kids speeding up the sound

[Oops_my_bad]

Hi all

the kids have found some way of speeding up the sound on our XP PC's - I've come across this a few times and just refreshed the sound driver to sort it but today have had an entire computer suite doing it 8O This affects everything that plays on the PC, so everything is coming out like something from an episode of the chipmonks

does anyone know how the kids are doing it and, maybe more importantly, how to prevent it?

[Joanne]

they will be using the sound manager (usually found in the taskbar bit near the clock) you need to disable it. And to be extra sure stop the kids from using any control panel items too :P

[Oops_my_bad]

they will be using the sound manager (usually found in the taskbar bit near the clock) you need to disable it. And to be extra sure stop the kids from using any control panel items too :P

Hmm.. but we do.. the entire thing is locked down pretty tight here. No control panel features except accessibility. And they need the volume control in the taskbar (which is all they have access to.. they cant do anything else with it apart from adjust the volume)

:?

[EduTech]

Erm this might be your answer but i am not sure...

Is the music played through Windows Media Player if so i know there is an option in media player thats speeds up the sound played through it

Veiw > Enhancments > Play Speed Settings

Check there to see that the setting is set to normal and not Fast

That could be your answer..

regards

james

[Oops_my_bad]

Thanks James, i checked windows media but the play settings are default.. this is happening to any sound that the PC plays be it windows media, itunes, windvd etc... even the XP logon/logoff sound is sped up

[EduTech]

Oh right i see and you say you have set all the sound card option to default even the software that is supplied with the sound card all settings to default..

This is a new one to me.. i keep looking for you mate

** find the little devil thats doing it and interogate him ** :twisted:

regards

james

[OutToLunch]

Could it actually be a driver issue caused by an update? Playing DirectSound audio at the wrong frequency etc, especially if the settings are sticking after logoff...

[TechMonkey]

If they are RealTek sound devices then they have a manager in the taskbar that can add all kinds of effects (why would anyone in heir right mind want to have their machine sound like it is in a bathroom?!) that has no option to disable. We had to replace with a blank exe to stop them getting at it.
Could never find where the settings were stored either so have to manually reset it back to default if they do change them after a rebuild.

[richard.thomas]

It does sound like someone has tampered with the effect settings like TechMonkey suggests. I can't imagine a company releasing a driver that essentially makes their soundcard useless... actually scratch my last comment. Re-image one of the machines and play around with it, install the latest driver and see what happens.

Maybe consider hiding the notification area from students?

[Chris_Jones]

Techmonkey,

IIRC the realtek app, along with several other annoying bits and pieces (including the Intel app that lets you turn the screen upside down) are started from the registry in

Local Machine->Software->Microsoft->windows->currentversion->run

you can delete the relevant keys from there to stop them being started.

[Oops_my_bad]

Thanks guys - looking at the machines involved they all have REALTEK sound chips with the pesky tray icon. Butchered registries as above so hopefully this will stop the little fatherless childs :twisted: