hardware problem

[zespri]

Guys, do you know a friendly hardware forum where a newcomer won't be treated like... you know what I mean.

So I wanted to play Tropico 5, and when I bought it on steam it told me that my graphic card GTX 285 is not modern enough to run it.
I went to a local shop and got GTX 760 and now it runs. But for some wierd reason sounds in all games became really choppy, especially when alot is happening on the screen. And it's just *sound* that is choppy, the video on screen has no problems at all. In some games even if you are not in the middle of a battle if a pop-up text produces narration this narration is painful to hear because it's so choppy.

Tried to re-install all the drivers I could think of, to no avail. Looking for a forum that can help me.

[mrhanman]

Tom's Hardware, anandtech, and hardforum are the bigger ones, but I can't say for sure how well they treat noobs.

Anyway, I'm an IT tech, so I'll try to help here.  Can you give more detailed specs of your computer?  CPU, RAM, HDD, etc.  Also, what version of windows are you running?  When you say all games, do you mean those that worked fine before, or just those released in the last few years?  The more detail you can provide, the better.

[zespri]

Thank you,  mrhanman!
This started happening across the board, including the games that were working fine before. It's not very prominent when not much happening in the game. Watching mp4/avi does not seem to be affected either. However I need to do more testing with that.

Here is the system summary:

--------[ Summary ]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Computer:
      Computer Type                                     ACPI x64-based PC
      Operating System                                  Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional
      OS Service Pack                                   -
      Internet Explorer                                 11.0.9600.17239
      DirectX                                           DirectX 11.2
      Date / Time                                       2014-08-18 / 10:53

    Motherboard:
      CPU Type                                          DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo E6600, 2400 MHz (9 x 267)
      Motherboard Name                                  Asus P5W DH Deluxe  (3 PCI, 2 PCI-E x1, 2 PCI-E x16, 4 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Dual Gigabit LAN, IEEE-1394)
      Motherboard Chipset                               Intel Glenwood-DG i975X
      System Memory                                     6144 MB  (DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM)
      DIMM1: G Skill F2-6400PHU1-1GBNR                  1 GB DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM  (5-5-5-15 @ 400 MHz)  (4-4-4-10 @ 266 MHz)
      DIMM2: Kingston 99U5429-007.A00LF                 2 GB DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM  (6-6-6-18 @ 400 MHz)  (5-5-5-15 @ 333 MHz)  (4-4-4-12 @ 266 MHz)
      DIMM3: G Skill F2-6400PHU1-1GBNR                  1 GB DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM  (5-5-5-15 @ 400 MHz)  (4-4-4-10 @ 266 MHz)
      DIMM4: Kingston 99U5429-007.A00LF                 2 GB DDR2-800 DDR2 SDRAM  (6-6-6-18 @ 400 MHz)  (5-5-5-15 @ 333 MHz)  (4-4-4-12 @ 266 MHz)
      BIOS Type                                         AMI (06/17/09)
      Communication Port                                Communications Port (COM1)

    Display:
      Video Adapter                                     NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760  (2 GB)
      Video Adapter                                     NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760  (2 GB)
      Video Adapter                                     NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760  (2 GB)
      Video Adapter                                     NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760  (2 GB)
      3D Accelerator                                    nVIDIA GeForce GTX 760
      Monitor                                           Acer T230H  [23" LCD]  (LHS0B0067520)

    Multimedia:
      Audio Adapter                                     nVIDIA HDMI/DP @ nVIDIA GK104 - High Definition Audio Controller
      Audio Adapter                                     Realtek ALC882/D/M @ Intel 82801GB ICH7 - High Definition Audio Controller [A-1]

    Storage:
      IDE Controller                                    Intel(R) ICH7 Family Ultra ATA Storage Controllers - 27DF
      IDE Controller                                    Intel(R) N10/ICH7 Family Serial ATA Storage Controller - 27C0
      Storage Controller                                JMicron JMB36X Controller
      Storage Controller                                Microsoft Storage Spaces Controller
      Disk Drive                                        WDC WD2002FAEX-007BA0 ATA Device  (2000 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III)
      Disk Drive                                        ST310005 28AS USB Device  (1000 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-II)
      Disk Drive                                        ST32000542AS ATA Device  (2000 GB, 5900 RPM, SATA-II)
      Disk Drive                                        ST32000542AS ATA Device  (2000 GB, 5900 RPM, SATA-II)
      Optical Drive                                     DTSOFT Virtual CdRom Device
      Optical Drive                                     LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1693S ATA Device  (DVD+R9:4x, DVD-R9:4x, DVD+RW:16x/8x, DVD-RW:16x/6x, DVD-ROM:16x, CD:48x/24x/48x DVD+RW/DVD-RW)
      SMART Hard Disks Status                           OK

