# Windows Sound problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 17, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807 "2003-08-17T17:54:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807/1 "2003-08-17T17:54:48Z")
So… I’ve had my new computer for about 2 months now, and it has a big sound problem. I thought it was just the speakers I’d yoinked from my old system, but I bought new speakers the other day (Creative I-trigue 2.1) and they have the same problem… When some sound files are opened, I get a moment of loud static… less than a second, but enough to get really annoying. I _think_ it’s a software rather than hardware problem, because if I’m, say, playing a game, after loading X level I’ve already visited, the music starts cleanly. If I start a new level (and thus, a new sound file is opened), the music has the momentary static when it opens. It sounds a little bit like the speakers are being plugged in and unplugged when the sound file opens, if that helps. I’m (really) hoping it isn’t a sound card issue, since my board has onboard sound… any suggestions about what it could be, and how I can fix it? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807/2 "2003-08-17T18:51:35Z")
_bump_ I’m desperate. ---
**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807/3 "2003-08-17T19:10:50Z")
What Operating system? Have you been into Device manager looking for any yellow splats? ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807/4 "2003-08-17T19:12:18Z")
Have you checked for updated sound drivers on the manufacturer’s website? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807/5 "2003-08-17T19:18:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Daizy \* > \*\*What Operating system? > Have you been into Device manager looking for any yellow splats? \*\* Win98 SE, and yup… found nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807/6 "2003-08-17T19:22:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Number \* > \*\*Have you checked for updated sound drivers on the manufacturer’s website? \*\* I’d love to… but AOpen’s download servers have been down for two days, or at least I can’t connect to them. I’m pretty sure I have the newest drivers anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807/7 "2003-08-17T20:02:33Z")
How about [here](http://www.soundcard-drivers.com/companies/90.htm) then? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807/8 "2003-08-17T23:59:15Z")
Er… I have no idea which one of those is the right one. My board has onboard sound… should I be looking for the name of the board? It’s an AOpen AK-79VN… nothing similar appears to be mentioned on the site. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807/9 "2003-08-18T00:08:53Z")
Sounds like a hardware issue. You can get perfectly nice 32 bit Soundblaster Live 5.1 soundcards on Ebay for 20-35. dollars shipped or [$ 33.00 brand new at www.newegg.com.](http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=57&manufactory=1137&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-sound-problem/195807/10 "2003-08-18T17:19:28Z")
Are you saying the onboard sound is defective? The board is only 2 months old… I don’t understand what exactly it wouldn’t be compatible with. All the programs I’ve run so far (that have sound) have been older than the board… [http://www.aopen.com/products/mb/AK79G-VN.htm](http://www.aopen.com/products/mb/AK79G-VN.htm) \