Windows 7 Generic USB Audio randomly crash with a loud PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

[Zequez]

Well, the another thread was completely distorted so I open this thread to see if we can solve this...

The problem:
- While using the computer the generic USB audio crash "randomly" with a loud sound like PFFFFFF!!!
- I'm using a USB genius headset HS-03U and the generic USB drivers from Windows update. These are the drivers listed in the "Driver info" of the Device Manager:

C:\\Windows\System32\drivers\dmk.sys
C:\\Windows\System32\drivers\portcls.sys
C:\\Windows\System32\drivers\USBAUDIO.sys
C:\\Windows\System32\SysFxUI.dll
C:\\Windows\System32\WMALFXGFXDSP.dll

- This happens in both my desktop computer and my netbook, both of them using Windows 7.
- This happens while audio is being played (normally music), I'm using XMPlay, but it also happens with the Windows Media and VLC.
- Happens with all audio formats, I tried with MP3, OGG and WAV.

I can reproduce this on my netbook, a low end computer, typing in Notepad++ (200~1000 characters) while playing audio will crash the audio with a loud PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.... Anyway I couldn't reproduce this in other computers, but it happened playing WoW in my desktop a couple of times...

I tried to install the drivers for the device using a newer model drivers (HS-04U) by selecting the folder in the device manager "Update Driver..." option > Browse my computer... I select the folder with the drivers and Win7 says it already have the "best" drivers... I tried to unistall the other ones, disconnect the computer from the internet and plugin the USB audio headset but Win7 install the drivers automatically again (this awesome feature is killing me -.-)


Someone. Can. Help. Me?
(And excuse me for my bad english =/ )

 

[CommonTater]

As I was explaining before, this most likely is happening because some background task is not releasing a timeslice, in effect delaying new data and leting the headphone's audio chip run out of data. This is caused by delays in processing Deferred Function Calls and it can happen at any level of CPU usage... The tool to test for this is here... Link Removed due to 404 Error

If you are getting spikes that go beyond about 250us they could well delay buffer refresh on your headphones and cause them to do exactly what you are describing.

So the first step is to run the DPC Latency checker and see what you're getting...

 

[Zequez]

As I was explaining before, this most likely is happening because some background task is not releasing a timeslice, in effect delaying new data and leting the headphone's audio chip run out of data. This is caused by delays in processing Deferred Function Calls and it can happen at any level of CPU usage... The tool to test for this is here... Link Removed due to 404 Error

If you are getting spikes that go beyond about 250us they could well delay buffer refresh on your headphones and cause them to do exactly what you are describing.

So the first step is to run the DPC Latency checker and see what you're getting...

OMG! IT'S OVER NINE THOUSAND!
Just kidding, it have an average of 500 with normal spikes that go beyond 1000. So if beyond 250 is bad, I'm dying here... How can I do to reduce this latency? Can I disable some services or something? :|

I can make it go over 2000 if I suddenly increase the volumen lol.

Thanks for the program... I'll try to start disabling devices and see which ones are causing this (it's the recommendation that the programs says xD).

EDIT: Well, disabling the ethernet devices reduced the latency, and too the wireless, but, you know, I'll not disable the wireless xD. And the Virtual Clone Drive device too. Now I have less thatn 500, I'll test and update here if I don't get the PFFFFFFFFFFFSSSSSSSs anymore xD. (hope you understand me lol my english is really bad when I try to explain something xD)

EDIT 2: It keeps happening, and now even if I'm not using Notepad++ lol xD.

EDIT 3: The latency increases while downloading something... While using the wlan card..

 

[CommonTater]

It's not just programs that will increase the latency... It could be literally anything... Video, keyboard, mouse, etc. Try selectively disabling services, tasks, whatever you can think of... Anti-Virus programs are REALLY bad for spiking the latency.

Of course, there's also the possibility that it's the headphone drivers themselves...

The thing to worry about are the spikes that are getting over 1000... That's clearly too high for audio/video.

I have DPCLat running as I send this and it's sitting at about 240 to 270 depending how quickly I type. This will play music and show standard videos but it's pretty marginal for HD audio or HiDef video...

To give you a comparison...

Win7 machine ... AMD X2, 2.8ghz, 2gb ram, 32bit windows 7... DPC = 240.
XP machine ... Atom/ION, 1.6ghz, 2gb ram, 32 bit XP... DPC = 35 to 50.

Now that's one heck of a difference.... the Atom machine is about 1/2 the speed of the AMD and the latency is 1/5th... This, of course is why I still recommend XP for multimedia machines. Win7 can do it... but XP aces it!

Let me know how your investigation progresses... It's probably something fairly simple, but it's a pain in the butt to find.

 

[Zequez]

Ok, the antivirus is already disabled (i only use it to scan untrusted downloaded files) I'll try to disable another services-based software...

 

[Zequez]

Ok I surrender, I disabled everything, EVERYTHING, and this is still happening, I even uninstalled the antivirus, I'll buy a new no-usb headset.

 

[CommonTater]

Can't say I blame you for that...

I just did a little Googling and came up with nothing driver wise. There was one spot that said they will work with the hs-04 drivers so you may want to try that before you give up on them...

 

[Zequez]

Can't say I blame you for that...

I just did a little Googling and came up with nothing driver wise. There was one spot that said they will work with the hs-04 drivers so you may want to try that before you give up on them...

I already tried with those drivers but when I try to install them it says "Please plug-in Genius USB Audio device!"

 

[CommonTater]

I already tried with those drivers but when I try to install them it says "Please plug-in Genius USB Audio device!"

LOL... and did you?

Yeah I know... they couldn't find your headset.

It's really odd, I can't find drivers online for that model anywhere... It's almost like it doesn't exist.

 

[TorrentG]

LOL... and did you?

Yeah I know... they couldn't find your headset.

It's really odd, I can't find drivers online for that model anywhere... It's almost like it doesn't exist.

Compatible with Vista/7 drivers don't even exist, the model is unsupported by the manufacturer and you're having him look at latencies on the system and ranting about Windows 7 imaginary audio deficiencies.

Am I the only one that sees the irony in all this?

 

[CommonTater]

Compatible with Vista/7 drivers don't even exist, the model is unsupported by the manufacturer and you're having him look at latencies on the system and ranting about Windows 7 imaginary audio deficiencies.

Am I the only one that sees the irony in all this?

Win7 has a set of default drivers it installed. Remember... they are *mostly* working.

And the deficiencies in Win7 audio and video are far from imaginary...
People are producing test "equipment" to test for it. Kernel level programming is not something one does on a whim.
Go to Google type in "Win7 DPC Latency" and you will get page after page after page of people having problems with it.

Your setup works... so does mine... Zequez is having problems... DENYING possible causes doesn't help the guy one little bit.