    Partitions:
      C: (NTFS)                                         1863.0 GB (16.1 GB free)
      D: (NTFS)                                         1863.0 GB (169.8 GB free)
      E: (NTFS)                                         1863.0 GB (74.3 GB free)
      F: (NTFS)                                         931.5 GB (0.2 GB free)

    Input:
      Keyboard                                          HID Keyboard Device
      Keyboard                                          Standard PS/2 Keyboard
      Mouse                                             HID-compliant mouse
      Mouse                                             HID-compliant mouse

    Network:
      Network Adapter                                   Marvell Yukon 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller
      Network Adapter                                   Marvell Yukon 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller
      Network Adapter                                   Realtek RTL8187 Wireless 802.11b/g 54Mbps USB 2.0 Network Adapter  (192.168.2.2)
      Network Adapter                                   TeamViewer VPN Adapter
      Network Adapter                                   VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter  (192.168.56.1)

    Peripherals:
      Printer                                           CutePDF Writer
      Printer                                           Fax
      Printer                                           Microsoft XPS Document Writer
      Printer                                           Send To OneNote 2013
      Printer                                           Snagit 11
      FireWire Controller                               Texas Instruments TSB43AB22 1394A-2000 OHCI PHY/Link-Layer Controller (PHY: TI TSB41AB1/2)
      USB1 Controller                                   Intel 82801GB ICH7 - USB Universal Host Controller [A-1]
      USB1 Controller                                   Intel 82801GB ICH7 - USB Universal Host Controller [A-1]
      USB1 Controller                                   Intel 82801GB ICH7 - USB Universal Host Controller [A-1]
      USB1 Controller                                   Intel 82801GB ICH7 - USB Universal Host Controller [A-1]
      USB2 Controller                                   Intel 82801GB ICH7 - Enhanced USB2 Controller [A-1]
      USB Device                                        Generic USB Hub
      USB Device                                        Generic USB Hub
      USB Device                                        Generic USB Hub
      USB Device                                        Microsoft Hardware USB Mouse
      USB Device                                        Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000
      USB Device                                        Realtek RTL8187 Wireless 802.11b/g 54Mbps USB 2.0 Network Adapter
      USB Device                                        USB Composite Device
      USB Device                                        USB Composite Device
      USB Device                                        USB Input Device (Logitech Download Assistant)
      USB Device                                        USB Input Device
      USB Device                                        USB Input Device
      USB Device                                        USB Input Device
      USB Device                                        USB Mass Storage Device
      USB Device                                        Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows

    DMI:
      DMI BIOS Vendor                                   American Megatrends Inc.
      DMI BIOS Version                                  2901
      DMI System Manufacturer                           ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC
      DMI System Product                                P5W DH Deluxe
      DMI System Version                                System Version
      DMI System Serial Number                          System Serial Number
      DMI Motherboard Manufacturer                      ASUSTeK Computer INC.
      DMI Motherboard Product                           P5W DH Deluxe
      DMI Motherboard Version                           Rev 1.xx
      DMI Motherboard Serial Number                     MB-1234567890
      DMI Chassis Manufacturer                          Chassis Manufacture
      DMI Chassis Version                               Chassis Version
      DMI Chassis Serial Number                         Chassis Serial Number
      DMI Chassis Asset Tag                             Asset-1234567890
      DMI Chassis Type                                  Desktop Case
      DMI Total / Free Memory Sockets                   4 / 0

[zespri]

So this is only happening with my usb headset. If I switch to the speakers output it also works fine.... Hmm.. Let me borrow another usb headset from a friend and test it with it.

[mrhanman]

Go to device manager, and under sound and audio devices, right-click and disable the nvidia audio devices. 

If that works, try doing a clean uninstall of the video drivers, and when you reinstall them, select custom install, and don't install the audio drivers.  They have been known to cause audio problems with older realtek onboard audio.

Or, you could just leave them disabled.

Long term, you should think about upgrading your MB/CPU/RAM, as they are beginning to show their age anyway.  I know that's easier said than done, but there it is.

Here is a thread on nvidia's forums detailing a similar problem, for reference.

EDIT:  Of course, if your USB headset is bad, then ignore all of that.

[zespri]

Go to device manager, and under sound and audio devices, right-click and disable the nvidia audio devices. 

If that works, try doing a clean uninstall of the video drivers, and when you reinstall them, select custom install, and don't install the audio drivers.  They have been known to cause audio problems with older realtek onboard audio.

Or, you could just leave them disabled.

