Mixer.exe - why running?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Terry Pinnell
  • Start date Start date
T

Terry Pinnell

I noticed that several programs were responding sluggishly this
morning, on my XP Home PC. Task Mgr showed that mixer.exe was taking
5-30% of CPU. It's part of the Creative Soundblaster stuff. But right
now I don't have any audio program open, so why would mixer.exe be
constantly running please?
 
Terry Pinnell said:
I noticed that several programs were responding sluggishly this
morning, on my XP Home PC. Task Mgr showed that mixer.exe was taking
5-30% of CPU. It's part of the Creative Soundblaster stuff. But right
now I don't have any audio program open, so why would mixer.exe be
constantly running please?
Click to expand...

It's there in case you need it.
 
PD43 said:
It's there in case you need it.
Click to expand...

Yes, I know, but why constantly consuming such a huge chunk of CPU
resources, when apparently doing nothing except wait for some audio
task to support?
 
Terry Pinnell said:
Yes, I know, but why constantly consuming such a huge chunk of CPU
resources, when apparently doing nothing except wait for some audio
task to support?
Click to expand...
That is a good question. A program with nothing to do should not be doing
anything.
You might gain more insight through the use of Process Explorer.
Jim
 
Terry Pinnell said:
Yes, I know, but why constantly consuming such a huge chunk of CPU
resources, when apparently doing nothing except wait for some audio
task to support?
Click to expand...

Disable it and see if you like the results.

Chances are that you don't need the capabilities.
 
PD43 said:
Disable it and see if you like the results.

Chances are that you don't need the capabilities.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies.


I was also pointed to this, which my earlier googling had not found.
It was particularly informative:
http://www.file.net/process/mixer.exe.html

Haven't yet decided whether to zap it permanently, which might have
side-effects, or just unload it whenever it starts using measurable
resources (which is what I did this time). But at least I now see it
is a common problem. Actual *cause* remains puzzling. May well try
Filemon or Process Explorer.
 
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