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Inspiron 15-5555 Intermittent and Random Cracking Noise
I started using this new laptop on Oct 12. Shortly afterwards I had the big Windows 10 update. Now I have an intermittent and random cracking noise in the audio. It almost sounds like some one has plugged a jack in to a PA system. I hear it through my headphones, my external speakers, and straight from the laptop (nothing plugged in to the jack). I have the latest BIOS installed (A11). I've tried uninstalling and re-installing the Realtek audio driver (7737). I switched to the Microsoft native driver. Nothing works. I tried "Chat with Technical Support" a few hours ago but no reply there. I can't figure it out.
DELL-Lijo J
532 Posts
0
November 3rd, 2016 02:00
Hi,
We’re listening. We’ll surely try and assist you. We request you to let us know:-
1. Do you hear the noise only when an audio/video file is being played in the computer?
2. Please let us know as to where exactly do you hear the noise from?
3. Do you hear the noise when the system is idle?
The above asked information can help us know the issue better and assist you accordingly.
Cynsco
5 Posts
0
November 3rd, 2016 08:00
1. I hear it when I'm playing a file from my laptop or when I'm watching YouTube.
2. The noise is coming from the laptop's built-in speakers, external speakers, and headphones - both left and right sides. It lasts for about 3 seconds and I never know when it's going to happen.
3. I do not hear the noise when the system is idle.
I prefer the RealTek audio as it sounds so much better. I've been thinking about uninstalling the audio driver, restart the laptop, re-install the audio driver, and restart the laptop. Maybe it needs a second go of this.
Cynsco
5 Posts
0
November 3rd, 2016 10:00
I got brave and re-installed the RealTek 7737 audio driver again. I just finished watching a couple of videos saved on my laptop and a few YouTube videos and so far so good - no cracking noises. I'm not going to mark this as answered yet as I would like to wait until tomorrow to make sure this worked (it was an intermittent problem).
DELL-Lijo J
532 Posts
0
November 4th, 2016 00:00
Hi, thank you for the update. We appreciate your efforts in trying and resolving the issue. Please let us know the outcome after the observation.
Cynsco
5 Posts
0
November 4th, 2016 08:00
It's better than it was but it's still there. It doesn't happen as often and lasts for about a second and a half. I'm hesitant in repeating the re-installation of the audio driver for the third time. I would hate for the issue to revert back to the original problem because it was so annoying.
DELL-Lijo J
532 Posts
0
November 5th, 2016 05:00
We certainly understand your concern. Please provide us the following details through a private message, so that we can check if there is a BIOS update available for the system.
To send a private message, click on my name and select ‘Send private message’.
1. The service tag of the system.
2. Your email address.
3. The registered owner name of this system.
conceic1
2 Posts
0
November 30th, 2016 20:00
I'm having the same exact issue with a very similar machine (also a 15-5555), followed the same exact steps, have an up-to-date BIOS, eliminated McAfee, even disabled a few background functions to see if they were causing spikes that led to the brief audio distortions. Nothing worked.
Cynsco
5 Posts
0
December 1st, 2016 09:00
Hi conceic1
I am not an expert in this stuff but every time I get an update from Microsoft or McAfee (so far), I have to:
1 - uninstall the audio driver.
- I plug in headphones or external speakers and a popup comes up from which I select speaker or headphones.
- Then select "Set Default Device".
- In the Playback tab, select "Speakers/Headphones" and click on Properties.
- In the General tab, click "Properties", then "Change Settings".
- Then select the Driver tab and click on the "Uninstall" button. In the dialog box that comes up, DO NOT check "Delete the driver software for this device." and I haven't been restarting my laptop.
2 - install "Audio_Driver_7776F_WN32_6.0.1.7737_A04" from my Downloads folder.
3 - restart
4 - repeat steps 1 to 3.
I don't bother with the BIOS because I have the latest one installed (A11).
The first time I do this, some of the distortions are gone. After the second time around, the audio works fine until there's another update. This is a pain in the *** but it works for me.
conceic1
2 Posts
0
December 2nd, 2016 20:00
I tried that method and wound up with audio output being almost entirely devoid of low end. Uninstalling the drivers, reinstalling them, and then reverting to the 2015 version was the only way to get the still glitchy audio to be remotely listenable. I'm now dreading the inevitable service call(s) I'll be making. This is actually the second Dell product I've had that's failed miserably on me this year - I had to send my work laptop back to them three times before getting a faulty board replaced.
LdyVaJedi
3 Posts
0
December 6th, 2016 16:00
I am having the same problem as well on. I have a Dell Inspiron 15 7000 Starlord 2 n 1. The noise comes and goes when I am watching You tube or other videos. I bought this lap top on Oct 3 2016