Startup Sound Problem on XP Pro

[dr_roberts49]

Recently installed XP Pro on my computer. No major problems until yesterday, when I started to get this odd sound problem on start up. The best description I can give, is stuttering. It's only on the start up, all other sounds are just fine.

I have the auto-update function activated for so-called critical Windows updates. Could this be the cause? I'm really new to this OS. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Here's the basics on my system.

ABIT IS7 mobo with 800mhz fsb
512 of Corsair DDR3200 (2x 256 in slots 1 and 3)
P4 2.4 mhzC
Asylum NVIDIA FX 5200
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
LAN (onboard)
ZOOM Modem (for faxing)
ZIP drive (parallel port)
DVD drive (Sony)
Burner (Sony)
Two 40GB Maxtor IDE drives (72000 rpm)
Linksys router and wireless home network with DSL

I think that covers everything.

Robert

[rpertusio]

I highly doubt it is the Windows Updates.

(1) Have you installed any new programs recently? Especially the ones that might begin running when you start your computer.


Caution:
(2) You might want to do: Start menu -> Run... -> msconfig

On the 'startup' tab, uncheck the items in there. (Be careful what you uncheck, something might be essential!) After you reboot (with those unchecked), see if the stuttering goes away.

(3) Control Panel -> Sounds and Audio Devices -> Sounds
Click the "Start Windows" sound, and click the play button. It should play your sound file without any stuttering.

try that and let us know your results
- rp

[dr_roberts49]

Thanks RP, I'll try that out and let you know the results.

Robert

[dr_roberts49]

RP, I found the culprit. It was an NVIDIA related file (NVCpl), associated with Rundll32.exe. It was a process of elimination, but that was the file. There was another NVIDIA file (nvwiz) that was also associated with Rundll32.exe. but it doesn't cause a problem.

What bothers me, is this. I had installed the newest NVIDIA drivers for my FX5200 card from NVIDIA's site, as advised by Asylum, the manufacturer of my card. Those drivers were dated August 13th, and worked great. Windows update, said the drivers were not signed, and recommended another NVIDIA driver, that was dated May 8th. I thought, what the hell, and installed the driver. Now when I think back on it, that's when the trouble started.

I'm going to see how my computer runs, with this file disabled, but so far everything seems fine, and that annoying stuttering sound is gone! YAHOO! Thanks for the tip!

Robert

PS I was wondering where XP was hiding that utility. On Windows 98SE, that was accessed through System tools, then Computer information. I also took out the Windows Office Fast start file too. Never saw a need for that start up file. Thanks again!

[rpertusio]

glad to see you found the cause of the problem!
- rp