Audio Skipping/Crackling/Popping Fix

After spending several hours tweaking and messing with the configuration for my Inspiron 1520, I finally fixed the audio skipping/popping/crackling problem in Windows XP.

Problem: In Windows XP, intermittent skipping/popping in any audio, especially music, while wireless (in my case, the Dell Wireless 1395) is turned on. This problem can be replicated if you go to your View Available Wireless Networks and click "Refresh Network List" while you are playing music. Apparently, every time the wireless tries to search for new available networks, the sound will skip.

Solution: Weirdly enough, I managed to fix this problem by installing the "wrong" sound driver. in the middle of this process. Make sure you System Restore beforehand:

Step 1. Download the latest Sigmatel drivers from the Dell website and install, restarting afterwards:
http://support.dell.com/support/dow...-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=3&fileid=235761

Step 2. Download the Intel Sigmatel 92XX drivers from opendrivers.com:
http://www.opendrivers.com/freedown....10.5208-windows-2000-xp-xp-x64-download.html

Step 3. Install the Intel Sigmatel 92XX drivers and restart when asked. When you first log onto Windows, your sound will NOT work.

Step 4. Go to your Device Manager (Right click My Computer -> Hardware -> Device Manager), find the Sigmatel High Definition Audio CODEC. It should have an exclamation point on the icon, saying that there is something wrong with the device.

Step 5. Right-click that Sigmatel CODEC and "Update Driver...", using the default Sigmatel CODEC Windows presents to you.

Now when you try to Refresh Network List while music is playing, the skipping should be gone. If you still get skipping, specifically 20 seconds before the end of a song, then disable the Hardware Sound Acceleration.

 

Thanks man! Works perfectly now on my Vostro 1700 (same 1395 wireless card). I was going crazy trying to solve this problem - no luck changing the wireless card settings in device manager. The only problem I had was the driver I got from your link (opendrivers.com) was corrupted, although there were like 9 mirrors so maybe I just picked the wrong one. The one I got that worked is here:
http://www.dell-drivers.com/dell-drivers-downloads/SIGMATEL-STAC-92XX-C-Major-HD-Audio_901.shtml
Not sure what else to add but thanks again!

PS - I didn't actually have any problems after the reboot - it worked right off the bat without having to go back into device manager.

 

i will try this with my xps 1530 i was playing a blue ray movie and the sound was cracking, reps if it worked

 

i just disabled my 'a' band