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Question

Sound Stuttering

Sep 1, 2017 2:13AM PDT

Hello,

Been having a crackling/stuttering problem on my PC for a while now. Been doing some troubleshooting, but now getting to parts I can't easily change out.

When the stuttering happens, the CPU usage is going 100%, this can be YouTube online, or Media Player local. To trigger this, it can be something as small as opening a combo box in IE, or just loading webpages.

My PC is Windows 7 PRO. I have a SSD / HDD setup. OS has been wiped a couple of times, and all the original components are in that I build the PC with.

I have changed out what I can - SSD, Wireless PCI-E, Graphics Card.
I have just put in a USB sound card, just for testing, but it still happens.

I am going to get a new HDD, as I need one for a new build anyway. I had thought about the HDD Data drive going to sleep, and waking up causing the stuttering. (Its WD) I have since put a page file on it, to try and keep it awake! All MyDocuments/MyMusic etc are setup for that drive.

The only components left are obviously CPU, MB and Ram. Going to try the RAM next, just by pulling some out. I have 4x4GB modules in a 4 slot MB, so easy enough to sort.

I do have a new PSU for the new build, so I could maybe put that in, but I can't see it...

I am just wondering, what would the likely component be?
Long shot, I know, but going to change out mouse and keyboard - just in case!

Hope someone can point me in the right direction!

As mentioned I am going to be building a new PC, but I would like my current to be fully OK, just in case I ever use it again. If it was the CPU, for example, it most likely need to be a 2nd hand ebay one, running 3rd Gen I5.

Many thanks

Discussion is locked

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Answer
What is this machine?
Sep 1, 2017 4:56AM PDT
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Answer
A 3rd gen i5?
Sep 1, 2017 7:32AM PDT

I'd want to know why the CPU is at 100% on all 4 threads. This may be just a matter that it's just working too hard at something or a failing drive. One of the recent finds in the past years is that a lot of 100% CPU issues were traced to HDDs that were not responding due to drive issues.

Let's see that Speccy as it will give us a view at drive health and more.