Computer Sound Problem

[435]

I'm having an issue where sound files are sounding choppy and/or skipping a lot (this also applies to the sound in video files). This started a couple days ago. I have not recently installed any new software or hardware. The laptop in question is no more than two months old and runs Windows XP.

This problem begins with the startup jingle.

I'm mainly concerned about this because I want to listen to music on iTunes and it's really annoying if 75% of the song is being ripped to shreds. The startup jingle is obviously in my main hard drive partition, I keep music in a different one.

I've already done full system scans with Norton, AdAware, Spybot, and some web based virus program. I've also gone through task manager and looked up every running process on Google to see if it's legit, and so far I haven't found one that's not.

As far as I can tell, the problem relates to spikes in processor usage. Like if I open up a new window, or send an IM I get a spike and the sound skips. However, the processor often spikes on it's own without me doing something (I know this because I sit there watching it while listening to music). Generally I'm not using that much processor power (CPU Usage is at 2-8 percent, and jumps to 10-15 when iTunes is playing). But when I actually do something, like sending or recieving a simple IM or even minimizing or maximizing a window, the processor jumps to 100%. And I've just noticed that if I type fast enough, it also jumps up pretty high. This does not strike me as normal, but I'm not really an expert.

So what's the deal? Is there some common and logical software explanation in this? Do I have a processor that's prematurely dying? Does the last Windows XP update screw with sound?

[odannyboy000]

Can you list your hardware?

I have heard of sounds cards "warping". It happened to me once, but it wasn't choppy, it sounded more like the sound was under water.

Anyway, there is a chance you need to update your drivers for your onboard sound.

How long has this been going on?

[435]

The laptop is about two or three months old. The problem has been going on for maybe a week now.

I no longer believe this is an issue relating to sound, but rather lag. I've been monitoring the processor in task manager, and it seems whenever I do something no matter how basic (say, flipping a tab or sending an IM or sometimes even moving the mouse) there is a huge spike that coincided with the original sound issue, though since the original posting of this topic I've noticed that the lag extends throughout any program I have running. So this is really probably a processor or OS problem and the topic should be moved.

The problem I'm having really reminds me of a virus or ad-ware issue, but numerous scans with numerous programs have not found anything, and so I'm pretty stumped. I could also attribute this to a change in hardware or major software, but there's been nothing.

Anyhoo, computer stats:
AMD Turion @ 1.79 gHz
1 gb RAM
WinXP SP2
The soundcard is listed a Conexant AC-link, which I assume is generic for whatever they integrate into the motherboards at HP.

[Sylvander]

To check whether your hardware [HDD excluded] and BIOS are ok...
Load and run Knoppix from a Knoppix Linux Live CD (http://iso.linuxquestions.org/version.php?version=412), and play some sound/music files in there.
If the music plays just fine then you know it's not a hardware/BIOS problem [HDD excluded], so it's either your Windows environment or your HDD at fault.

[435]

I'm downloading that now. What are eventualities of possible outcomes?

[chrisling]

However, the processor often spikes on it's own without me doing something (I know this because I sit there watching it while listening to music)

Can you explain more on this? You were actually doing nothing at the moment? Or you were listening to music then you check CPU usage and it shown increasing trend?

But when I actually do something, like sending or recieving a simple IM or even minimizing or maximizing a window, the processor jumps to 100%

This is normal. :)

[435]

Can you explain more on this? You were actually doing nothing at the moment? Or you were listening to music then you check CPU usage and it shown increasing trend?

I have iTunes and Task Manger open simultaneously. iTunes doesn't usually pull much from my processor when it's playing a song, but in Task Manager I see the CPU Usage spike randomly, and the spikes correspond with the skipping in the song. This usually happens somewhat frequently, but sometimes I'm lucky enough for it to go thirty or seconds or so between spikes. Note that in this case I am not otherwise multitasking, I'm merely playing music and observing the Task Manager. When I'm doing something else while iTunes is playing, the skips are almost constant.



This is normal. :)

I know that any action I take is obviously bound to affect the CPU Usage, but should switching tabs in Firefox really cause the rest of my computer to lag for a second or two? If I click the Start Menu, should it take three seconds to pull down while the CPU Usage is 96-100%? One week ago, my computer did not behave in this manner.

[435]

I'm also noticing now that when I try to shut down or restart, ccApp.exe is giving me the Non-responsive error message where either I can click it off or it will automatically do so in 15 seconds.

I know ccApp is an important Windows process, but what exactly does it do? Is it possible it's corrupted and needs to be replaced, or is there a way I can open it up and readjust it to solve my problem?