Windows 10: CPU use too high, audio crackles

• Hi! A remote Microsoft agent recently did "configuration" changes and in-place upgrades to fix my unresponsive keyboard and touchpad (they work once in a while, and if I boot to Linux flash drive they work great).
• Keyboard and touchpad still don't work, and now the CPU is always busy for some reason--30-40% even when I'm not doing anything, and peaks constantly. And audio from MP3s or YouTube stutters and crackles.
• Windows reports all drivers are up to date, no updates available. I've run so many diagnostics but they report everything fine. I've rebooted numerous times, uninstalled/reinstalled drivers numerous times.
• This is a young Lenovo with 16GB RAM and i5-7300 CPU that I've kept pretty lean just for audio production. It was slippery until some kind of update killed the keyboard/touchpad and now it's so slow.

:)

 

High CPU usage of audiodg.exe and sound crackles.

Hi


I am using Windows 10 Creators Update (OS Build 15063.13) on DELL 5378 2-in-1 notebook. I tried all above steps , uninstall / reinstall etc. Realtek Audio Driver version is 6.0.1.8029 (Latest from DELL / Windows Update )

Issues

1. Sound Crackles (even in headphone)

2. audiodg.exe is taking 4-7% CPU when any music file is played.

Due to above high CPU use (even when all audio enhancement disabled), my Laptop heats up quickly and CPU usage remains always high.

Same music played on my another dell laptop with realtek HD driver running windows 7 shows ~0% CPU Use.

Akhilesh

***Post moved by the moderator to the appropriate forum category.***

 

Audio Crackling

Recently, I've noticed that the audio with my speakers and headphones is "crackling". It doesn't seem to matter what the volume is set at, nor what program I'm running. If I'm playing a game, the audio crackles. If I'm listening to music, the audio crackles.
I've tried downloading/updating my audio drivers, but nothing seems to help.

 

Windows 10 Crackling Audio

I work as a DJ and recognize that crackle in other equipment. It's not something a driver installation will fix. It's what happens when speakers are underpowered by an amp. In this case the amp is being regulated to underpower by the Microsoft power settings.
Go to the battery icon in the bottom right corner. Click on "power and sleep setting." Where it says under "Related settings" click "additional power settings." If "High Performance" isn't an option listed there you can find it under "Show Additional Plans."
Select it. You're going to be using your battery faster but you'll probably kill or at least diminish the crackle. I have to keep this as my default setting and just keep my laptop plugged in for the most part because for me audio crackle at a gig is like
farting in church, sure you can do it, but you're sitting in your own pew. In the end Microsoft will have to fix this.