Crackling sound on Windows XP

Hi.

My fiance has a problem with her computer that I don't know how to fix.

She has Windows XP with a Soundblaster PCI 512 card.

The problem is virtually every sound file she plays, and every CD she plays, the sound crackles and pops extremely bad. It also happens in games. I already know the problem is not with the sound files or the CD's. Because on the same computer, I've had both Windows 98SE and Mandrake Linux 9.1 on that computer, and I've never had the sound crackling problem.

Before, we had a Soundblaster 16 PCI in the machine, and the sound was crackling, so we changed to the Soundblaster PCI 512, and the sound is still crackling.

And ideas?

 

If you've changed out sound cards and still have the crackling problem, that leaves the speakers and speaker cables.

Try another set of speakers and see if the problem goes away.

 

Do you have
this driver loaded?

 

I forgot to mention that we tried another set of speakers and had the same problem.

Also, I tried to install the driver from Creative's site, however, the installer keeps crashing.

I'll try a third set of speakers that I have, but otherwise the only other thing I can think of is a conflict somewhere.

 

When you're installing the driver it's best to disable your antivirus program and shut down all the other **** that's running.

 

Such as?

(There's no anti-virus software running currently, and keep in mind my experience with Windows XP is virtually nill)

 

Well, we fixed the problem by getting a new sound card.