Audio file [mp3] skipping

[Sneaky]

FUCK ME IN THE GROIN.

I just spent the last 3 hours or so fucking around with my hard drive setup. [internal IDE drives]

Used to be:
stock 40GB Imperial w/ xp home
After 60GB Western Digital  w/ xp pro

I wanted to change it to:
After 60GB Western Digital w/ xp pro
After [formatted, blank] 40GB W.D.

The problem was, the 60GB was missing the boot and NTLDR files, so I came across this helpful page that remedied that issue. Now I can boot from this drive without fail, ridding my computer of it's stock HD, which I thought may have been interfering with my sound fuckups.

Apparently, it had nothing to do with it. 10 seconds into Rock n roll train, it skips. I fucking hate my fucking life.

This is a screen of my installed sound devices from the Device Manager.

Spec, how would I go about uninstalling [what you said.]. I'm aware that there are the drivers I need to hear shit from my speakers, which is what I thought came with XP with my computer. The "Realtek AC97" drivers are what I'm speaking of.


edit: I found a windows RAM testing program that you make a boot disk from a floppy. Testing now to see if ram has any issues.

[Spectere]

Spec, how would I go about uninstalling [what you said.]. I'm aware that there are the drivers I need to hear shit from my speakers, which is what I thought came with XP with my computer. The "Realtek AC97" drivers are what I'm speaking of.

So wait, are you using the drivers that came with XP?  If you're doing that, try going to your system or motherboard manufacturer's page and downloading the sound card drivers that they provide.

If not, the Realtek drivers can generally be removed in Add/Remove Programs.

edit: I found a windows RAM testing program that you make a boot disk from a floppy. Testing now to see if ram has any issues.

Bad RAM won't cause this to happen.  If you have bad RAM in your system it'll cause much more serious issues and will be far more sporadic.

[Sneaky]

I'm using the realtek drivers. I'll try uninstalling them, but afterwards, will my computer still play sounds? Or how would I go about obtaining some kind of windows default, unless they are already there.


edit: Removed the realtek drivers, also went thru the add/remove list and uninstalled some media  related stuff I don't use. Rebooted, then it gave me the new hardware wizard, so I placed my drivers CD for XP in the drive, and clicked automatically install. It installed fresh, new untainted Advance AC97 drivers. [same as realtek i believe.] So, in hopes of that actually doing something, I started up a song, and it immediately skips at the beginning, and also about a minute in. I think the drivers aren't the problem. this is getting to be ridiculous.

[Spectere]

What's the make and model of your motherboard/computer?

[Sneaky]

eMachines T1840
Mobo: Trigem eMachines Imperial
Mobo ID: 31891.EM.0000.D.0208262051
Chipset: Intel Brookdale-G i845GL
BIOS: Phoenix 6.00
SMBIOS Vesion: 2.31

[MooMan1]

At this point, you should sacrifice a goat to the dark gods. It might not work, but at least you can say you sacrificed a goat.

[Spectere]

At this point, you should sacrifice a goat to the dark gods. It might not work, but at least you can say you sacrificed a goat.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm thinking at this point.

This is kind of an odd problem...almost seems like a buffering issue but considering it's happening in all players that seems sort of doubtful.

Here's one thing you can try: when you play the sound file, check task manager to see how much of your CPU the player is using.  If it (or something else) is using 100% there's a good chance that there's some sort of audio filter that's making your CPU go all die and stuff.

[Sneaky]

As for CPU usage, I closed all unneeded programs, and it was steady 2 to 8%. Then I started the Mp3, played it in Billy, still a good 2 to 8%. Then I waited for the file to skip, and the CPU usage jumped up to 46% then back down to 2.

D:

[Bobbias]

Ok, can you give us a list of what filters it goes through (stuff like equalizers, etc.) Are you running it through FFDshow?

[Sneaky]

I've not heard of FFDshow before this thread. Billy doesn't have an equalizer, but there is a program called Sound Effect thats in the taskbar. It installs with the AC97 drivers [stock, even], and is the AC97 Audio Configuration, in which it has effects/equalizers. None of those options are even on as of now. Basically to config the driver I suppose.  Other than that, I've never installed [knowingly] any software to alter the sound of my music.

I've used WMP, Billy, and winamp as audio players.  I also have Zune, iTunes, Soulseek, VLC, and Quicktime, of which I use for my zune and ipod, Anime/movies, and quicktime video stuff.

[Spectere]

As for CPU usage, I closed all unneeded programs, and it was steady 2 to 8%. Then I started the Mp3, played it in Billy, still a good 2 to 8%. Then I waited for the file to skip, and the CPU usage jumped up to 46% then back down to 2.

Does that spike happen with the other players as well?

Also, does it happen on all file formats (i.e. OGGs, FLACs, WAVs, CD audio, etc) or just with MP3 files?

[Sneaky]

Yep all players.. I tried a .flac [converted from mp3], still did it.

[Bobbias]

Lame. This is a hell of a problem.

Only thing I can suggest is figuring out how to change the buffer size in one of those programs and see if that makes any difference.

[annon]

And if that doesn't work, reinstall your OS.

[Sneaky]

My solution: set my laptop on my desk in a nice area, and hook up my 2nd monitor to it as a display, keeping my laptop closed. Use wireless USB dongle back and forth between desktop/lappy to control which one i use. Copy all music over to laptop. Hook up desk speakers to the laptop

no more skipping :p fuck it