Question No sound, intermittent video stuttering in browser, and can't play video files - - - - not sure what broke but I suspect motherboard ?

[Karnosiris]

Hello,

kinda at my wits end here. Earlier today I was playing a video game when out of nowhere my audio started to get this "crackling". After restarting my PC Windows 10 did not recognise any audio out or input devices, as if I had non plugged in. I also noticed that youtube videos were having microstutters (as in not buffering but rather stuttering 4 or 5 times a second and playing in slow motion) in multiple browsers.

After troubleshooting for hours I decided for the tactical nuke option of formatting my system hard drive and reinstalling Windows 10, however, the above issues persisted. I still cannot get any sound although Windows now accepts "Digitalaudio (S/PDIF)" as an output, it still does not recognise any devices. Additionally, I cannot play any video files - VLC will show the first frame of whatever file I've selected but freeze there while Windows own player just shows a black screen and spinning wheel. As far as I can tell, everything else on my PC is working as usual. Tempertures are normal and CrystalDiskInfo shows all drives as being in good condition.

The strange part: I went into Linux from a USB stick and all audio devices were working fine there, I could even join a Discord call and converse without any issues. Meanwhile in Windows not a squeek despite cleanly reinstalling.

Initially I suspected Windows was just being Windows, then that something on the motherboard had broken, but I can't really make sense of these problems in that combination, does anyone have an idea? Aside from reinstalling Windows I have also of course tried reinstalling and rolling back audio and video drivers, using different output devices, fiddling with things in the device manager, etc etc, the common fixes. Would really apprecciate if anyone could point me in the right direction.

Specs are as follows:
Ryzen 3600
MSI b450 gaming carbon
RTX 3070
16GB patriot viper 4 blackout RAM
EVGA 750 G2 PSU

EDIT: continuing on with the general weirdness, the playback issue with video files and stuttering youtube videos seems to only occur sometimes, with a restart fixing it when it does... However, "Digitalaudio (S/PDIF)" has disappeared again.

 

[Ralston18]

Take a look in Reliability History and Event Viewer for error codes, warnings, and even informational events that were logged just before or at the time the micro-stutters began.

Should be easier because you reinstalled Windows and the time line format of Reliability History may show some onset of errors and warnings.

So start with Reliability History. Much more user friendly.

If all worked via Linux then, for the time being, I think a hardware issue can be set aside.

Take a look in Task Manager, Resource Monitor, and Task Scheduler for any signs of some app or utility launching at startup or later on while you are playing.

Could be some corrupted or buggy app involved.

If you discover some unexpected app running or being launched then investigate accordingly to find out what it is and what it does.

And with respect to Windows try "sfc /scannow" and "dism".

References:

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-dism-command-line-utility-repair-windows-10-image

You might expect that the Windows reinstall would have resolved such problems but the problems could have been re-created thereafter by something else.

Look in Update History for any problem updates. Possible culprit.

 

[Karnosiris]

Snip

Thank you for the reply. Repairing windows in the ways you suggested did not solve the issue (nor find any major errors), however, in reliability history there is a critical hardware error generated upon each start up.

LiveKernelEvent
Code: 144
Parameter 1: 1018
Parameter 2: ffffc4053e2a89a0
Parameters 3 & 4: 0

In the few threads I was able to find on this there was one person claiming code 144 is usually related to the GPU, however, I have not been able to reproduce the video stuttering or refusal to play video files. Lack of audio is the only thing persisting. I tried rolling back to an older GPU driver (with DDU etc) and it did not change anything. Unfortunately I am still struggling to pinpoint the root of the issue

 

[Ralston18]

After reading back: have you tried swapping in other known working audio and video cables?

Check all audio and video plugs and ports for signs of debris and/or damage.

Inspect along the lengths of the cables for nicks, cuts, bare conductor showing.

Do so on all devices and cables involved.

Strange that the problem did not occur with Linux but will defer to the Linux folks to explain how that could happen. Or not.

= = = =

Try manually downloading the GPU drivers directly from the manufacturer's website. Reinstall and reconfigure as necessary.

No third party tools or installers.

 

[Karnosiris]

After reading back: have you tried swapping in other known working audio and video cables?

Check all audio and video plugs and ports for signs of debris and/or damage.

Inspect along the lengths of the cables for nicks, cuts, bare conductor showing.

Do so on all devices and cables involved.

Strange that the problem did not occur with Linux but will defer to the Linux folks to explain how that could happen. Or not.

= = = =

Try manually downloading the GPU drivers directly from the manufacturer's website. Reinstall and reconfigure as necessary.

No third party tools or installers.

Yes, I've used different headsets that work on my mobile phone. Had not checked for debris or damaged cables but none that I can see (even if there had been, it wouldnt make sense for both regular 3.5 thingy audio AND audio over HDMI not to work, right?). All drivers I used were directly from Nvidias homepage apart from once, I typically avoid the Nvidia Experience program but did give it one shot.

Since writing that I also decided to do a bigger stress test with all the 3dMark benchmarks (through Windows) and got good results with no lock ups, crashes etc so with the exception of this one error the system is stable.

Tomorrow I will begin swapping out components to see if I can narrow it down that way, didnt have the time today. Will defo update the thread once I have found out whats going on.

 

[Karnosiris]

So, just posting this in case someone runs into the same issue 2 years from now and finds this thread.

Yesterday I finally managed to pin the problem to the CPU after more troubleshooting and going through different hardware configurations and operating systems. It occured on both a B450 and B550 chipset, and only with this specific 3600 - other Ryzens, on the same board(s) and partly even with the same windows installs caused no problems.

I really have no idea how a CPU can cause this - I checked for broken or bent pins and so on and found nothing, but even if there were, it would be a weird way for it to malfunction. My suspicion now is that for whatever reason this 3600 is interfering with the motherboards built in sound chip , but only in Windows, for whatever reason? Its weird. Since it still has a warranty I will be sending it to AMD and seeing what they come up with, 99.9% confident the problem is not on my end or fixable with the tools at my disposable, if it is fixable at all.

Defo a nightmare of a troubleshoot, thank you again @Ralston18 for taking the time to give me some ideas, bless.