Can you verify whether the skips coincide with a spike in CPU usage as monitored in Windows Task Manager / Performance tab, whether skips occur when playing an audio file or a video file that wasn't created by you using Movie Maker, and whether similar spikes in CPU usage occur (undetected) when you're not playing any audio or video?
RE part 3, do spikes similar to those noted while playing audio/video continue at similar intervals while the system is otherwise idle, long after the large activity spikes caused by closing programs?
In other words, does the CPU activity spike correlating to the problem noted while playing audio/video continue (unnoticed) at similar amplitude, repetition, and interval when the system is otherwise idle?
Also, is there activity noted in the Networking tab of the Task Manager that correlates to the skips and CPU activity?
RE part 3, do spikes similar to those noted while playing audio/video continue at similar intervals while the system is otherwise idle, long after the large activity spikes caused by closing programs?
I would have to say no. When the system is idle, the average CPU is in the low teens, with spikes as high as 90. When I was playing audios and videos, the average CPU was about 50 with spikes to around 75. And the spikes were not at similar intervals.
In other words, does the CPU activity spike correlating to the problem noted while playing audio/video continue (unnoticed) at similar amplitude, repetition, and interval when the system is otherwise idle?
This has me lost. Sorry.
Also, is there activity noted in the Networking tab of the Task Manager that correlates to the skips and CPU activity?
No activity is noted in the Networking tab (I do not have any networks established with this computer).
It sounds like something is running in the background taking a significant amount of CPU. Task Manager doesn't help trying to diagnose these things.
Download a copy of Process Explorer from SysInternals
here. Run it like you would Task manager but if you open the CPU graph window, scrolling across the graph will display the process consuming the CPU during the spikes. Once you figure out what it is, you can figure out if you need it.
Now that I have downloaded the program "Process Explorer", it shows that the "program" that seems to have high spikes in CPU leading to the skipping of the audio and video is labeled as
"System 4" and sometimes the "program"
"Interrupts" under "System Idle Process."
There's something either running as system or requesting system resources which is taking up the CPU. While you're running Process Explorer, if you click on the System process in the process tree, the bottom pane fills with the process information detailing what files, events, etc. the process has attached. Scan the file list and see if there's anything that doesn't look right. If there's nothing obvious, the usual suspects for things like this are:
Firewalls
Virus scanners
Drivers
Viruses
Microsoft Outlook
Disable things one by one to see what eliminates the spike. Start with the virus scanner and firewalls and work your way down the list. I suspect you'll find one of these is the culprit. If it isn't, boot into safe mode (press F8 before the windows splash screen appears) and see if it is still has the problem. If it is, you probably have a virus. If it doesn't, there's something running causing this. Disable programs one by one until you find it. If you disable something you shouldn't have, just reboot and start again. Stopping processes with Process Explorer is only temporary and a reboot will start them back up.
These issues are sometimes tough to find. Hang in there.
GreyMack
2.2K Posts
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December 28th, 2007 13:00
GM
GreyMack
2.2K Posts
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December 28th, 2007 15:00
In other words, does the CPU activity spike correlating to the problem noted while playing audio/video continue (unnoticed) at similar amplitude, repetition, and interval when the system is otherwise idle?
Also, is there activity noted in the Networking tab of the Task Manager that correlates to the skips and CPU activity?
GM
Illini1991
4 Posts
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December 28th, 2007 15:00
In other words, does the CPU activity spike correlating to the problem noted while playing audio/video continue (unnoticed) at similar amplitude, repetition, and interval when the system is otherwise idle?
Also, is there activity noted in the Networking tab of the Task Manager that correlates to the skips and CPU activity?
Illini1991
4 Posts
0
December 28th, 2007 15:00
Message Edited by Illini1991 on 12-28-2007 11:39 AM
jcn77056
667 Posts
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December 28th, 2007 16:00
Illini1991
4 Posts
0
December 29th, 2007 21:00
jcn77056
667 Posts
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December 29th, 2007 22:00
Disable things one by one to see what eliminates the spike. Start with the virus scanner and firewalls and work your way down the list. I suspect you'll find one of these is the culprit. If it isn't, boot into safe mode (press F8 before the windows splash screen appears) and see if it is still has the problem. If it is, you probably have a virus. If it doesn't, there's something running causing this. Disable programs one by one until you find it. If you disable something you shouldn't have, just reboot and start again. Stopping processes with Process Explorer is only temporary and a reboot will start them back up.
These issues are sometimes tough to find. Hang in there.