Stuttering/Buzzing Sound During Audio/Video Playback

If anyone has a solution please, please, please advise.

You didn't mention applying the solution from this thread. I guess this is a good place to summarize the main finding of this thread again.

This is a summary of this thread up to now.

There is a problem of noise on the Inspiron 1545 & 1750 models with Windows 7. The problem was caused by an optional (non-critical) Microsoft update in  June 2011 of the Intel Matrix Storage Manager utility. The update was either corrupted or poorly written.

The problem was identified in this thread in November 2011 by poster mao.tsetung. The solution is to download & install the most recent version of Intel Rapid Storage Technology. There were some links provided earlier in this thread but they no longer work. Try this:

http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/highlights/chpsts/imsm
Click on "Intel Rapid Storage Technology -- Mon, 03 Dec 2012".

The newest driver is version 11.7.0.1013 , dated 12/03/2012 and there are several flavors of that driver available for downloading. I suggest using one of these:
iata_enu.exe if you have an English version of the operating system.
iata_cd.exe if you have an operating system other than English.

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This solution also works for some but not all XPS L502x and other Dell laptop models.

There were some other solutions that also fixed the bad update for some owners:

Several people did this: go to Device Manager, find the Intel(R) ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI Controller, right click, select Properties, driver tab, roll back driver. Roll back to an earlier version of the Intel Matrix Storage Manager, 8.9.0.1023. Or click the link and download it.

Some went to Windows Services and disabled Intel Matrix Storage Event Monitor. Or just set it to "manual" start up.

Some just uninstalled the Intel Matrix Storage Manager.

There are plenty of other things that worked for various Dell laptop owners. They are all collected in the Choppy/Skipping Audio FAQ. One of them is to get rid of desktop gadgets.

Thank you, jimco, for this complete summary. You have done an excellent job with resolving this problem, helping so many, including me!

Thank you Jimco, 

Updated the Intel to the new version and now don't see clock freezing, nor do I get the buzzing when playing video or music.  I knew it had to be a driver issue after i wiped my computer clean and started all over from scratch and had the same issue.  Knowledge is power, glad you have it!

Ok so Im just finding this. I am running some dj software, so I have been doing everything to get that program to work. But this seems more like the solution because I am having "stuttering" audio with all my media players, and everyone gives me a different answer. Now my problem is, I apparently uninstalled rapid storage when trying to fix things, but I still have matrix. I just tried rolling back the version I had on matrix, but have not tried it yet. I want to get the RAID back on, and updated, but when I download the driver, Im not sure how to install. The files are apparently on my computer but Im not sure how to get it to work so I can just get rid of matrix. You get me? ( im not totally comp-litirate)

Thanks in advance

-B

Im not sure how to install.

On the Intel page where you get the Rapid Storage Technology RAID driver, about in the middle of the page is a Read Me.txt file with the installation instructions. Does that help?

You get me?

I don't use RAID or Matrix so I don't quite understand the issues you are having. Maybe someone else can chime in with an answer.

I am having "stuttering" audio with all my media players, and everyone gives me a different answer.

See the Choppy/Skipping Audio FAQ for almost all of the other answers that Dell laptop owners have found. The solution in this thread is primarily for the Inspiron 1545 & 1750 models but it does sometimes work for other models too.

I just rolled it back as stated here and it worked, thank God!

go to Device Manager, find the Intel(R) ICH9M-E/M SATA AHCI Controller, right click, select Properties, driver tab, roll back driver. Roll back to an earlier version of the Intel Matrix Storage Manager, 8.9.0.1023. Or click the link and download it.

Now if I could get my system from freezing up, which just started to happen and usually when I'm in my non-admin user account, things.would be back to normal.  Also my wifi dropping off a lot, but I think that's a Comcast problem.  Going to get a can of air and clean out this baby.

Thank you Jim!

Jim, you've been extremely helpful.  I have Studio 1745 Windows 7 and I when I downloaded the file driver update it was in .zip format and I couldn't open it.  I read the complete readme file for installing, etc.  If you disable Intel matrix Storage Event Monitor, does that effect anything else?  I also have something called Intel Rapid Storage Technology but it only has an uninstall file in it.  I guess I'll have to try another solution you've listed here.

Thank you for the feedback. I have added a quote from you about the Studio 1745 to the Choppy/Skipping Audio FAQ.

Well, I spoke to soon.  After I rolled it back my laptop froze up and when I turned it back on it said Windows couldn't start and it did a self repair and asked if I wanted to do a system restore and I said yes.  I don't know what point it set it back too, but I now have the old drive and buzzing/stalling back.  I'm afraid to do anything else at this point. 

when I downloaded the file driver update it was in .zip format and I couldn't open it.

When you download a zip file it goes into one of your folders, probably My Downloads unless you set up something else to be the default download folder. You find the zip file in My Downloads or wherever and select it (highlight it) then click on the File menu at the top of the folder. Click on "Extract All" and the Windows unzipper wizard will open and lead you through the process.

If you disable Intel matrix Storage Event Monitor,

I am not a Windows guru but as far as I know the only people who need it are those using RAID storage devices.

Jim, I guess I don't have Windows unzipper wizard because it goes into download folder but when I try to open it Windows says it doesn't have a program to open it with.

Lindy52,

Are you Computer Literate at All ? if Not, you can email me, I can take remote control of your PC for You, and Assist You if You Like.

I use TeamViewer for Remote Support, I have 22 yrs. Experience, and Of Course I will Not Charge for the Remote Support.

The TeamViewer has a Chat Feature embedded into the program where we can chat why doing this.

Thanks,

Mick Barker Sr.

Lindy52,

You are most welcome, glad to hear you have prevailed with this nightmare, lol. Good Luck to you.

Hi Mick,

Yes I'd consider myself above novice as far as computer literacy.  I do a lot of research on my own and try to fix things.  I had Winrar zipping program but that doesn't work anymore because you have to pay for it LOL.  I had it for a long time without paying, but I don't have to unzip files too often.  I'm assuming an zip program should've been on this laptop when I got it, either Windows one or something else.  I did roll back the driver again and it does seem to be okay for now.  I don't know why when I did it before my laptop when into Windows repair mode when I started it up again.  I've also been having freezeup under my non-admin user account the past week.

I appreciate your offer to take remote control of my PC to help me.  For now, it seems ok with the rollback but I have the problem again I hope I can take you up on your kind offer.

Thanks!