Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Here's an odd thing:
I have two machines with nforce chipsets. One is a 2000 Server and has an nforce2 board. The other is running 2003 server on an nforce 220.
Both use digital sound outputs.
What I've noticed is that periodically on BOTH machines, the volume level of audio output drops DRAMATICALLY after some period of time. I can't figure out what causes it, and doing things like repairing Windows and reinstalling audio-related drivers and programs (e.g. directX) does not fix it. The problem goes away when I reinstall Windows.
How dramatically does it drop?
Well, on my main audio system (high-end Integra receiver etc), I go from needing a volume setting of around "20" for comfortable, quiet listening, to needing a setting of about "55".
On my little 2003 Server, connected to a crummy Pioneer receiver I use at work, I go from needing a volume setting of around 50 (for quiet listening to needing a setting of around 90, which is obviously untenable - I'll kill that poor pioneer if I actually use it for any length of time at that setting.
Since the audio signal is unamplified on the analog inputs, I'm going to guess that it's affected as well, although I don't have the cables sitting around to test that right now.
It's happened to me on my "big" rig about four times now, and twice on my little guy, I think it might be a problem with nforce hardware.
Still, has anyone else run into anything like this?
I have two machines with nforce chipsets. One is a 2000 Server and has an nforce2 board. The other is running 2003 server on an nforce 220.
Both use digital sound outputs.
What I've noticed is that periodically on BOTH machines, the volume level of audio output drops DRAMATICALLY after some period of time. I can't figure out what causes it, and doing things like repairing Windows and reinstalling audio-related drivers and programs (e.g. directX) does not fix it. The problem goes away when I reinstall Windows.
How dramatically does it drop?
Well, on my main audio system (high-end Integra receiver etc), I go from needing a volume setting of around "20" for comfortable, quiet listening, to needing a setting of about "55".
On my little 2003 Server, connected to a crummy Pioneer receiver I use at work, I go from needing a volume setting of around 50 (for quiet listening to needing a setting of around 90, which is obviously untenable - I'll kill that poor pioneer if I actually use it for any length of time at that setting.
Since the audio signal is unamplified on the analog inputs, I'm going to guess that it's affected as well, although I don't have the cables sitting around to test that right now.
It's happened to me on my "big" rig about four times now, and twice on my little guy, I think it might be a problem with nforce hardware.
Still, has anyone else run into anything like this?
