weird soundcard problem

[lgrenter]

hi first posting here, hope u can all help. i have a mesh quad core 6600 2.4 ghz pc with 4gb memory and a creative soundblaster x-fi xtreme gamer sound card, running Vista Home Premium. i keep having a weird sound problem that appears off and on randomly when i play games. it can happen in old and new software eg crysis, halflife, guildwars, even flash games online! when playing the sound will cut out and be replaced with an ear shattering high pitched tone, the game will continue to run on screen with no problems but the sound will be replaced by this noise. if i shut the game down the noise will continue on desktop until i restart my pc, everything then works as normal. i can play the machine for days with this not coming back, then it suddenly does again, its driving me mad! tried various drivers from creative but they dont seem to make any diff. the only fix i have managed is to disable the card and use my rigs onboard realtek sound. if i do this the sound works perfectly. anyone come up against this and fixed it? would it be worth me just pulling the card and using onboard from now on? i know creative have a bad rep but the card came preinstalled.

 

[Kyo Daikun]

Maybe the card or connectors have come loose, worth a go checking them.

 

[lgrenter]

if that were true, wouldnt it happen all the time? 90% it works fine, i get well into a game then eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee the dreaded sound again, simple restart and fine again.

 

[Kyo Daikun]

Would be helpful if you posted your full pc spec

 

[lgrenter]

intel 2 quad Q6600 quad core 2.4ghz,8mb cache,1066mhz
vista home premium 32bit
P5ne-sli (650i sli) pci express
4gb ddr2 667mhz memory
500gb samsung hard drive
2x 8600 geforce gt sli
logitech 5.1 speakers
creative labs soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer sound card
550 watt psu

thats my basic config. i am replacing the 2 grtaphics cards with a new 280gtx from overclockers next week. mesh forums seem to think that it is a random prob dependant on your sysytem config, they said it could be down to a bottleneck occuring between sound card and either the motherboard or gpu's. not sure if i believe them. like i said onboard realtek works perfectly and i am at present using that, when i use the soundcard only sound is affected in the error, the graphics etc continue to run with no change.

 

[Huw_Dawson]

Creative's Vista drivers might be the flaw here. I've heard that they're shoddy.

- Huw

 

[lgrenter]

thats what im thinking, any options apart from new card?