audio problems when using dvd backup programs

[runningfool]

my problem is simple...recently whenever i use RipIt4Me + DVD Decrypter + DVD Shrink to backup DVD's, audio playback sounds crackly (sort of how it would if there were high disk usage). but it only happens when im doing something involving DVD backup. the source files dont have to be on disk...they can be IFO's on the root of my drive that DVD Shrink is using to make an ISO. so i guess the problem may have to do with high disk usage. also, dvd decrypter seems to be taking much longer: what used to take Decrypter 20 minutes now takes well over an hour. lowering the process priority of dvd decrypter and dvd shrink does not fix the audio problem.

but whats really confusing is my computer specs alone make it so this should not be happening:

-200 GB 7200RPM HDD - literally a week old, tested for bad sectors and there werent any.

-4GB 667MHz DDR2 RAM

-Intel T7500 Dual Core Processor @ 2.2 GHz. Processor is not damaged, and other CPU-intensive activities do not effect sound quality.

-nVidia GeForce 8600M GT

-Windows XP Pro x64, disk gone through nlite to remove features and add all hotfixes, tested in VM and several "real" installs

-all drivers have been checked to make sure they are up-to-date, and any new versions available were installed

-paging file DISABLED

-recently defragged using JkDefrag 64-bit version

-all unnecessary services disabled

-no spyware/rootkits/trojans/viruses/etc. scanned with AVG Anti-Spyware, Spyware Terminator, NOD32, Spybot S&D

-BugOff, Spyware Blaster, Spybot S&D, PeerGuardian and Rogue Remover protection is enabled

-the only non-critical processes running in the background are rocketdock and peerguardian, which means that unless im doing something on my computer, theres almost no processor or disk usage, and barely 200MB of memory being used.

and there are only a few things ive done recently that i think could cause this:

-defragged for the first time in a month (and somehow important files got moved around when they shouldnt have?)

-as a test, disabled the event log, system event notification and com+ event system services. they have since been re-enabled (ive heard screwing with event log can be bad)

-messed around with some settings in Group Policy Editor (maybe i disabled some kind of important disk caching feature?)

-Installed a new version of Nero 8 Micro (8.2.8.0 somehow screwing with something?)

...........so basically im at a loss for what the problem could be. in the past, with the exact same hardware on the exact same OS, backing up dvd's went much faster and didnt screw up the sound. this isnt a HUGE issue (its not the end of the world for me to just avoid listening to music while im ripping dvd's) but it would be nice if someone knew what the hell i did and could tell me how to fix it.

[NIM]

I had cracks in sound when I was copying something over the network. I thought it was a sound card or network card and I couldn't find the 'cause for a long time. Then I realized it was a RAID0. It may sound unbelievable but when I've reinstalled my PC without using RAID, there was no cracks anymore..

[runningfool]

heh, solved my own problem. i reinstalled the newest version of my audio driver...again...and all is well:)

and the lesson learned? if you turn off Event Log and then defrag, things go a little crazy. DONT MESS WITH EVENT LOG!

[NIM]

heh, solved my own problem. i reinstalled the newest version of my audio driver...again...and all is well:)

and the lesson learned? if you turn off Event Log and then defrag, things go a little crazy. DONT MESS WITH EVENT LOG!

Unfortunately that didn't work for me, I even used another Creative Sound card and had same problems..

[runningfool]

how often do you defrag? i had an old laptop that seemed to go nuts every time i defragged (i used diskeeper at the time...but i know better now). after a day or so, the sound was fine again. maybe certain system files being moved around during defragmentation is messing things up?

btw, my sound card is SigmaTel, so its not a problem exclusive to a single hardware manufacturer.