Question Audio issue & LatencyMon diagnosis ?

[teamwerrk]

Hello all, I hope you are doing well.

I purchased a Dell XPS 8960 a few months ago, and it's working well except for the fact that occasionally, about once every hour or so depending on what applications I'm using, the audio either buzzes loudly, distorts, or cuts out completely until I unplug my Scarlett 2i2 and replug it. The scarlett and speakers work fine on other systems. Dell support has been completely unhelpful, so I was hoping you good people might be able to lend a hand. Here's the LatencyMon info. Thank you very much.

CONCLUSION
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Your system seems to be having difficulty handling real-time audio and other tasks. You may experience drop outs, clicks or pops due to buffer underruns. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:02:39 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.


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SYSTEM INFORMATION
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Computer name: LINC
OS version: Windows 11, 10.0, version 2009, build: 22631 (x64)
Hardware: XPS 8960, Dell Inc.
BIOS: 2.9.1
CPU: GenuineIntel 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-13700
Logical processors: 24
Processor groups: 1
Processor group size: 24
RAM: 13986 MB total


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CPU SPEED
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Reported CPU speed (WMI): 210 MHz
Reported CPU speed (registry): 2112 MHz

Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.


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MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES
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The interrupt to process latency reflects the measured interval that a usermode process needed to respond to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution. This includes the scheduling and execution of a DPC routine, the signaling of an event and the waking up of a usermode thread from an idle wait state in response to that event.

Highest measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 1880.10
Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 6.273098

Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 1874.60
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 1.395130


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REPORTED ISRs
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Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.

Highest ISR routine execution time (µs): 192.632102
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: Wdf01000.sys - Kernel Mode Driver Framework Runtime, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0.000395
Driver with highest ISR total time: Wdf01000.sys - Kernel Mode Driver Framework Runtime, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0.000395

ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 9234
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-1000 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 1000-2000 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 2000-4000 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0


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REPORTED DPCs
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DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.

Highest DPC routine execution time (µs): 857.286932
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: nvlddmkm.sys - NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 556.12 , NVIDIA Corporation

Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0.007233
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: ntoskrnl.exe - NT Kernel & System, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in DPCs (%) 0.022658

DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 90306
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-10000 µs): 71
DPC count (execution time 1000-2000 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 2000-4000 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0


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REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS
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Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.

NOTE: some processes were hit by hard pagefaults. If these were programs producing audio, they are likely to interrupt the audio stream resulting in dropouts, clicks and pops. Check the Processes tab to see which programs were hit.

Process with highest pagefault count: spotify.exe

Total number of hard pagefaults 5669
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 2819
Number of processes hit: 33

