Fix for iTunes and Stuttering Audio Upon Opening Other Programs

Question

This was answered for me in another mega thread, so I thought I would create it's own topic in hopes of helping as many people as possible.
This is a fix for those that have the problem of iTunes 7 working fine alone, but when opening another program such as a game, etc., iTunes 7 begins to stutter and crackle. This fix assumes that otherwise, the program works correctly (gapless, and other issues are not a problem, no blue screens of death, etc.)
First off my machine:
Dell XPS 3.4 ghz Pentium Dual Core
2 Gig RAM
Creative SB X-Fi audio card, latest drivers installed
Observed problem:
Running iTunes 7, audio sounded fine, but opening another program such as UT2004 (first person shooter game) caused iTunes 7 to stutter and crackle.
This was not an issue in iTunes 6.05. I had to upgrade as I just purchased the new Nano.
As an aside, I have another sound card on my computer, an older Layla Echo 24 professional soundcard, drivers are about 3 years old. When selecting this card, this problem does not occur.
The Fix:
Close iTunes 7
Upgrade your sound card drivers (just to eliminate that as an issue)
Upgrade to latest Microsoft direct X version:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=2DA43D38-DB71-4C1B-BC6A -9B6652CD92A3&displaylang=en
Start
Run
Type: dxdiag
Click "sound 1" or similarly named tab
Slide bar to "basic acceleration" (mine was at full, and basic is two clicks to the left)
Exit
Restart iTunes 7, and startup music
Open game, or other program
Your music in iTunes 7 should now be stutter/crackle free
This may not work for everybody, but it worked for me so I thought I would pass this along.
Good luck!
(resisting urge to type some snarky remark to Apple that somehow their programmers are indeed as human as Microsoft programmers)...oops...sorry about that.
Dell XPS Windows XP Creative SB X-FI Audio Card
Dell XPS   Windows XP  

Answer 1

i was hopeful, but it didn't work. well teh one thing that i had to do diff was the dx updating, WGA doesn't like to work on my system for some unkown reason (yes it was bought at a store) so i found a way around their WGA check for it (i think) the one i got was labeled as dxwebupdate for august 2006. it updated just fine and it looks like it should be the same one as the newest update release microsoft sent out
my system is a home built one and haven't had probs with itunes with any other version, until this one. i'm tempted to just go back to the newest version 6 i have, cause this is rediculous. i can't do anything without it sputtering away at me. i tryed uninstalling it and removing every trace of its exsistance off of the system (including registry) and that didn't work i made sure all numbers were set to the correct values for my sound blaster audigy gamer, i was using some non oem drivers, but switched over just to make sure witht eh newest ones creative had, and it made zero diff.
i'm wondering if it is an issue it is having with sound blaster cards...
well anyways if anyone else has any ideas i would like to hear them