Unusual actions on your PC, frequent freezes and occasional audio glitches
Unusual actions on your PC, frequent freezes and occasional audio glitches
I've attempted to seek assistance elsewhere, but I haven't received any response. So, I decided to share the details as thoroughly as I can remember. This problem has been ongoing for a considerable period now, and I finally reached a conclusion that either a full system replacement or a gradual upgrade would be the best path forward. A bit of background: I first encountered this issue approximately six months after installing the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen audio interface paired with Voicemeeter Banana. During the initial (relatively) six months, everything worked perfectly. However, suddenly, while watching videos on YouTube, Netflix, or Prime, the video would stop abruptly, and the audio would begin stuttering. After the stuttering ceased, buffering would occur, and no sound would come through. The only solution I've tried so far was restarting the entire computer.
After about a month with this issue (happening 1 to 3 times daily), I started unplugging all USB devices—something mentioned in a Discord chat—to see if it would resolve the problem. Reconnecting and disconnecting again brought my audio back, and I thought a full PC restart was the fix. Around six months later, after implementing what seemed like a "new fix," the issue changed. The PC began freezing for up to five seconds while playing games. The video problems persisted but without the audio stutter. I didn’t make any software or hardware changes during that time. However, the "fix" remained the same: unplugging and replugging the audio interface.
Over the past two years, I've managed this issue regularly, usually experiencing it 1 to 3 times a day. Occasionally, it happens hourly, which is quite bothersome, especially during gaming sessions. About four months ago, another change occurred due to a new feature. Instead of freezing (no audio, frozen screen, buffering videos), the PC would freeze for up to five seconds. The video issue remained, but I could still interact with the system—playing games, chatting on Discord, or generally using the PC.
There were two notable episodes: one where both monitors went black for about five seconds, followed by a reboot; and another where the Windows notification about a sound issue appeared briefly. Recently, I experienced a full reset, thinking it might resolve the problem. I unplugged all USB devices except the mouse, keyboard, and Bluetooth dongle (which I accidentally left behind). After restarting, I began setting up my onboard audio to check if the issue continued. I plugged in a USB with music for an hour without problems. Then I started reinstalling programs like Steam, Discord, Teamspeak, iCUE, etc., while listening to YouTube tracks to track the problem.
I also had minor difficulties with the rear audio ports because the Realtek HD Audio Manager didn’t detect my headphones. Everything else—rear mic, line-in, front mic, and audio out—worked fine. After a short plug-in and plug-out session, my headphones were finally recognized. About four hours later, without any issues, I installed programs except for Voicemeeter and the audio interface. Everything seemed to be in order.
However, the issue returned with version 1.0, where audio stuttering resumed. There was a new notification indicating the headset was connected, even when it wasn’t. After a freeze lasting about five seconds during a crash, everything normalized, and I didn’t experience any freezes afterward—until around four hours after the crash, when I used the PC for about seven hours (mainly YouTube and Netflix). Since then, I’ve had no freezes, though I still need to install the audio interface and Voicemeeter.
I tried numerous solutions: reinstalling the interface, adjusting settings, using Bluetooth headphones instead, reinstalling voicemeeter with different versions, updating drivers, rebuilding the PC from scratch, and even disassembling it completely. I also attempted to open Task Manager to check for anomalies, but found nothing unusual.
Something that occurred in my mind is whether the rear audio port might be damaged or malfunctioning, causing issues even without anything plugged in. Since I started using the onboard audio ports recently, could disabling them in BIOS settings help? Or would I need to replace the mainboard? At this point, I’m not very tech-savvy, so I’m open to any suggestions.
Currently, at 10:47 AM GMT, while typing out specifications, the freeze happened again with audio stuttering, but without a notification about anything being plugged in. Around 11:32 AM GMT, it occurred again. Now I suspect the freeze at 10:47 AM happened while accessing System Information to verify my specs. After clicking "Disks" in System Information, I noticed the freeze occurred shortly after. I entered the file explorer, navigated through disks, and about two seconds into entering the HDD, the freeze happened. I checked my power plan settings and found that "Turn off hard disk after" was set to 20 minutes. I changed it to "never" in hopes of resolving it.
Side note: After adjusting the power plan, I used the PC for about seven hours (mainly YouTube and Netflix) without any freezes or stutters. I just wanted to take a nap—left the PC on, slept for around nine hours, but it seems there were no freezes during that time, except after the freeze/stutter. The audio interface and Voicemeeter are still available for installation, even though they sometimes stutter when not installed.
My current configuration (if needed) could be detailed further if you’d like, just let me know how to proceed, because I’m not very comfortable with technical steps. Thanks in advance for your help!
Doesn’t understand what a voice meeter banana is. The phrase seems off; it’s unclear how meeting non-human beings or bananas would be relevant. Specific hardware issues often require more than just one device, and having experience with them is limited. You might need to join a niche forum for the exact equipment to get help. A broad approach could involve a complete system reset. Sometimes a strong reaction is “kill it! Killlitwithfire!” If you’re dealing with multiple problems, it might be quicker than identifying the root cause. Another strategy is to simplify the problem by isolating one variable at a time. Known good solutions can be helpful.