Distorted audio in Windows 10 FCU or Windows 10 Insider Preview (RS4) guest running on Windows 10 FCU (16299.19) host

[przemek1234pl]

When I run Windows 10 FCU as well as Windows 10 Insider Preview (RS4) guest on top of the Windows 10 FCU (16299.19), the sound played by the virtual machine is very distorted and noisy. Especially when it plays for the first time after VM launch.

When I launched for the first time a Windows 10 FCU in the VirtualBox running also on Windows 10 FCU, immediately after lauch the OneDrive toasted has popped out and I've heard something like very loud white noise instead of Windows 10 notification sound. The next times, VM tried to play sound it was less distorted but still very much.

When I set the volume in sound mixer on VM to smaller value, it's less distorted, then I set volume to bigger value, it's more distorted.

I use the VM with the following setting: -3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of HDD as SATA drive -2 CPU cores -2D video and 3D graphics acceleration enabled -Intel HD Audio -USB 1.1 enabled -EFI disabled -PAE/NX disabled.

[przemek1234pl]

Actually the audio is distorted and noisy on any guest operating system when VirtualBox (both 5.2.0 and 5.1.30) is running on Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (build 16299) host.

[JiiHoo]

I can confirm that, sound on guest became unusable right after Win10 FCU was installed. Nothing has helped so far, tried 5.1.30, 5.2.0 and 5.2.2, updating hosts' driver, etc.

[pentagonik]

I've just uploaded a new 5.2 test build which contains more fixes regarding "crackling" and audio distortions. Could you please give these builds a try and report back if these fix the issue for you? You can get the latest 5.2 test builds here: https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Testbuilds

Thank you!

[boxer01]

#17225 looks the same? Or are there any differences?

[pentagonik]

Yes, I think it's related, but let's just keep this record open for verification.

[JiiHoo]

I just tried with build 119405 and problem has gone to worse direction. While previously crackling sound didn't necessary start immediately and could be get rid for a while (by stopping playing video/music/etc), now it is constantly on from the start.

My setup was:

• Host: Win10 FCU
• Guest: Mint 18.2 with all latest updates and Guest Add-ons.
• VM:
  • 4GB memory
  • 2 CPUs
  • 128MB video mem
  • 3D acceleration on
  • Intel HD Audio

[europaa]

for me the test build (5.2.3-119405) resolved the issue - thanks a lot!

the issue started annoying me since (i guess) the windows 10 fcu installation on host machine

i believe this problem causes, sometimes, guest os to hang

i hope this fix resolves the guest hang problem too

thanks again!

host: windows 10 pro fcu

guest: windows 10 pro fcu (6 instances, same settings for all instances)

vm:

• enable i/o apic: checked
• enable efi: unckecked
• hardware clock in utc time: unchecked

• 4gb memory

• 2 cpus
• execution cap 100%
• enable pae/nx: checked
• enable vt-x/amd-v: checked
• enable nested paging: checked

• 128 mb video memory
• 2d/3d acceleration off

• host audio driver: windows direct sound
• audio controller: intel hd audio

[europaa]

reporting:

there are occasional cases where the hang issue (along with the distorted audio issue) still persists

sometimes i hear (rather quiet but audible) noise that persists after a sound finished playing

and the guest tends to hang a bit later when it happens

• so i presume that the hang issue is somehow related to (or originates from) the audio issue

(* system settings have been presented before)

thanks in advance!

[JiiHoo]

I tried with latest build (119620) and while initially it looked the same (sound started crackling immediately when playing video from Youtube), I also noticed kind of progress too.

After starting to play video from Youtube, I scrolled the page down until the video player became hidden. After waiting about 5-10 seconds, crackling sound started to diminish and finally(after 10-15 seconds) stopped completely. Situation stayed the same even though I scrolled the window back to video player. However, after jumping to next video crackling sound started again.

I have to try few more options to see what is their impact.

[JiiHoo]

Just installed and tried 5.2.4, situation still the same as described above. I also disabled 3D acceleration to see if it would help, but it had no impact.

[europaa]

sorry to tell you that the problem came back

after installing the latest windows update as of today (2 feb 2018)

i suspect the culprit is:

KB4058258 ( ​https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4058258/windows-10-update-kb4058258 ) - january 31, 2018 (OS build 16299.214)

the symptom is:

no sound whatsoever from guest os

guest / host are both windows 10 (both with the latest windows update mentioned above)

virtualbox v5.2.6-120293 (win)

[europaa]

the symptom i just reported is gone in

virtualbox v5.2.7r120658 (latest test build as of today)

windows 10 host / windows 10 guest (both with kb4058258 installed)

thank you

[TGP1994]

Posting to add that I have also been seeing this issue across a couple of guests; Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit build 7601, and Windows XP SP3. Host is Windows 10 64-bit v1709 build 16299.192. This happens for both AC97 and HD Audio selections.

[pentagonik]

Please have a try with the latest 5.2 test build 120822, which is located here: Testbuilds. Thank you!