Awful crackling/popping noises consistent in music and midi-apps...

[The Lost Chord]

Hello again everyone! I have a computer that SHOULD be running amazingly well, and it does for the most part. I really have NOTHING on here, it is a Dell customized PC, only running 28 processes regularly. Here are the specs:

Dell Dimension DIM4600
Pentium 4 CPU 3.00 GhZ
1.00 GB RAM
Windows XP Home Edition 2002

So, everything runs fine, I have a wireless Linksys router which I JUST upgraded to the latest firmwire and everything, brand new speakers, an external MyBook 500GB USB Hard Drive which holds my music.

Everything was running great, but my music pops and crackles id say about every 10 seconds. I also use a Midi Controller Keyboard (Keystation 61es by M-Audio), I play the M-Tron software and it crackles louder than hell when going on a note for longer than 3 seconds. It is all in and out, on and off.

I have no idea what could be causing it, people have told me it is the CPU and the computer is struggling...but it just does not make sense, I am barely running anything on here, my processes are all normal and everything, the Linksys wireless was a hog for a while but the firmwire fixed it up a lot.

Does anyone have any ideas or can help me? Also, all of the midi keyboard software is detached from the external HD, the external HD is JUST music, so it has no connection to the popping and crackling of the M-Tron software with the keystation 61es!

Thank you for any help anyone can give!

 

[The Lost Chord]

Update:

I have tested old speakers with the OLD audio card, which is still installed above my new Audiphile one. Old speakers work PERFECTLY, so it is NOT the CPU or PC. It is either the SPEAKERS or the AUDIOPHILE sound card. How do I find out? I have no other speakers that connect to the Audiophile card, and I have no other PC with a card that can test the speakers.

Anyone have an educated decision? A popping noise every 10 seconds or so, on and off, sometimes never happens...audiocard most likely, right? The speakers were bought brand new, M-Audio Studio Pro 3's. They seem just fine.

Any ideas?

 

[tifc8lraz]

To see which one it is, take out your Audio Card and try it in the integrated card (if the card is integrated to the opposite) .

 

[The Lost Chord]

Im a bit confused...There are two cards installed, 1 is in Slot 1 and the other, the Audiophile, is in Slot 3. The first is a SoundMAX, came with the system, the Audiophile I purchased on my own.

So, are you saying to take out the SoundMAX and switch their positions?