Sound cuts off after 1 second

[FPSguy]

Recently our computer started exhibiting the following behavior. When we run Windows 98 and typical office software, everything is fine. When we run certain DirectX games such as Adventure Pinball or Nerf Arena Blast, the sound plays for one second and then cuts off completely. When we exit back to Windows all sounds then play for a second and then cut off. Windows won't even exit because it can't finish playing the Windows Exit Sound. The problem ONLY shows up when these games are played (I assume other games can generate the problem, but these are the ones I have noticed so far). Nerf Arena Blast used to run fine on the same system and not cause the problem. The problem showed up around the time that Adventure Pinball was first installed. Also around that time I installed a GEForce3 Ti 200, a Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical, and Norton Antivirus 2002. I tried uninstalling Adventure Pinball but that did not fix the problem. I also tried turning down, and then off, the hardware sound accelleration, and switching the sound playing device to "Game Compatible Device". None of that helped. If anyone has encountered this or knows how to fix it, I would be most grateful for your help. Here is my system configuration:

Windows 98 with all critical updates to date
Asus A7A266 Motherboard (1006 bios installed, but I see 1009 is now out)
Athlon 1.2 GHz processor
256MB Crucial PC2100 DDR RAM (one DIMM)
NVidia GEForce3 Ti 200 (23.11 Drivers)
Turtle Beach Montego I sound card with the latest drivers and latest A3D drivers installed
Altec Lansing ACS 495 USB speakers
Maxtor 40GB 7200 RPM hard drive
Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer 3.0 with Intellipoint 4.0 drivers installed
3Com 10Mbps network card
Linksys 10/100 network card
Pacific Digital (Lite-On) 24x10x40 CD-RW (installed after the problems started -- previously was a Cendyne 6x4x32 CD-RW)
Lite-On 16x DVD (installed after the problems started)

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer!

 

[Workin']

I'm in the same boat as you, or rather, my client is. A few hours of trying to fix it leads me to the conclusion that it is easier to reformat and reinstall everything than it is to try and find the problem.

 

[SemperFi]

Well I don't know if this will work but it has worked for me in the past.

Go to program files\direct x\setup\dxdiag and run dxdiag. click the sound tab and click the test button.

I have had sound problems and run the test and suddenly it is fixed. note this has been on older versions of directx I haven't had similar problems or results with newer version of directx.

In other words if it works great if not it was worth a try.

Semper Fi

 

[FPSguy]

Running DXDiag told me something. I can get one 8 bit sound. Then subsequent 8 bit sounds play for a second and then quit. Then 16 bit sounds don't play at all. It says my drivers are not WHQL certified. Is there a way to uninstall DirectX8 completely and then reinstall it (without reinstalling Windows)? I doubt I need better drivers since I downloaded the latest drivers from the Turtle Beach website. Of course, I did ignore their caution about applying the drivers to a Dell OEM version of the sound card, but something tells me that is not the problem. If anyone has any further thoughts I am still open for ideas ...

 

[Wolfsraider]

I vote for ditching the Norton antivirus as this has caused problems on many of mine and friends computers .

you can always reinstall norton if its not the case


hope this helps

 

[jmagg]

Im not crazy about norten myself. You can also try to remove your soundcard from device manager, let it redetect and reinstall drivers (maybe a differant version). Also just noticed that your using usb speakers. Look into usb issues with your motherboard

 

[FPSguy]

Norton: I think the problem predated Norton, though I will save that in reserve as something to try.

Removing and reinstalling sound card: Good thought. I will try that this evening and report back.

My instincts tell me there is something wrong in DirectX. That may not be worth much, but if anyone has any DirectX suggestions I am open to those as well.

Thanks everyone for your input so far.

 

[Workin']

Did you try reinstalling DirectX?

 

[FPSguy]

Ugh! I tried removing the sound card from the Device Manager and reinstalling the sound drivers. I am aware of three sets of drivers (the originals that came with the card, an updated set from Dell, and an updated set from Turtle Beach). I tried all three. No luck. Then I removed and reinstalled the software for the USB speakers. No luck. Then I reinstalled DirectX 8.1. No luck. Disabled (but did not uninstall) Norton. No luck. Reflashed motherboard bios with latest version (it turns out I had the latest version but didn't remember that; I reflashed it anyway). No luck.

Here is some more diagnostic information: If I boot and don't run a DirectX game, Windows sound is fine and I can run DXDiag and all sound tests pass 100%. If I boot and run a DirectX game in windowed mode, I get sound in the game just fine and Windows and DXDiag seem fine. If I run a DirectX game in full screen mode, though, the sound cuts off after a second, and when I exit back to Windows all sounds play for a second and then cut off (including the "Exit Windows" sound, which, because it does not complete, seemingly stops Windows from shutting down properly).

I REALLY don't want to reinstall Windows (I have done it before -- too many applications to reinstall). I may just buy a newer sound card and see if it makes a difference (any suggestions on a good but not very expensive card?). I thought I might exchange sounds cards with the other computer in the house and see if that made a difference, but then I remembered that the other sound card is an ISA card and this computer does not have ISA slots.

Does anyone have any final suggestions before I do something drastic like buy a new sound card or reinstall Windows? Thanks for all the suggestions thus far!

 

[jmagg]

Try switching out the speakers with a non usb pair.

 

[FPSguy]

USB Speakers:

I will try switching them out too, but I don't think they are the problem. Here is why. The USB part is nothing more than a connection between the subwoofer and the computer that allows me to turn a dial on the speaker and have a control panel appear on the screen showing the volume increasing. It's useless really. I can unplug the USB connection and they function just like any other speakers. Also, during some of the testing last night I had the Microsoft Sidewinder Game Voice switch the connection from the speakers to headphones, and the problem was the same with the headphones. Finally, after the problem begins if I open the Sounds Control Panel and try to play a sound, the sound begins, then stops playing, but the "stop" button in the control panel stays highlighted -- indicating that Windows thinks the sound is still playing. So, I really think the problem is in the software. I think it has something to do with DirectX and perhaps its interaction with the sound card drivers. Or, it could be an incompatibility between the sound card and the motherboard's latest bios update (Turtle Beach's site says the card is incompatible with the newest motherboards -- the card worked fine with the motherboard a while back, but I have updated the motherboard's bios periodically).

 

[FPSguy]

Switched speakers: Didn't help.

Reinstalled Windows (but not from scratch in a new directory, just reinstalled over existing installation): Didn't help.

I just tried Max Payne and it shows the same problems. Quake III doesn't have these problems, so it seems they are related to full-screen DirectX applications.

It's starting to look like either a fresh installation of Windows or a new sound card. Any final thoughts before I take such drastic measures?

 

[WarCon]

Did you happen to install any games that force installed an older version of DirectX? Like DirectX 5 or earlier. That can really hose DirectX. Only solution that I found that worked to repair this was to reload and not load that game again. I have seen some people mention that there is a DirectX uninstaller and if it truly does a complete uninstall then it might work. I did a search and found this.........DirectX Buster.

I don't have a clue if it works or not, so don't hold me accountable if it doesn't.........

But it might be worth a try, if you haven't done something like this already.

 

[ddeder]

Here are a couple of things to try:

Disable all startup items and try again.

Run scandisk and do a surface scan.

 

[IFICUDIWUD]

how bout maybe try uninstalling all the games.. and then re-install the latest directx.. after that re-install games but do custom install and dont install directx.. ???? just a thoought as sometimes versions can conflict...and also do 1 game at a time till u identify which game is giving u the problem