Studio XPS 1640 sound cracking/popping problem

Hey guys, I don't remember when it started but my sound cracks and pops when I play games (NBA 2K10, WoW...) and sometimes when I'm watching youtube videos. However, it's fine when I just play a song on iTunes. Well actually, it pops a bit when I first start the song, but then the popping disappears, which leads me to think that the problem is somehow related to CPU/GPU usage.

So I've been on the web for quite a while now trying to find solutions...and here's what I've tried:

1) Using headphones (sound pops in headphones as well)

2) Turning off the wireless adapter (sound still pops with wireless off)

3) Disabling all enhancements under "playback devices" (still pops)

4) Checking IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers for Ultra DMA mode (got 4 ATA Channels, ATA Channel 0 is in Ultra DMA Mode 6, ATA Channel 1 is in Ultra DMA Mode 5, ATA Channels 4 and 5 are not in any mode)

5) Updating IDT High Definition Audio driver (updated, still pops; read somewhere that rolling back the driver would solve the problem, but at that point I've already reinstalled a newer IDT HD audio driver, which means I can't roll back to the desired date...)

6) Tried using a different HD audio driver (tried downloading a realtek HD audio driver, but I guess realtek = IDT?? same problem occurred)

6a) Eventually found some HD audio driver for some HP laptop (driver is now called High Definition Audio Device (under device manager => sound, video and game controllers))(sound still pops)


Specs:
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit (6.1, Build 7600)
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P8600 @ 2.40Ghz (2 CPUs), ~2.4Ghz
Memory: 4096RAM
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670
Bought: Around July/August 2009

A system restore would fix the problem, but I really don't want to go there.

Please help me fix this problem!

Btw, let me know if you need more specs (and please tell me where to find the spec too)...my specs list looks a little too simple

 

SOUND CARD I THINK

--> CALL DELL for ultimate trouble shooting. save yourself some time

 

Have you tested your system for throttling while gaming yet?

The XPS 1640 can lose 90% of its CPU performance while gaming which can lead to sound issues as well as many other issues. Give ThrottleStop a try. When it first starts it is in monitoring mode. Click on the Log File option and go play a game or two and then when done playing, stop ThrottleStop so you can have a look at the log file. If the CPU multiplier is dropping way below what it should be then you have a problem.

ThrottleStop
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/3/1794507/ThrottleStop.zip

 

@unclewebb

First, thanks for your response.

I can't download ThrottleStop.zip from your link, it seems to be dead. Google also provides an older version of ThrottleStop, and when you execute it it simply tells you to download the latest one and closes.

Also, I'm using a 90W adapter and if running ThrottleStop with a 90W adapter might "seriously damage" my charger and my battery, I prefer living with the popping sounds...

Perhaps you could tell me how you would solve the problem if my system has the throttling problem? and I would give that a try? (provided it's safe)

 

I just tried the link and it works fine. They were probably down when you tried but here's an alternate link.

Download ThrottleStop.zip from Sendspace.com - send big files the easy way

ThrottleStop is 100% safe when it is in monitoring mode which is how it will be after you download it and first start it up.

Contact Dell and ask them to replace your 90 watt adapter with a 130 watt adapter. It's a free upgrade. The problem is trying to find someone at Dell that knows what is going on. The most recent bios requires a 130 watt adapter but most Dell reps are out of the loop.

The only solution for the XPS 1640 that works at the moment is to have it replaced by Dell, at their cost, with a 1647 Dual Core instead. The XPS 1640 is still defective with severe performance throttling issues, especially when gaming. Head to the XPS 1640 throttling thread and start reading.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps-studio-xps/458668-1640-throttling-post-here.html

 

I have the same problem. I didn't use to have this problem, which makes me think its one of the updates that is causing this. However after reading all these throttling threads, I'm beginning to think my laptop has fallen victim to something related.

 

unclewebb, I just used Throttlestop and here are my results.

