Two days ago I put another 2GB of RAM and that's when it got unbearable. CTD after 15 minutes of playing.
I removed those additional 2GB thus having again (only) 2GB of RAM. Now the problems are the same again, at least I can play for some time, but sound malfunctions got slightly worse.

Now it even occurred that I loose sound completely or that I can't use actively VOIP in the game, while I can hear your voices, dudes.

Did anybody have similar experiences with that card?

Btw, below you'll find my specifications.

Does anybody know whether ASUS' Xonar really enables EAX in Project Reality?

Did you try raising the processing priority of your sound card prior to giving it up with Creative?

Namely, my last hope is, and I still didn't try out this tweak in all situations, to set the sound card IRQ as priority. This can be done by twiddling with the Windows registry.

I'd really appreciate if you could shed light here.

Cheers,
Johny

My specifications:
Windows XP Professional SP3
ABIT IP35 Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750, 2x 2.67GHz
Corsair XMS2 DIMM Kit 2GB PC2-6400U CL5-5-5-12 (DDR2-800)
Sparkle NVidia 9600 GT
Creative X-Fi Xtreme Music
Tagan 2-Force II 500W ATX 2.2

[[R-CON]MrD]

Do you have a pci usb card in your pc?

If you have an ASUS mobo and a pci usb card plus the x-fi xtrememusic you get IRQ complications. I notice you are using an ABIT mobo, but maybe the same is true. Try removing all your usb devices and extra cards and see if it goes away. Only use the onboard usb slots for now. then try with a usb multi port extension in one of those slots.


additionally, you might want to install the latest OpenAl manually :

http://www.openal.org/downloads.html

[Johny_B_Nasty]

Thanks Mr D

Originally Posted by [R-PUB]MrD

Do you have a pci usb card in your pc?

No, there is only the video card in the PCIe and the sound card in PCI. As for USB devices, only my mouse (Logitech G5) is plugged in.

Originally Posted by [R-PUB]MrD

additionally, you might want to install the latest OpenAl manually :

OpenAL - Downloads

Why should I do this; doesn't the latest driver for the sound card and the installation of BF2v and PR already contain all the necessary files - like that OpenAl?

Anyway, I somehow fear that the problem is due to hardware issues because my impression is that the problems are growing.

[ReadMenace]

I have a similar problem, and the only fix that I've found to work is turning BF2 to 'Hardware' and 'High' settings. My only problems with any game is BF2.

-REad

[Johny_B_Nasty]

Originally Posted by [R-PUB]MrD

additionally, you might want to install the latest OpenAl manually :

OpenAL - Downloads

MrD, do you happen to know how to perform a clean uninstall of the old OpenAL?

Generally, I've spent quite a lot of time researching what the problem is and I'll post links to the articles and forum threads which deal with the "sizzling popping crackling" (SPC) issue with Soundblaster sound cards, especially in connection with Battlefield games.

It's very wide spread and in essence the manufacturer, Creative Labs, did a poor job when constructing their products.

[[R-CON]MrD]

Well, start with uninstalling, delete any left over folders, use a registry cleaner. Then the free tool DriverCleanerPro has a couple of Creative entries in it to help completely clean.

[Johny_B_Nasty]

Originally Posted by [R-PUB]MrD

Well, start with uninstalling, delete any left over folders, use a registry cleaner. Then the free tool DriverCleanerPro has a couple of Creative entries in it to help completely clean.

Aaah, you mean, in order to get rid of the old OpenAL, I need to uninstall the soundblaster drivers (X-Fi XtremeMusic) in the first place?

Does it mean that OpenAL comes with the soundblaster drivers anyway?

Or do I need to install OpenAL separately?

However, if I was to uninstall OpenAL only, then I wouldn't know how to do that because that thing doesn't appear in my system at all.

[=HR=Drayu]

I just installed the latest beta for the xfi cards (which is supposed to help in the crackling). may want to try that.

Also, does the openAl work in Vista64?

[Johny_B_Nasty]

Originally Posted by =HR=Drayu

I just installed the latest beta for the xfi cards (which is supposed to help in the crackling). may want to try that.

Yes, I did install the beta driver and, no, unfortunately they provide no comfort. The sound is not just horrible but it makes Project Reality CTD often.

But thanks for the hint

[Ironcomatose]

I have a x-fi card as well and every time i load a map up the sound crackles when it loads the sounds but then it stops. Also every once is a while i will get a sound glitch where i hear literally every sound in the game all at once and it wont stop until i leave the game but once i do its gone for good(or at least until the next time it happens) and i can go play again.


This is why i hate PCs, the tech is there for you to have an awesome machine but something ALWAYS goes wrong. Sometimes i feel its not worth it