Okay, here's the problem for all those lovely nerds out there that always mail me after I post a "my computer sucks" comic.

System:

P4 2.4 (clocked a little to 2.5 but turning it back down doesn't fix anything)

• ASUS P4P800-E Deluxe Motherboard.
• A bunch of OEM 333 DDR memory sticks: (Bank A1: 256mb, Bank A2: 256mb, Bank B1: 512mb set to single channel)
• Maxtor 6Y080l0 Hard Drive (Primary IDE)
• LG DVD-ROM DRD8160B (Secondary IDE master)
• LITE-ON LTR-12101B CD Burner (Secondary IDE slave)
• Old Maxtor 2B020H1 (Primary RAID in RAID mode as it won't work in IDE mode for some dumb reason. Also fixes nothing if disabled)
• Creative Audigy Player sound card (old, but still better than the on board crap)
• Power Color ATi Radeon 9800Pro video card.
• OS: Fresh install of Windows XP Home (SP2)

Drives run in S-ATA+P-ATA mode. In S-ATA the CD/DVD drives take forever and take all the system time. In P-ATA mode EVERYTHING sucks.

The sound problem:

Makes odd clicky, popping noses when certain things play. Only when there is sound playing and is rhythmic (always pops at the same times in a song) and hates some things more then others (like I use "Soylent Night" by Boards of Canada as a test as it HATES that). But get this. Problem occurs on both the Audigy Player AND the motherboard's on board sound system. Also problem occurs when using my power surround system or headphones even when each is unplugged from the other.

The chugging:

Not as bad after I set it to S-ATA+P-ATA but still does it now and then. Seems to do it the most when loading up web pages in IE or Firefox (load page, CHUUUUG, go on if nothing has happened). Doesn't seem to be a problem in games. Something keeps popping up in the system tray and disappears again which could be connected but it goes too fast for me to see what it is. Also I've killed of "Find Fast" which has been an old nemesis in the past.

I swear this thing is here just to mock me! So if you have any ideas, can you post them in my forum? That way I don't get a load of identical emails. It'll be most appreciated.