This was one of the first thing I tried after googling about the problem. This, unfortunately, made no difference.

Long term, you should think about upgrading your MB/CPU/RAM, as they are beginning to show their age anyway.  I know that's easier said than done, but there it is.

Here is a thread on nvidia's forums detailing a similar problem, for reference.

EDIT:  Of course, if your USB headset is bad, then ignore all of that.

It seems that the usb headset is somehow incompatible. It worked fine before. But I just tried with another usb headset and there is no problem with this one. So I'm guessing off I go for the new headset.

As for upgrade you are of course right. I got this set up quite a few years ago so it is time to upgrade, one thing is that GTX760 is PCI-E 3 and the MB does not support 3, so I'm not getting the full power of the video card this way. But you know how it is, I don't want to buy low end, and higher end costs more, and you think, all right, I can play like this for the time being, and then a new game comes out and you need to upgrade anyway =)

Any recommendation for a MB, btw? I don't want very expensive top-notch, but not a low-end either. It should be somewhere at the top of mid-range. Specifically is there a huge variety in cpu slot types nowadays? It used to be the case when I assembled this current PC.

Anyway, thank you for looking into it, and I'm glad that this problem is now solved (minus the new headset).

[mrhanman]

As far as Intel CPUs go, there are two current sockets - 1155 for Sandy Bridge and  Ivy Bridge CPUs, and 1150 for the newer Haswell CPUs.  If you're looking to save money, the Core i5 series offers great bang for the buck.  I have a core i5-2500K that is a couple years old, but still servers me well.  If I were buying today, I'd go with the Core i5-4670K 3.4GHz, which is around $235 on Newegg right now.  You can sacrifice an unlocked multiplier and 200MHz to get the Core i5-4570 for $200.

I have an ASRock brand motherboard which is a budget brand, but it has all the bells and whistles I was looking for at the time, and I've not had a single problem with it.  I was leery of getting it at first, but I would buy it again, given the chance.  It was about $100 less than the competing eVGA, MSI, or ASUS board, if I remember correctly.  eVGA was my first choice, but I couldn't afford it.  If you've got the money, go for a better brand, but my experience with ASRock so far has been great.  I'm not even sure if they are considered a budget brand anymore.  Anyway, I'd expect to spend between $100 and $125 on a good board.  I'd go with the Z97 chipset.

Tom's hardware does some system builds within multiple predefined budgets.  It might be worth checking those out to get some ideas.

[zespri]

Ok thanks. Our choice is limited here in certain areas, since we are not USA, but MB / processor choice is usually good. My mobo was somewhere around 400$ mark when I bought it, but it turned out that I did not use many of it's features. I was planning on using raid, but it turned out to be a problem. I was hoping to use eSata port, but that too did not work out too well, and finally two wired network ports I simply never used. I also thought that I might upgrade CPU eventually, and this has not happened either, and now this MB won't accommodate recent CPUs. All in all I think that this time it's better to go for more economical choice.

[x4000]

Fun fact, completely off topic: Anand and I went to the same high school, and I knew him vaguely.  He was 3 years older than me, though, so I didn't know him well.  He started his site while still in high school.  Some of my good friends knew him better than I did.  Seems like his site is still a group of good folks.

[mrhanman]

That's pretty awesome.  Honestly, I didn't realize Anand was a guy.

[x4000]

Yep!  I think a lot of folks don't really realize that at this point.

[chemical_art]

I have had no problem with my AMD cpu. While there are certainly stronger CPU's out there, even in current CPU heavy games such as grand strategy it has performed admirably, and on sale was barely 100 dollars.

I will say it is better to spring for a slightly pricier motherboard, but after reading this thread "pricier" is very relatively. I bought a ASUS for around 130 dollars and it is so much nicer then the generic motherboard i had previously. Relatively idiot proof as long as you understand what you are looking for.

But really, unless you are willing to drop a few dozen hours to figure out what you really want  from your computer, then browsing for good deals over a few weeks, then finally assembling it, just go for a prebuilt one.

[zespri]

So turned out it was nothing to do with the headset either. I just did not test long enough to notice.
The problem was with any headset usb or not and on speakers too, it just was more difficult to hear on the speakers.

Reinstall of graphic drivers and audio drivers did not help at all.

What eventually helped is installing MB chipset drivers back from 2008. After this the problem want away. Let's see for how long....

[zespri]

Bloody hell!!! It worked for just one gaming session. After reboot we are back to square one. I'm tempted to re-install the whole OS already.

[mrhanman]

Before you do that, you can check to see if that is the problem by booting to a LiveUSB such as Ubuntu and see if you have the crackling there.