Sound may play slowly or music may not play continuously in Windows XP or Windows 2000 (835730)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004
  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

On a Microsoft Windows XP- or Microsoft Windows 2000-based computer that uses Intel® HyperThreading Technology or Enhanced SpeedStep® Technology, you may experience any one or more of the following symptoms:
  • When you play audio, the audio may not play continuously.
  • When you play MIDI-based music, the music may play at a slow tempo.
  • The computer may not correctly enter the C3 power-saving state. This may affect the duration of battery power.

CAUSE

This problem is caused by the incorrect interpretation of the timing values that are returned by the system when hyperthreading is enabled, and the computer power state changes. This problem may occur when you do any one of the following:
  • On the Music tab in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (Dxdiag.exe), you click Test DirectMusic.
  • You play a computer-based game.
  • You listen to TV sound in Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition.
For additional information about the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

190900 DirectX: Description of the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

RESOLUTION

Microsoft Windows XP

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Windows XP service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel. 
   Date         Time   Version        Size     File name
   --------------------------------------------------------
   23-Feb-2004  21:26  5.1.2600.1348  130,816  Halmacpi.dll

Microsoft Windows 2000

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that this article describes. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

Prerequisites

Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3)

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------------
   15-Oct-2004  20:54  5.0.2195.6988      84,192  Halaacpi.dll     
   15-Oct-2004  20:54  5.0.2195.6988      68,736  Halacpi.dll      
   15-Oct-2004  20:54  5.0.2195.6988      85,888  Halmacpi.dll


After you apply this hotfix to a Windows 2000-based computer, you must manually enable the option.

Note To enable this option, you must use only one of the following methods. You do not have to use both methods.
  • Edit the Boot.ini file Manually edit the Boot.ini file in the root folder of the system drive to add the /usepmtimer switch to the appropriate operating system line. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, click Run, in the Open box, type CMD, and then click OK.
    2. Type attrib c:\boot.ini -r, and then press ENTER.
    3. Type exit, and then press ENTER.
    4. Click Start, click Run, in the Open box, type notepad c:\boot.ini, and then click OK.

      A window opens to display the Boot.ini file. The line that starts with "default" is the location from which Windows 2000 will load on startup without user intervention. For example, the line may appear as follows:

      default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

    5. Locate the line for Windows 2000 that corresponds to the information on the default line. It should look similar to the following:

      multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows 2000" /fastdetect

    6. At the end of the line, add a space, and then type /usepmtimer. The line should now look similar to the following:

      multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows 2000" /fastdetect /usepmtimer

    7. Save the file, and then exit Notepad.
    8. Restart the computer.
    The following is an example of a Boot.ini file for a system that contains the /usepmtimer switch: 
     
[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows 2000" /fastdetect /usepmtimer
  • Edit the registry Add a DWORD value named 14140000FFFFFFFF that has a value of 00000010 to the following registry setting:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\HAL



    Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

    To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, click Run, in the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
    2. Locate and then click the following subkey in the registry:

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\HAL

    3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
    4. Type 14140000FFFFFFFF for the name of the DWORD, and then press ENTER.
    5. Right-click 14140000FFFFFFFF, and then click Modify.
    6. In the Value data box, type 00000010, and then click OK.
    7. Quit Registry Editor.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how hotfix packages are named, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

816915 New file naming schema for Microsoft Windows software update packages

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/27/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbWin2000preSP5fix kbWinXPsp2fix kbQFE kbWinXPpreSP2fix kbfix kbbug KB835730 kbAudEndUser
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