Other Zoom participants complain abt "background noise" from my Aspire 7736-Z

BewilderedBob

Even tho there is no other activity in the room to create "background noise", other Zoomers notice it so it is probably caused by electronics. Are there any controls to reduce or eliminate the "noise" ? Thanx.

Puraw

Hi @BewilderedBob — your Aspire 7736-Z is a legacy model from around 2009, originally designed for Windows 7. While it’s impressive that it’s still running, Zoom’s audio interface has evolved significantly, and older Realtek drivers may not fully support noise suppression or echo cancellation on Windows 10.

🎧 Why the background noise happens:

• The laptop’s analog mic input and outdated audio codecs can misinterpret ambient silence as static or hum
• Zoom relies on modern audio APIs that older drivers don’t fully support

🛠️ Short-term workaround:

• Try using a USB headset or external mic with built-in noise filtering
• Disable “Automatically adjust microphone volume” in Zoom’s audio settings
• Check Control Panel > Sound > Recording tab for mic enhancements (if available)

🚀 Long-term solution:

• Consider migrating to a Windows 11 laptop or even an Android tablet for Zoom calls
• These devices have modern audio stacks and better support for conferencing apps

Your 7736-Z has served well, but Zoom’s media engine expects newer hardware and drivers. Let me know if you’d like help choosing a budget-friendly upgrade or configuring a USB mic for better clarity.