Realtek Audio uses a lot of GPU usage.

[robke223]

Greetings,

So I've noticed a quite big problem with my computer. Every time I leave Realtek audio on, it starts using around 90% of my GPU usage. The temperature also goes up to 66C and my fans starts spinning really fast. If I shut it down, it stops using my GPU entirely. I want to know what kind of problem am I having? As far as I've checked, I haven't gotten any viruses on my computer. Is there any substitute for Realtek audio ?

I use Sapphire radeon R9 280x as my GPU.

 

[CountMike]

Realtek CODEC chip is in the MB, shouldn't have anything to do with GPU. Sound transmitted thru HDMI comes from GPU and in that case Realtek codec is not used or even needed.

 

[3ogdy]

Are you sure you're talking about the GPU and not the CPU? I don't se what a sound driver could possibly do to cause 90% usage on your graphics card. If it's your CPU, maybe the driver got updated and it's not running properly? If you're running Windows 10 , it is to be expected since it does wahtever it wants and probably updated the driver without telling you anything about it. Otherwise, I would try to remove the sound card driver (Realtek Audio is your soundcard - is it the one you use every day?), clean the registry with something like CCleaner and then reinstall the driver from your motherboard's driver DVD or right from the manufacturer's website.

 

[robke223]

Are you sure you're talking about the GPU and not the CPU? I don't se what a sound driver could possibly do to cause 90% usage on your graphics card. If it's your CPU, maybe the driver got updated and it's not running properly? If you're running Windows 10 , it is to be expected since it does wahtever it wants and probably updated the driver without telling you anything about it. Otherwise, I would try to remove the sound card driver (Realtek Audio is your soundcard - is it the one you use every day?), clean the registry with something like CCleaner and then reinstall the driver from your motherboard's driver DVD or right from the manufacturer's website.

Well, it doesn't look like it's my CPU. I've checked the power usage from MSI Afterburner and it does say, that the GPU temperature and Fan speed goes up if I leave Realtek HD audio process on. After I shut it down, it stops using GPU entirely. Though strangely, it doesn't really show as if it takes any GPU usage in programs like Process Explorer, but after turning it off, the temperatures go down really quickly.

Also, I've noticed that it doesn't start using my GPU as soon as I turn my PC on, it waits a few minutes before doing that. I am also running Windows 7 SP1.

 

[3ogdy]

What sound drivers are you using? Is your GPU connected through HDMI to the screen? Are you using nVidia sound drivers too?
What do you have listed in Device Manager-> Sound, video and game controllers - is it only Realtek hardware detected or is there also nVidia (or other) stuff?

 

[robke223]

What sound drivers are you using? Is your GPU connected through HDMI to the screen? Are you using nVidia sound drivers too?
What do you have listed in Device Manager-> Sound, video and game controllers - is it only Realtek hardware detected or is there also nVidia (or other) stuff?

I'm using Realtek audio drivers that I got pre-installed from my motherboard driver disk. My GPU is connected through DVI port . I guess I am using AMD sound drivers as well.

There is AMD high definition audio device and standard High definition audio device in device manager.

 

[3ogdy]

Which ones are you using? From the sounds of it, you have an AMD Radeon GPU?
If your speakers are connected through a 3.5mm sound cable to the motherboard you should be able to disable AMD High Definition Audio ( the HDMI sound functionality on your graphics card). Then restart the PC to see if there's any change. You may also want to go to Add/Remove Programs and check the AMD GPU drivers , see if you can "reconfigure" them to choose components to keep/remove and remove the Audio-related stuff from them if you're using the motherboard sound card. (their drivers might interfere with the ones you're using - Realtek...)