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Question

Custom Desktop Build Stutters While In Use

Sep 3, 2014 7:15AM PDT

I have a custom desktop build and I am having trouble figuring out why it stutters / freezes very briefly. My computer only stutters while browsing / using iTunes. The computer DOES NOT stutter at all while gaming (which I find very ironic). Even when I watch a YouTube video it will stutter briefly during the video even if I have nothing else open and not doing anything.

My build is not even 4 months old and here are the specs:
OS = Windows 7 Pro
RAM = 32 GB DDR3 GSKILL
CPU = AMD FX-8350 4.0 GHz (8-Core)
Graphics Card = EVGA NVIDIA GTX 770 ACX 4GB GDDR5
SSD = Corsair 128 GB (Primary)
HDD = 2 TB SATA
MOTHERBOARD = GIGABYTE GA-970A-DS3P AM3+
Sound Card = ASUS XONAR DSX 7.1
FANS = V3 VOLTAIR THERMAL w/ Hyper Cooler + 2 Side fans on the case + 2 fans for each SSD and HDD.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Me too.
Sep 3, 2014 7:48AM PDT

Some ready to use laptop with 16GB RAM i7 and more. iTunes could be building images, equalizing and more so I don't think that's a bug to conquer.

Not only that, "the possible number of test combinations (OS version, sound card hardware, sound card driver, other audio software installed) is truly staggering."

Then we see folk with overlapping security apps and it's all downhill from here. I'm not writing it can't be fixed but given the detail so far, any guess would be just that. My encounters with this is all about treating the machine as if it's a fresh install. I make sure all BIOS and SSD firmware is current then lay out an install plan. Of course any torrent or other use makes the entire OS install suspect. Then again that old crossfade...
Bob

PS. There are tomes on the web which you can pick over too.
-> http://www.onemanblogs.co.uk/index.php/archives/2006/12/06/how-to-fix-itunes-stutter

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More info
Sep 3, 2014 9:21AM PDT

My apologies. Let me clarify. It stutters with or without iTunes. It stutters iTunes but mostly during web browsing (any browser). All other applications (Photoshop, After Effects, etc) does not stutter as much or not at all.

I had an older desktop build back in 2008 that had MUCH lower specifications than this build and had no stuttering at all. (This build even had overlapping security, torrenting, etc)

Furthermore, let me also explain something else I forgot to mention:
This build was preset 10% overclock. During this time it did not stutter. Once I disabled the overclock in BIOS, that is when stuttering started to occur.

I would turn overclock back on but I do not wish to degrade the life of my rig because I do not need overclocking 24/7 and I do not want to have to keep going into BIOS to turn it on and off frequently.

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Still feel like a blind man and the elephant.
Sep 3, 2014 9:27AM PDT

We know that Windows, the install of the OS, then the drivers is much too much to ask every one to deal with.

Try this as a test. Disable all sound devices.
Bob