FYI...
If by any chance your onboard sound hardware is based upon the Creative Labs X-Fi chipset, then it is your hardware which is causing the problem... not your drivers. The entire X-Fi series of sound cards are very poorly designed and constructed. Crackling sounds and other such problems are common with the X-Fi chipset, if it is running under a 64-bit OS. The problem can not be fixed with a driver-based solution, as it is a fault within the design of the X-Fi chip itself.
Creative Labs has been aware of this problem as far back as the Audigy series, which the X-Fi was designed around. They have either downplayed or outright ignored it for years. In fact, Creative Labs has even stooped so low as to delete hundreds of posts from their own tech support forums, just to keep this issue swept under the rug.
If you don't have an X-Fi chipset, then this post may still be of use to anyone who does. If you plan to use a 64-bit OS and if you own an X-Fi based sound card, then your very best option is to get rid of it.
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