DATE TIME MULTI C0% CKMOD CHIPM DTS
05/19/10 23:41:58 9.24 45.2 100.0 100.0 61
05/19/10 23:41:59 9.15 51.4 100.0 100.0 63
05/19/10 23:42:00 9.16 49.0 100.0 100.0 64
05/19/10 23:42:01 9.28 19.6 100.0 100.0 63
05/19/10 23:42:02 9.13 57.0 100.0 100.0 59
05/19/10 23:42:04 9.31 49.7 100.0 100.0 63
05/19/10 23:42:05 9.09 45.6 100.0 100.0 64
05/19/10 23:42:06 9.08 55.7 100.0 100.0 58
05/19/10 23:42:07 9.15 55.7 100.0 100.0 56
05/19/10 23:42:08 9.04 69.3 100.0 100.0 53
05/19/10 23:42:09 9.05 87.4 100.0 100.0 54
05/19/10 23:42:10 9.39 52.3 100.0 100.0 55
05/19/10 23:42:11 9.33 58.5 100.0 100.0 54
05/19/10 23:42:13 9.42 54.8 100.0 100.0 54
05/19/10 23:42:14 9.39 56.0 100.0 100.0 53
05/19/10 23:42:15 9.37 59.0 100.0 100.0 53
05/19/10 23:42:16 9.41 55.4 100.0 100.0 53
05/19/10 23:42:17 9.39 55.4 100.0 100.0 53
05/19/10 23:42:18 9.41 55.2 100.0 100.0 53
05/19/10 23:42:19 9.38 56.5 100.0 100.0 53
05/19/10 23:42:20 9.39 55.6 100.0 100.0 52
05/19/10 23:42:21 9.41 54.9 100.0 100.0 53
05/19/10 23:42:23 9.41 54.7 100.0 100.0 52
05/19/10 23:42:24 9.41 54.7 100.0 100.0 52
05/19/10 23:42:25 9.41 55.0 100.0 100.0 51
05/19/10 23:42:26 9.40 55.6 100.0 100.0 52
05/19/10 23:42:27 9.40 55.9 100.0 100.0 51
05/19/10 23:42:28 9.38 55.2 100.0 100.0 51
05/19/10 23:42:29 9.40 55.3 100.0 100.0 51
05/19/10 23:42:30 9.37 57.2 100.0 100.0 51
05/19/10 23:42:31 9.37 53.5 100.0 100.0 53
05/19/10 23:42:32 9.28 47.0 100.0 100.0 51
05/19/10 23:42:33 9.02 82.6 100.0 100.0 49
05/19/10 23:42:34 9.14 70.0 100.0 100.0 50
05/19/10 23:42:35 9.18 58.3 100.0 100.0 50
05/19/10 23:42:36 9.02 76.4 100.0 100.0 47
05/19/10 23:42:37 9.00 87.0 100.0 100.0 48
05/19/10 23:42:38 9.00 84.2 100.0 100.0 47
05/19/10 23:42:39 9.00 83.4 100.0 100.0 47
05/19/10 23:42:40 9.00 80.0 100.0 100.0 47
05/19/10 23:42:41 9.00 78.0 100.0 100.0 47
05/19/10 23:42:42 9.00 78.2 100.0 100.0 47
05/19/10 23:42:43 9.00 79.3 100.0 100.0 46
05/19/10 23:42:43 9.00 92.1 100.0 100.0 46
05/19/10 23:42:44 9.00 89.4 100.0 100.0 47
05/19/10 23:42:45 9.00 88.0 100.0 100.0 46
05/19/10 23:42:46 9.00 87.9 100.0 100.0 46
05/19/10 23:42:47 9.00 88.0 100.0 100.0 46
05/19/10 23:42:48 9.00 95.9 100.0 100.0 44
05/19/10 23:42:49 9.00 100.0 100.0 100.0 43
05/19/10 23:42:50 9.00 96.8 100.0 100.0 44
05/19/10 23:42:51 9.00 97.9 100.0 100.0 43
05/19/10 23:42:52 9.00 91.9 100.0 100.0 44
05/19/10 23:42:53 9.00 97.7 100.0 100.0 43
05/19/10 23:42:54 9.00 98.2 100.0 100.0 43
05/19/10 23:42:55 9.00 99.1 100.0 100.0 43
05/19/10 23:42:56 9.00 96.4 100.0 100.0 43
05/19/10 23:42:57 9.00 99.4 100.0 100.0 43
05/19/10 23:42:58 9.00 98.9 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:42:59 9.00 96.0 100.0 100.0 43
05/19/10 23:43:00 9.00 98.8 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:01 9.00 96.1 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:02 9.00 96.4 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:03 9.00 95.9 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:04 9.00 95.9 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:05 9.00 91.3 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:06 9.00 93.8 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:07 9.00 87.1 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:08 9.00 88.6 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:09 9.00 91.2 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:10 9.00 87.6 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:11 9.00 75.6 100.0 100.0 43
05/19/10 23:43:12 9.00 81.8 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:13 9.00 91.9 100.0 100.0 42
05/19/10 23:43:14 9.00 92.0 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:15 9.00 91.6 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:16 9.00 91.0 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:17 9.00 91.1 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:18 9.00 89.3 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:18 9.00 88.9 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:19 9.00 88.0 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:20 9.00 89.6 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:21 9.00 92.5 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:22 9.00 94.0 100.0 100.0 40
05/19/10 23:43:23 9.00 91.8 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:24 9.00 85.5 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:25 9.00 90.8 100.0 100.0 40
05/19/10 23:43:26 9.00 94.8 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:27 9.00 88.6 100.0 100.0 41
05/19/10 23:43:28 9.00 93.9 100.0 100.0 40
05/19/10 23:43:29 9.00 86.9 100.0 100.0 40
05/19/10 23:43:30 9.00 92.6 100.0 100.0 40
05/19/10 23:43:31 9.00 88.8 100.0 100.0 40
05/19/10 23:43:32 9.00 88.3 100.0 100.0 40
05/19/10 23:43:33 9.00 88.9 100.0 100.0 40
05/19/10 23:43:34 9.00 87.5 100.0 100.0 40
05/19/10 23:43:35 9.00 88.0 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:36 9.00 93.2 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:37 9.00 89.3 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:38 9.00 87.3 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:39 9.00 88.0 100.0 100.0 40
05/19/10 23:43:40 9.00 88.9 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:41 9.00 89.1 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:42 9.00 86.9 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:43 9.00 87.9 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:44 9.00 90.1 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:45 9.00 88.9 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:43:45 9.00 90.9 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:46 9.00 91.3 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:47 9.00 91.4 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:48 9.00 90.0 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:43:49 9.00 90.1 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:43:50 9.00 90.2 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:43:51 9.00 88.5 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:52 9.00 89.2 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:53 9.00 89.5 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:43:54 9.00 94.3 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:43:55 9.00 94.6 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:43:56 9.00 88.7 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:43:57 9.00 90.1 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:43:58 9.00 90.0 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:43:59 9.00 89.1 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:44:00 9.00 90.6 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:01 9.00 90.7 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:02 9.00 92.5 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:03 9.00 95.8 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:04 9.00 91.2 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:05 9.00 90.3 100.0 100.0 39
