PC hardware forum: USB/Sound Issue

I had very similar issues and it turned out to be a very similar system and let's hope. Look at the HP d4999t and d5000t. It's very similar and here's what I found.

1. The 1 TB HDD had a firmware update. That was scary but helped, but no cure.
2. Turns out the Intel Rapid Storage Technology app was not optional.

Hope this helps,
Bob

I hope you can see that THAT software title was not optional in my machine. Without it, my SINGLE non-RAID 1TB drive performance was pitiful.
Bob

Read another example where it fixes another issue at http://forum.cdburnerxp.se/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6798

Intel changes the name of this software over time so you get to roll with it.

You can choose to ignore this one but on a very very very similar system, it didn't work right until.
Bob

Read my last link and in that one it's " Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager" and I leave it to Intel to explain the name change.

I'm unsure why you need more about this. After dozens of installs this has helped in every case.

I can only share and wish you well, good luck, hope you find it and will let you be.
Bob

This issue is solved.
For anyone else having this issue, here is the solution:
Right-click the speaker icon in the task tray. Click Sounds, then click on the Communications tab.
Next, select the Do Nothing radio button to set Windows to not reduce system sounds when communications activity is detected.
Mine was set to reduce volume by 80%, and this is what it was doing when I was plugging in my phone, or other devices.
I hope this can help someone else with the same issue!