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PER CPU DATA
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CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 7.111565
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 0 ISR count: 0
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 220.217803
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 0.026547
CPU 0 DPC count: 7916
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CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 7.277842
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 16.505682
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0.002083
CPU 1 ISR count: 1873
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 857.286932
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 0.060208
CPU 1 DPC count: 3350
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CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 8.864239
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 192.632102
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0.010087
CPU 2 ISR count: 5040
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 829.145360
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 0.170070
CPU 2 DPC count: 7667
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CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 8.301332
CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 3 ISR count: 0
CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (µs): 106.179451
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001502
CPU 3 DPC count: 165
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CPU 4 Interrupt cycle time (s): 4.846969
CPU 4 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 4 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 4 ISR count: 0
CPU 4 DPC highest execution time (µs): 191.813447
CPU 4 DPC total execution time (s): 0.009061
CPU 4 DPC count: 941
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CPU 5 Interrupt cycle time (s): 5.901350
CPU 5 ISR highest execution time (µs): 74.676136
CPU 5 ISR total execution time (s): 0.000139
CPU 5 ISR count: 80
CPU 5 DPC highest execution time (µs): 81.222064
CPU 5 DPC total execution time (s): 0.002195
CPU 5 DPC count: 102
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CPU 6 Interrupt cycle time (s): 6.766461
CPU 6 ISR highest execution time (µs): 15.777462
CPU 6 ISR total execution time (s): 0.002206
CPU 6 ISR count: 1804
CPU 6 DPC highest execution time (µs): 269.578125
CPU 6 DPC total execution time (s): 0.061903
CPU 6 DPC count: 3203
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CPU 7 Interrupt cycle time (s): 6.595760
CPU 7 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 7 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 7 ISR count: 0
CPU 7 DPC highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 7 DPC total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 7 DPC count: 0
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CPU 8 Interrupt cycle time (s): 9.183957
CPU 8 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 8 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 8 ISR count: 0
CPU 8 DPC highest execution time (µs): 367.345644
CPU 8 DPC total execution time (s): 0.252651
CPU 8 DPC count: 34710
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CPU 9 Interrupt cycle time (s): 10.250478
CPU 9 ISR highest execution time (µs): 15.308712
CPU 9 ISR total execution time (s): 0.000377
CPU 9 ISR count: 268
CPU 9 DPC highest execution time (µs): 315.403409
CPU 9 DPC total execution time (s): 0.124627
CPU 9 DPC count: 13734
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CPU 10 Interrupt cycle time (s): 7.741192
CPU 10 ISR highest execution time (µs): 14.994318
CPU 10 ISR total execution time (s): 0.000198
CPU 10 ISR count: 169
CPU 10 DPC highest execution time (µs): 258.43750
CPU 10 DPC total execution time (s): 0.108205
CPU 10 DPC count: 12082
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CPU 11 Interrupt cycle time (s): 9.713948
CPU 11 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 11 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 11 ISR count: 0
CPU 11 DPC highest execution time (µs): 259.442235
CPU 11 DPC total execution time (s): 0.020745
CPU 11 DPC count: 2836
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CPU 12 Interrupt cycle time (s): 6.037488
CPU 12 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 12 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 12 ISR count: 0
CPU 12 DPC highest execution time (µs): 177.409564
CPU 12 DPC total execution time (s): 0.004104
CPU 12 DPC count: 429
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CPU 13 Interrupt cycle time (s): 6.013876
CPU 13 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 13 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 13 ISR count: 0
CPU 13 DPC highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 13 DPC total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 13 DPC count: 0
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CPU 14 Interrupt cycle time (s): 4.012585
CPU 14 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 14 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 14 ISR count: 0
CPU 14 DPC highest execution time (µs): 152.856061
CPU 14 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001752
CPU 14 DPC count: 241
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CPU 15 Interrupt cycle time (s): 4.002872
CPU 15 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 15 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 15 ISR count: 0
CPU 15 DPC highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 15 DPC total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 15 DPC count: 0
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CPU 16 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.315637
CPU 16 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 16 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 16 ISR count: 0
CPU 16 DPC highest execution time (µs): 151.267992
CPU 16 DPC total execution time (s): 0.003409
CPU 16 DPC count: 512
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CPU 17 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.201584
CPU 17 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 17 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 17 ISR count: 0
CPU 17 DPC highest execution time (µs): 113.668087
CPU 17 DPC total execution time (s): 0.002004
CPU 17 DPC count: 355
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CPU 18 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.989495
CPU 18 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 18 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 18 ISR count: 0
CPU 18 DPC highest execution time (µs): 87.848485
CPU 18 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001933
CPU 18 DPC count: 354
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CPU 19 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.828665
CPU 19 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 19 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 19 ISR count: 0
CPU 19 DPC highest execution time (µs): 114.727273
CPU 19 DPC total execution time (s): 0.001823
CPU 19 DPC count: 253
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CPU 20 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1.016453
CPU 20 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 20 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 20 ISR count: 0
CPU 20 DPC highest execution time (µs): 89.353220
CPU 20 DPC total execution time (s): 0.003532
CPU 20 DPC count: 464
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CPU 21 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.928437
CPU 21 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 21 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 21 ISR count: 0
CPU 21 DPC highest execution time (µs): 78.127841
CPU 21 DPC total execution time (s): 0.002306
CPU 21 DPC count: 322
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CPU 22 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.901177
CPU 22 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 22 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 22 ISR count: 0
CPU 22 DPC highest execution time (µs): 152.637784
CPU 22 DPC total execution time (s): 0.002987
CPU 22 DPC count: 348
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CPU 23 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0.815431
CPU 23 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0.0
CPU 23 ISR total execution time (s): 0.0
CPU 23 ISR count: 0
CPU 23 DPC highest execution time (µs): 107.462121
CPU 23 DPC total execution time (s): 0.004165
CPU 23 DPC count: 393

 

[ubuysa]

The driver with the highest DPC time is the Nvidia graphics drive nvlddmkm.sys, however you're complaining of audio issues and one of the components of the Nvidia graphics driver that is installed by default is the Nvidia High Definition Audio driver nvhda64v.sys. This is ONLY required if you are sending audio over an HDMI connection (in addition to video). If you're not doing that then you don't need nvhda64v.sys, and it has been known to conflict with Realtek audio drivers in particular.

If you do send audio over HDMI then you should update the Nvidia graphics driver package - perform a clean (advanced) install.

If you don't send audio over HDMI then also update the Nvidia graphics driver and perform a clean (advanced) install. In the box of installed components uncheck the Audio Driver checkbox and nvhda64v.sys will not be installed.

I would also suggest visiting the Dell driver's website and download the latest audio driver for your specific PC.

See whether that helps.