Audio crackling and system interrupts

I recently started hearing crackles in youtube videos and notice that on the task manager when watching them system interrupts were using 1-5% of the cpu. When nothing is open on the computer it hoovers around 0-0.3%. I get sound crackling only when using html5 as the video player. I am using chrome and it also happens with IE. And now I started to notice that my mouse pointer background process ring starts popping up every minute or two sometimes more frequently than that. I do not know if theese are all connected but I do know I can't whatch a video without the crackling driving me crazy. Please help!

Download and run the free Resplendece Latency Mon. It may help you isolate what the problem is.

Resplendence Software - Advanced System Tools and Developer Components

There is also a "DPC Latency Checker" program but it is invalid for Windows 8/8.1 so don't use that.


Popping and crackling are often reported audio problems. There is no "one fix" for the problem. Each one has to be handled individually. One instance may be the sound driver, another may be a video driver, another could be wi-fi, etc.

I have already used latencymon but all the problematic drivers seem to be windows ones and I don't know what causes them to freak out. Also I have the latest drivers for everything.
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CONCLUSION
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Your system appears to be suitable for handling real-time audio and other tasks without dropouts.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:01:47 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.




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SYSTEM INFORMATION
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Computer name: THESKULLKID
OS version: Windows 8 , 6.2, build: 9200 (x64)
Hardware: CM6330_CM6630_CM6730_CM6830_M11AA-8, ASUSTeK Computer INC., CM6330_CM6630_CM6730_CM6830_M11AA
CPU: GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3470 CPU @ 3.20GHz
Logical processors: 4
Processor groups: 1
RAM: 8144 MB total




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CPU SPEED
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Reported CPU speed: 3193,0 MHz
Measured CPU speed: 2184,0 MHz (approx.)


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): 138,774621
Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 7,227392


Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 136,260335
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 2,237947




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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): 97,932665
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: USBPORT.SYS - Πρόγραμμα οδήγησης θύρας USB 1.1 & 2.0, Microsoft Corporation


Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0,197524
Driver with highest ISR total time: USBPORT.SYS - Πρόγραμμα οδήγησης θύρας USB 1.1 & 2.0, Microsoft Corporation


Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0,215081


ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 225306
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0




_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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): 280,426245
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: tcpip.sys - Πρόγραμμα οδήγησης TCP/IP, Microsoft Corporation


Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0,390455
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: CM10864.sys - C-Media Audio WDM Driver, C-Media Electronics Inc


Total time spent in DPCs (%) 1,266134


DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 752533
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-999 µs): 2
DPC count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 2000-3999 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.




Process with highest pagefault count: chrome.exe


Total number of hard pagefaults 60
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 60
Highest hard pagefault resolution time (µs): 375,168494
Total time spent in hard pagefaults (%): 0,002593
Number of processes hit: 1




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PER CPU DATA
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CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 8,779865
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 97,932665
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 0,920547
CPU 0 ISR count: 225306
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 153,512371
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 3,633427
CPU 0 DPC count: 634203
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CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 2,466029
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 1 ISR count: 0
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 280,426245
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 0,568311
CPU 1 DPC count: 34863
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CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 2,530343
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 2 ISR count: 0
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 219,351394
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 0,579845
CPU 2 DPC count: 35307
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CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 2,649486
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): 263,690260
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 0,637470
CPU 3 DPC count: 48162
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Since it is, apparently, only the videos, watch a video and run the Latency Mon and see if something shows up.

I ran latencymon throughout a youtube video. Here are the results:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your system appears to be suitable for handling real-time audio and other tasks without dropouts.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:10:01 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.




_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SYSTEM INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Computer name: THESKULLKID
OS version: Windows 8 , 6.2, build: 9200 (x64)
Hardware: CM6330_CM6630_CM6730_CM6830_M11AA-8, ASUSTeK Computer INC., CM6330_CM6630_CM6730_CM6830_M11AA
CPU: GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3470 CPU @ 3.20GHz
Logical processors: 4
Processor groups: 1
RAM: 8144 MB total




_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU SPEED
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reported CPU speed: 3193,0 MHz
Measured CPU speed: 2138,0 MHz (approx.)


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.




_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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): 219,720663
Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 7,13730


Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 195,834946
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 2,252684




_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED ISRs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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): 118,578453
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: storport.sys - Microsoft Storage Port Driver, Microsoft Corporation


Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0,191587
Driver with highest ISR total time: USBPORT.SYS - Πρόγραμμα οδήγησης θύρας USB 1.1 & 2.0, Microsoft Corporation


Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0,204837


ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 1250669
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0




_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED DPCs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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): 260,745381
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: tcpip.sys - Πρόγραμμα οδήγησης TCP/IP, Microsoft Corporation


Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0,430093
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: CM10864.sys - C-Media Audio WDM Driver, C-Media Electronics Inc


Total time spent in DPCs (%) 1,360314


DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 4513234
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-999 µs): 2
DPC count (execution time 1000-1999 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 2000-3999 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0




_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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: chrome.exe


Total number of hard pagefaults 48
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 44
Highest hard pagefault resolution time (µs): 35112,625744
Total time spent in hard pagefaults (%): 0,001749
Number of processes hit: 4




_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PER CPU DATA
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CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 53,262628
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 118,578453
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 4,924413
CPU 0 ISR count: 1250669
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 194,435014
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 22,176718
CPU 0 DPC count: 3839391
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 13,864372
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 1 ISR count: 0
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 239,580332
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 3,729222
CPU 1 DPC count: 250957
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 12,008415
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 2 ISR count: 0
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 241,614469
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 3,242530
CPU 2 DPC count: 193677
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 15,548875
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): 260,745381
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 3,554358
CPU 3 DPC count: 229211
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I'm at a loss. Hopefully someone else will post and help. Sorry

Are the system interrupts even supposed to be on the task manager? Because If they are and if their CPU usage is normal I should be looking for something else. Also I have a slight suspicion my problems source may be the cheapo mobo that came with my prebuilt computer that I upgraded. Maybe the onboard audio or networking hardware are bad? And lastly since I have a prebuilt computer I do not know the excact model of the mobo (It is not written on it too) and the only thing identification I could find is M11AA-GR and a whole bunch of other numbers. I googled them and all It found was some sites selling the pc and a it's asus page (which by the way has old drivers and no BIOS updates). Is there any other way I can find the latest chipset drivers and BIOS for my mobo? (Also ASUS's BIOS update utility finds no updates).

Download and run the free Belarc Advisor. It will profile the PC and possibly show what the motherboard is.

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit, for software, hardware and security configuration information on your computer. Software license management, IT asset management, cyber security audits, and more.

Unfortunately it didn't provide information I didn't already know. I decided to live with it until windows 10 release and if it still persists I will take more drastic measures(like swapping out hardware as I suspect it might be the crappy mobo causing the problems).