audio intermittant buzzing (stuttering)

Since installing Win7 on a new hard drive, there is an intermittant loud buzzing sound on all types of audio lasting for about a second every few minutes. It appears to be digital in nature and no progress is lost when normal sound resumes. It is very annoying and is apparently quite common, as there is much reference about it on the internet. However apparently no one has a solution to the problem, as I haven't been able to find one, including here. I am sure it must be a Win7 issue, as I kept the old XP hard drive installed as a secondary, and this problem is nonexistent in XP while running. All hardware and apparently software is the same.

Is there a fix?
Thanks gm

You probably need to update your sound card or motherboard's on-board sound drivers. Type Device M in the start menu's search box and press the enter key on your keyboard. This will open Device Manager. In Device Manager click on the arrow next to Sound, video & game controllers and see what is listed. If it's onboard sound through your motherboard, it's most likely Realtek. Here is Realtek's link to get driver's. http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/ . It depends on what Device Manager says on which link to click on that page. It'll either be High Definition Audio Codecs (software) or AC97 Audio Codecs (software). Click on which ever link Device Manager say's your computer has. You also, may need to upgrade your video card or onboard graphics driver's as they also, have sound drivers in those, too. Definitely make sure you disable your antivirus software before updating any driver's and restart your computer after the driver is installed and re-enable the antivirus software. For AMD drivers go to www.amd.com . For Nvidia driver's go to www.nvidia.com .

Thanks. The PC is a Dell Dimension E521 desktop. The sound device is SigmaTel. Dell does not offer a driver for anything except Vista. Will that one work for Win 7?

Search Bing or Google for SigmaTel. If you find that they have a website search it for a driver. If they don't have any, the Vista driver will work, as Windows 7 & Vista use the same coding. Just make sure you download the x86 driver if you're running Windows 7 32 bit. Get the x64 driver if you're running Windows 7 64 bit. If you don't know which version you have, right-click on Computer on the right side of the start menu and click on Properties. If it says Windows 7 x86, it's 32 bit and x64 is 64 bit.

Could not find anything on SigmaTel's site regarding Windows 7, so I installed the Vista driver from Dell's site. It improved the condition, but not entirely. I still would like to fix it entirely. Do you think I should change to a more popular sound card, such as Creative? Might be worth spending 50 bucks to not be hassled any more.
regards gm

The add on sound card may help. I'm not positive on it though. The only computer I ever put a sound card in was my first pc, which was a 486 pre-pentium. We're talking back in 96 when motherboards didn't have sound cards built in yet. Personally, it may be cheaper to upgrade to a newer pc in the long run. Check this web site. They sell alot of ccheap on there way out pc's. www.geeks.com

Gmarroti~

YES .. adding a diffrent sound card WILL help .. with some interesting possibilities..

IF you have enough room for expansion .. AND as long as your expansion slotts are not "faulty".

GENERALLY what happens is when you install a seconday card (mind you this is dependant on the system) it will automatically deactivate the onboard sound and/or video system.

I tried looking up just your Model of Dell system .. and got conflicting recutls as to wether it IS IN FACT upgradeable or not.. and what type (if any ) cards you could use..
(extra info like possibly service number or other wise would help to get more specific)

I will tell you however as far as Creative cards are concered .. they DO take a bit of "tweaking" to get to work corectly with Windows 7. Especially if you are doing voice and video chat..


If you are just doing startdard usage ( games and such) they work fine.

For me they have been a solid good card .. but that just my personal opinion .

Hope that helps.
~LoneWolf

Lone Wolf and others too, thanks. I do in fact a lot of voice and video chat. It seems there may still be some issues if I install a secondary sound card. The present NVIDA GeForce 6150LE video adapter and the sound drivers have been brought up-to-date. I am wondering if MS may issue an update fix for this problem in the future and would it be best to just wait and see. Also, do you think Dell might be of any help?
Cheers gm

Gmarotti~

Acctually i wasnt saying anything to discoruage you from getting a seprate sound card ..

Even if the system doesnt automatically disable the onboard sound when you put the secondayry in . you CAN (within the BIOS setting) disable the onbaord sound. then the secondary card WIll (should) take over the duty for the sound.

Again it all depends on what you can potentially upgrade your computer with as to what card you can get .

As far as asking Dell for help.. possibly... you might(meaning should) be able to find out from them what your system is upgradeable to .

If you go to the dell site .. you can also use thier "system detection" program and that will give you the specifics as well..

Just keep on thing in mind.. IF you do your own upgrades.. and it "borks" your system 90-95% of the time it will VOID YOUR WARRANTY if any that you may have from Dell.. and if you ask them for help afterward ,,,, they will essentially tell you to take the card out and Reformat your system back to factory specs.

Again not meaing to be discoruaging at all .. just some FYI's

~Lonewolf