Motherboard sound processor issue?

[DiscoSass]

Here's one for the PC Elite Guru's!

 

I've been banging my head against the wall with this one as I'm pretty hot with PC's, have been for some years, but now I have a problem that I cannot fix.

 

Basically all my sound has became messed up, it effects diferent files in different ways. Some MP3 files play the music fine, but missing vocal layers. Some MP3's play at such a terrible bitrate it is completely unrecognisable. Sound on some avi/mpg is missing completely while others play at a bad bit rate.

 

At first I thought something had gotten in and corrupted all my files (I'm a DJ so there loads!) however when I burned an audio disk it plays fine in another machine. So I expanded on this and played an original bought audio cd on my PC (Nickleback - Silverside up, to be precise) and it played with the same issues as mp3's from the hdd, music sounded ok, although missing some layers and vocals had an echo to it (please note only the vocals had echo!)

 

My mobo is ASRock K7VM4 with onboard sound, which I use.

 

So here's what I've tried so far

 

1. Updated sound drivers

2. Checked and confirmed Bios settings

3. Checked all sound settings in Windows and Sound card manufacturer programs

4. Formatted PC, full new install of Windows, all drivers... still the same

5. As above as wasnt sure if it was ok at basic windows install before adding all other programs (you never know it could have been a burning prog that was causing it)...

Still the same

6. Installed a different soundcard, disabled on board sound... no change

7. Full Bios flash and reinstalled latest bios version

 

I have came to the conclusion that it is not a Software problem and that it is not a sound device problem... but what else does that leave?

 

Does the motherboard have a processor on board that distributes sound to a sound device?

 

Like as I started, I have been banging my head against the wall with this one. Any help will be appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance :)

Stu

[Plastic Nev]

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help,

It is item 6 that throws me, a PCI sound card didn't make any difference, Are you sure you disabled the on board sound when the PCI card was installed?

which card and make was it, if one of the Sound Blaster series it should have taken over the system and worked correctly.

If as you say nothing works correctly, it does indeed look like a fault somewhere in the mother board circuitry, and I am afraid the only way to check that is with another board.

Nev.

[Tootech]

Do you install any codec packs?

 

Did you uninstall all of the oboard sound drivers prior to installing the other sound card?

[DiscoSass]

I asked my Dad if he had a spare sound card about (like Aladins cave the amount of bits we horde, LoL) I don't recall what it was. But yes in step 6, I disabled the onboard sound in the bios, uninstalled the sound device in windows and then insterted a soundcard in slot and installed the windows drivers and it still played the same.

 

I am under the thinking I'll need to buy a new mobo, but I thought I should ask about first before possibly throwing a perfectly good mobo away.

 

As I said, everything else works fine, if I burn music cds from this PC they play perfect, just the actually sound coming through it is pants :s

[DiscoSass]

Do you install any codec packs?

 

Did you uninstall all of the oboard sound drivers prior to installing the other sound card?

 

 

See now this is the bit I'm questioning myself on....

 

I think I did.

 

I know the PC speakers were definatey plugged in to the other sound card, but I'm not sure if I disabled and uninstalled everything first.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi again,

when you installed the card did you put the loudspeaker plug in the socket on the card? and not the original on board socket?

Does the computer work OK in everything else, no slowness in doing anything or other problems?

Nev.

[DiscoSass]

Hi again,

when you installed the card did you put the loudspeaker plug in the socket on the card? and not the original on board socket?

Does the computer work OK in everything else, no slowness in doing anything or other problems?

Nev.

 

 

Yes, the speakers were plugged in to the socked on the card and not my original onboard sound device.

 

Everything else works fine, running smoothly, no unecessary HD chunnering, graphics smooth. All A-ok. Also as mentioned if I burn audio cd's and play them on my lap to or stand alone hi-fi/cd player they are perfect. If I play an original bought cd on the PC then it plays the same as my mp3's from HD.

 

Different files play in different ways, the most common form that it manifests itself in is that, if you picture a recording studio that each part if the song is recorded in different layers (ie lead vocals, drums, guitar, backing vocals, etc) then some of the layers are missing and that lead vocals, if present, have an echo to them.

 

However, some mp3s don't even give me that much and are so badly distorted by sucha crap bitrate you can't even make out what song it is.

 

audio on movie files suffer from either no sound at all or the most common one is it plays at a bad bitrate.

[Plastic Nev]

Like you I am a lot puzzled, however lets just try taking some things out of the equation, how much RAM have you installed?

If more than one stick, remove one and try again, it may run a bit slower, but if no change replace that first stick, then remove the other and try again. Do you have access to other known to be good sticks of RAM and can you try them?

Nev.

