Sound from my computer, sounds like the chipmunks

[baron]

Can any one help? All of a sudden what ever I play on my computer sermons, music, news is faster. Sounds like the chipmunks.

I use Windows XP service pack 3. Use Internet explorer 8 and RealPlayer SP. I have searched the internet but found no solution I can use. I found one article that said it was a driver. But how do I know what driver?

 

[Wayne]

First guess: the fan.

 

[TheDow]

That is the weirdest problem I've ever heard.

If it happens on multiple players (Windows Media Player, Youtube.com, RealPlayer, etc.) then it's probably not settings in a program. I know of no Windows settings that will change the speed of ALL media, no matter which player.

My guess is rather than a driver, you're looking at some sort of codec problem. (A codec helps your computer translate various audio and video formats to play in whatever player you use.) Usually, no one sees codecs, as they just work. When they mess up, however, they can cause weird issues. I'd start out by going to Ninite Easy PC Setup - Silent Unattended Install Multiple Programs At Once, scrolling until you see the K-Lite Codecs. (They'll be under the Media heading.) Check that, and click "Get Installer". Run the installer. This will install (hopefully reinstall) the most common codecs on your computer. (It will also install Media Player Classic, which is a great lightweight (read: fast) media player.) See if that does the trick.

The reason I hesitate to ascribe your problems to a driver is there's not just one driver involved. Your sound card driver runs the sound, but it sounded like everything was sped up, video included. That would mean the video driver is also involved. If you have a common manufacturer like Dell or HP, you can usually go to their sites, enter your Service Tag or Serial Number, and get all the drivers that came on your system. Then you can update them all (one at a time.) That would fix any driver problems.

If you ARE just having problems with the sound, and not the video, then you could go to your PC manufacturer's site and download just the driver for your sound card. See if that takes care of the problem. If you have a Dell or HP, go to their site. If you have another PC Manufacturer, you can try their site, like eMachines, or Systemax. If you have a homebuilt machine, you'll need to know the mfg. of your soundcard, and go to that site.

However, I suspect it's a codec problem, and not a driver. I could be wrong.

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For those wondering about ninite.com, it's just an aggregation of many programs with an unattended installer. Essentially, you tell it what programs on the list you want installed, it downloads and installs them all for you. You don't even have to click Next or Finished for each program. It's a really handy, time-saving method for installing common software.

 

[Marrow Man]

I was thinking the fan too (I've had that problem in the past with a desktop), but it sounds like this is only happening with sound files and the like. If it's the fan, you will likely need to replace it (but they aren't expensive and are easy to replace), but you can probably get a temporary fix by opening up the computer and cleaning (really, just dusting) the fan. Keep in mind that this is a problem you can't ignore, as it can cause your system to overheat if not taken care of.

 

[Edward]

Have you tried shutting down and re-starting your computer?

 

[baron]

Have you tried shutting down and re-starting your computer?

Yes I shut down computer. Tried reloading firefox, internet explorer, real player went to microsoft for help nothing seems to work.

Was searching for a program to detect bad drivers but can not find afree one. All the ones I see you have to purchase. Do not mind purchasing but do not know what to buy.

 

[baron]

Well after many hours on the net trying to fix my audio I finally was able to get rid of the chipmunks. It took three system restores now my sound is back to normal.

Thanks to all for the suggestions.