Windows 2000 and SoundBlaster Live! Value problems

[sandman97289]

Hi, I just upgraded Windows ME to Windows 2000 and installed the latest Creative Liveware that I downloaded from the Creative Labs site, this also includes the latest drivers for Win2k. The problem that I am having is that whenever I'm playing some mp3s I get some cracking/popping in the sound if there is some harddisk activity or is some CPU activity. This never happened in WinME and I have checked my Hard drive settings, they are at Ultra DMA. I don't know what the problem is. My system specs are

Celeron 400
440ZX mobo (some generic brand) with socket 370
One 8.4 Gb Samsung UDMA HD, One 6.8 Gb Samsung UDMA HD
128 MB RAM
SoundBlaster Live! Value sound card
ATI Xpert@Play 16Mb video card.
Infra 48x Creative CD drive.

I would greatly appreciate some help

Sandman

 

[MulLa]

Does that happen to every mp3 that you play?

Tried uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers?

I'd probably say your upgrading from ME to 2000 might cause that problem? But it's something "small" to format your hdd over.

 

[sandman97289]

Well this happens when I play any mp3, another thing is that I a periodic accessing of the HD (about 1.5 blinks per sec) while playing MP3s, ie the system continously accesses the Hard drive reading the mp3. This however didn't happen in WinME, the system use to load the mp3 once and then read the entire thing from the RAM. This problem however is not new, I had previously installed Windows 2000 on my system and because of a HD failure I had to reinstall my OS so I decided to try WinME. On my previous install of Win2k the same thing used to happen.

Sandman

 

[Panther505]

Try uninstalling the LiveWare that comes with the driver package. I was having trouble with my SB Live! Value in my server box. I was getting popping and crackling with the system. I uninstalled all of the Creative Apps and reinstalled the driver package alone. Popping and Crackling were gone.

Another question is what is the mobo's chipset. I have seen issues recently with the latest VIA 4 in 1 patch and sound cards/chips popping and clicking during gameplay of URT.



Nevermind the VIA question - got boneheaded and didn't read good the first time

 

[lilstevo]

When i go to soundblaster.com and download the drivers there are two versions. Do both have the live!ware or just the large download one? I downloaded the smaller file and i get crackling and pops when playing music.

 

[sandman97289]

I downloaded the Liveware and am using the drivers that were provided with that but now I'll try to uninstall that and install the drivers provided on the creative site.

Sandman

 

[sandman97289]

I'm still getting the same cracking and popping while listening to music, I don't know what the problem is

Sandman

 

[AtomClock]

I was haveing the same problem. I was using windows media player 6.4 and it would play very choppy. I changed to WINAMP and all of my problems went away. I am not sure if media player 7.0 would fix the problem because I don't want to install it on my system. With all of the hoakey graphics activity it generates I don't think I want that much overhead running on my machine. Anyway, if you are using windows media player try something eles.. it will probably fix the problem.

 

[AtomClock]

Here is a link to WINAMP

http://www.winamp.com/

Oh yes.. it is free too!!! and no built in adds..

 

[sandman97289]

Sorry I forgot to mention that I am using Winamp
I have two amps connected to both of the outputs (rear and front) of the soundcard. 4 speakers in all, two from the front amp (Sansui Valve amp 1975 model) and the rear 2 speakers connected to the rear amp (Sansui Surround Sound processor amplifier DS-77). The cracking isn't coming from the amps, I know that for sure, it doesn't come while using WinME.

Sandman

 

[themadmonk]

Try to uninstall the device completely. Then let Windows install its own set of drivers. When I first installed Win2K, it had drivers for my SB Live Soundcard, didn't need to take any from the CD or the website. If you still get that cracking sound then you know it is not a driver problem, you can upgrade your Direct X, and get the newest DriectSound module.