05/19/10 23:44:06 9.00 90.4 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:07 9.00 90.0 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:08 9.00 95.3 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:09 9.00 90.8 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:10 9.00 90.9 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:11 9.00 90.2 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:12 9.00 93.3 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:13 9.00 87.6 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:14 9.00 88.7 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:14 9.00 88.3 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:15 9.00 89.0 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:16 9.00 84.1 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:17 9.00 81.1 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:18 9.00 86.5 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:19 9.00 86.2 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:20 9.00 91.2 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:21 9.00 87.1 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:22 9.00 89.9 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:23 9.00 89.6 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:24 9.00 94.4 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:25 9.00 90.7 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:26 9.00 90.8 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:27 9.00 89.9 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:28 9.00 89.5 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:29 9.00 89.1 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:30 9.00 87.7 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:31 9.00 87.5 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:32 9.00 89.5 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:32 9.00 90.2 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:33 9.00 89.0 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:34 9.00 90.5 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:35 9.00 86.0 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:36 9.00 90.9 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:37 9.00 91.7 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:38 9.00 91.9 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:39 9.00 93.1 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:40 9.00 88.6 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:41 9.00 89.9 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:42 9.00 89.8 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:43 9.00 85.0 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:44 9.00 85.1 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:45 9.00 85.5 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:46 9.00 86.9 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:47 9.00 86.4 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:48 9.00 87.7 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:49 9.00 88.8 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:50 9.00 87.7 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:51 9.00 91.6 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:52 9.00 90.4 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:53 9.00 90.3 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:54 9.00 86.5 100.0 100.0 37
05/19/10 23:44:55 9.00 95.6 100.0 100.0 36
05/19/10 23:44:56 9.00 84.4 100.0 100.0 38
05/19/10 23:44:57 8.87 46.3 100.0 100.0 48
05/19/10 23:44:59 7.77 51.3 100.0 100.0 49
05/19/10 23:45:00 7.97 36.0 100.0 100.0 48
05/19/10 23:45:01 9.00 43.9 100.0 100.0 49
05/19/10 23:45:02 9.19 34.2 100.0 100.0 48
05/19/10 23:45:03 9.12 38.1 100.0 100.0 50
05/19/10 23:45:04 9.07 57.4 100.0 100.0 50
05/19/10 23:45:05 9.09 33.7 100.0 100.0 51
05/19/10 23:45:06 9.10 57.5 100.0 100.0 50
05/19/10 23:45:07 9.17 28.6 100.0 100.0 52
05/19/10 23:45:09 9.15 54.2 100.0 100.0 53


I suppose the increase in C0% means my laptop has the throttling issue?

 

Actually, the C0% is just a measure of the load on the CPU, so that's fine... it doesn't look like you have any throttling, though I don't know what the max multiplier is for the CPU in the 1640 laptops.

 

The log file doesn't show any signs of clock modulation throttling which is the real killer. Help me out a little by telling me what CPU you are running and what application(s) you were running when you created that log file.

When you copy and paste a log file, use the code html tags before and after your data so it is easier to see and doesn't take up so much room.

[code*]
paste log file in here
[/code*]

Remove the * in both of those tags and this will work great.

For larger log files it is better to upload them to www.sendspace.com and then just post a link here to the download.

 

Oh alright, I'll do that next time.

CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P8600 @ 2.40Ghz 2.40Ghz
Application: NBA 2K10

Hmm...upon closer inspection, "cracking/popping" is a bad description of the sound problem I'm hearing. It's more like...a periodic (half second intervals) lagging sound. So it'd say like "Los Annnnnn..geles Lakkkkkers"

 

Isn't that how the announcer usually does it?