Audiodg.exe problems...using 100% of my CPU

If you guys have upgraded to the new Norton 2011, you know how much this software now rocks. It now monitors your computers health and tell you when unusual activity is going on.
So my point is, i've been getting this message from norton telling me that AudioDG.exe is using one of my CPUs to 100%. After a quick research, it seems as this is a part of windows that controls sound effects. This message appeared a couple of times while watching youtube video. I know the G73 has some problem with Audio drivers, i would understand if this message would appear while watching some high quality video of working with audio software but its running while im watching a video on youtube which is unusual...at least i think.
Any suggestion except from the obvious solution to disable it ?

 

Disabling it may disable audio.

Try checking the "disable all enhancements" checkbox on the playback device and see if it still uses that much CPU.

Software audio "enhancements" like the Creative crapware bundled with G73s can take "a lot" of CPU.

 

Hehe, you have this problem with the awesome Norton running. Coincidence? I think not.

Every computer I've ever seen that had problems with 100% of resource being locked up, it was running Norton.

But whatever, good luck.

 

I think what he is try to say (but it's hard to hear through the saddism) is that there is nothin wrong with your computer. There may be brief moments when the audio program maxes out one of your CPU cores, but that moment is so short it doesn't affect your performance (you do have 3 other cores after all). But norton detects the usage and thinks it is a problem (when it isn't).

Try disabling norton and use a CPU gadget like All CPU Meter and watch your CPU usage while performing normal tasks like word and Internet. If everything seems ok then it probably is norton giving a false alarm. If so, just change the notification settings in norton. The main problem with norton is that it takes resources to run it. Since you bought a high performance laptop, you may want those resources for other things (like gaming).

 

Of course!!! what other software would advise you of your CPUs maxing out??? this is a dumb assumption that norton causes a problem...norton just reports what your computer is doing unusually

I know there is nothing wrong with the computer...but there must be something in windows or the audio drivers that causes this sudden increase un CPU usage. Also when i use skype, my 3rd core is maxed out until i end the call

 

I actually looked into this today as i noticed audiodg.exe on my processes list for the first time.

Apparently the fix to permanently disable audiodg.exe is this;

You can try to disable it by right clicking on the Volume control on the taskbar > playback devices > Speakers (w/ green check circle > Properties on bottom right > Enhancements > check 'Disable all sound effects'

now apply and save. Then go to task manager and kill audiodg.exe if it isnt already terminated.

Now test it out. Open task manager and verify audiodg.exe is off. Go to youtube and play a vid. Audiodg.exe shouldnt pop back up...but it does. For me at least. If you kill it while playing a vid/music it will pause and audiodg.exe will start up again and resume the vid/track.

I looked into this issue not because I was getting 100% CPU, but because it was using between 20k-25k memory on idle. I checked 'show process from all users' for the first time and there it was..not really a big deal though.

I will tell you that if you do the method above, it decreases audiodg.exe memory usage to 10-11k. Before with all the enhancements it used up to 20-25k...so i guess the method above does help conserve memory but doesnt disable it completely.

 

Yes, it's a major part of the audio system in the OS.

To prevent excessive CPU use by the process, eliminate software DSPs from the audio codec/DSP "chain" ("graph" is the proper term). The Creative package is the big one that comes stock on our G73JHs.