[Tootech]

I know the PC speakers were definatey plugged in to the other sound card, but I'm not sure if I disabled and uninstalled everything first.

 

I am not sure what point of build we are starting with. If you are not sure about the onboard audio drivers follow this list and try it again.

 

1) Uninstall PCI sound card drivers.

2) Go to Device Manager and make sure the PCI audio device is uninstalled - if not, remove it.

3) Shut down PC.

4) Restart and make sure onboard sound is still enabled in the BIOS.

5) Go to Add/Remove and uninstall ANY sound drivers, audio codecs etc.

6) Shutdown.

7) Refit PCI card.

8) Restart and reinstall PCI sound drivers.

9) Restart and retest.

 

The reason for doing it that way is that I've tried to uninstall onboard audio drivers in the past when it is disabled or another card has been fitted. They sometimes won't uninstall when the onboard is disabled.

[DiscoSass]

Like you I am a lot puzzled, however lets just try taking some things out of the equation, how much RAM have you installed?

If more than one stick, remove one and try again, it may run a bit slower, but if no change replace that first stick, then remove the other and try again. Do you have access to other known to be good sticks of RAM and can you try them?

Nev.

 

 

I'll try changing RAM, will come back when done.

 

Can that really make a difference? cant hurt to check I guess :D

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, Before checking the RAM have a go at Tootech's suggestions first, but by all means check the RAM if no change after that.

[DiscoSass]

RAM made no difference, unfortunately after my Dad came round the other night with soundcard and it didn't work I gave it back to him to take home as I've got enough crap around LoL.

 

I'll nip round to his this aft and get a couple off him to try and then I'll go through Tootech's suggestion and get back to you all later today. Getting ear ache from the missus to go and cut the grass while the sun's out, you know how it is. Public holiday my arse!

 

 

Thanks again guys! :):confused::)

[DiscoSass]

Ok, so...

 

I have removed every instance of any sound device, disabled on board sound in bios, done restarts etc etc.

 

Fitted alternative sound card, installed drivers and still get this infernal problem.

 

 

This just doesnt make sense. Other than sound playback through the computer, it's perfect. I can transfer files from this PC to others and they are fine, I can burn cd's to play on other devices and they are fine.

 

There has to be something I am missing

[DiscoSass]

Any other ideas welcome :)

[Tootech]

Its a bit of a weird one methinks.

 

Did you reinstall using a Windows CD - not a Recovery CD ?

 

You have done a full Windows reinstall - not a repair install - yes?

 

Is your system overclocked in any way?

 

Have you tried a BIOS reset?

 

If not, can you do that. Pull the mains lead out (when switched off of course:)), take out the BIOS battery, leave it for a couple of minutes, refit and reboot to the BIOS.

 

Set the time and date correctly again, and check boot order, hard drive settings etc.

 

Don't mess with any other settings and boot normally. Check the audio again.

 

I am wondering if there is some sort of hardware fault. Anyone else think that?

[snow]

My only other thought is the part beyond the PC: what speakers are you connecting the PC too?

 

Have you connected the PC to any other audio devices to check? Have you been using the same speakers, and same audio cable, throughout this testing process?

[DiscoSass]

Just a standard set of pnp speakers, bog standard. I thought about the speakers also, but surely all sound playback would be the same. It wouldn't give you different results for different mp3s, ie some giving echo and some badly distored through poor bit rate.

 

Anyway, let me update you with where I'm at right now...

 

I have bought a new motherboard, swapped everything over, formatted C:, disconnected D:\ (incase it was something infecting from there) installed windows, drivers, etc, just to the basic need to play sound and guess what?!?!?

 

Still the same!!! omg!!! Bang, bang, bang (head on the wall btw)

 

 

So, I dug out some nasty manky old speakers out of my ghosts of PC's past box and guess what???

 

PERFECT!!! Well go to ffff......

 

I don't know how, I don't know why, but it's working and that (should) be good enough for me! I'm dumb founded as to how and why, but it's a fact and thats that. I'll just have to accept it. Sorry, babbling a bit now as I'm beyond myself at how unusual the problem was and how simple to fix. LoL

[Plastic Nev]

Thanks for letting us know. Have you tried headphones? Also in my case I connected my sound out into my stereo system, much bigger and better speakers than most built for computers. Have you looked into doing something similar as something for the future?

Nev.

[DiscoSass]

I connected my sound out into my stereo system, much bigger and better speakers than most built for computers. Have you looked into doing something similar as something for the future?

Nev.

 

I used to have it all wired up through surround sound stereo, great for playing Command and Conquer!! Altho the neighbours didn't think so LoL

 

Just use it for normal stuff nowadays, so just bought some little stand alone speakers from Aldi. They were fab untill this :P