This is something new to me.  I have been using my DAW for about 7 years or more.  I have it optimized for audio according to all the online instructions.  It has been working fine for a long time until about 6 months ago or so.  I do not usually do a lot of recording using mics; however, about 6 months ago I was recording and, every so often, there would be a click on the recorded track.when I rerecorded the track, the clicks would be somewhere else.  Looking at the wave file, you can see the clicks as lines that max out on the track.  these clicks were space apart maybe every 20 seconds or longer.
I made due and put the mics away,.  About a month ago, I tried again, this time the clicks were a little closer together.  I gave up on that track.  Two nights ago, I again gave it a try - and now the clicks are like popcorn. 
 
To save a lot of guesswork about mics, wires, etc. let me explain what is going on with nothing open and no mics attached.  I am using RME-Audi Multiface II as a sound device.  IT has a software mixer that opens with the computer.  When I start the computer, and I open the mixer - before ANYTHIN else is open, and without being connected to a network, I watch the input tracks of the mixer and they are ALL "popping."  this includes tracks 1-8, which is the input tracks from the Multiface.
 
None of these "clicks" come through on any -playback and they do not affect my midi mockups.  They only create problems when I am recording. 
 
HAs anyone every had this problem?
 
Tomorrow I am going to get a different audio interface from my school and try it out.  The Multiface is about 8 years old.  Can it be "going bad"
Windows 7 64
32GB Ram
PhenomIIX6 3.32 GHz CPU
Sonar X3
Multiface II
Keystation Pro Midi keyboard
1200 Watt power
Main drive Velociraptor 500GB
5 SSDs - 500GB
 

Are you using optical connections by chance?
 

Sonar X3E?
Have you used latencymon?
Try updating audio interface drivers and firmware. Check driver settings are correct in Sonar.
Disable intel speedstep in BIOS.
Uninstall ASIO4ALL if present.
Defrag.
Try disabling virus scanner.
Try disabling your LAN card.

Can you please list your reported latency values in Sonar Preferences?
 
Also, are any effects or plugins (even Pro Channel) loaded into the project experiencing these issues?  If so, please list them.
 
Can you also list your current Driver Mode in Sonar, as well as your audio interface's ASIO Buffer Size (might be shown as a slider for performance or something like that, if not actually shown as a buffer size directly), as well as the Sample Rate for the interface and for the project?
 
Do you happen to have a Wi-Fi adapter on this computer?  (even if you do not have a browser open).
 
If you hit 'E' on your computer keyboard, just before recording, (which will disable any loaded effects), does the recording of your mic then come out clean?  (hit 'E' again to turn effects back on after testing this).
 
Bob Bone
 

Noise can also be expected on trial VST, especially on repeated intervals.

Thanks for the quick responses  - I will address as many as I can
Albert
 
1.  No trial VSTs on my computer
 
Bob -
1. - The computer has no wireless and is not connected unless I plug in the cable.
With regard to plug ins - first of all, this is happening on my computer even before Sonar is loaded.  My software mixer shows input activity intermittently on all 8 inputs.  STILL - with plugins taken out and prochannel turned off - clicks persist
 
Settings: I have tried various settings.  but here is the breakdown -
DRIVER - For some reason ASIO does not work with RME-Audio Multiface and Sonar - RME suggests using the WDM/KS driver.  I have tried Asio4all and there is no sound
 
LATENCY - 92.9 ms - 4096 SAMPLES.  ( I have experimented with this, no change)
  
BUFFER SIZE IN RME SOFTWARE - now at 1024, but I have tried all kinds of settings here as well.  Remember - these are not your typical pops and clicks from mismatched driver settings.
 
Dr. Avalance - I never tried latencymon
   I have tried disabling virus protection, etc.  Actually, I went into processes and services and turned off everything that I did not absolutely need.
   Several days ago I updated the flash and the drivers for the Multiface. For two take of a song, I was able to record without clicks and pops.  By the third take they were back and the fourth take they were back to popcorn!  I tried to recreate that session by uninstalling and reinstalling all the drivers, etc.  Still, no good.
Also - I defrag and optimize the C drive every week.  I do nto defrag the SSDs as I was told that was not only not necessary, but can do damage to the drive.
 
ONE THING I HAVE NOT TRIED - but I will - is moving the project to a different drive.  I will post what I find out. Also, tomorrow I try a different audio interface.
 
THANKS EVERYONE!
 
 

Make sure that ASIO4ALL has been fully removed.

That latency will KILL your chances of tracking/recording without issues.  It is WAY too high.
 
To give you an example, my system is set to record with a total round trip latency of 9.7 milliseconds, and I could lower that if I needed to, but running at 9.7 milliseconds works GREAT for my needs.  TO achieve this latency, I set my audio interface's ASIO Buffer Size to 128 for recording, and either 1024 or 2048 when mixing/mastering.
 
If this link is showing YOUR audio interface, it looks like a really nice one:
 
http://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/multiface_2.php
 
And, IF that is the same interface, it quite clearly indicates it has ASIO driver mode available for it.
 
If you are unable to change the driver mode in Sonar to ASIO, first try DE-selecting the interface altogether in the Sonar Preferences - under Audio>Devices, both for input and output, then click Apply.  Sometimes ASIO does not show up as a viable driver mode if WDM is already selected, so if that is the case, first de-selecting it, then changing the Driver Mode in Sonar Preferences, under Audio>Playback and Recording, from WDM to ASIO, then click Apply.  THEN, go back and see if Sonar automatically selects your audio interface for you, but this time running under ASIO driver mode.
 
But FIRST, BEFORE trying the above, I would recommend that you COMPLETELY uninstall ASIO4ALL - it can and DOES frequently interfere with other ASIO drivers that are present, and is for most folks at best a band-aid.  So, because we want you to try getting your audio interface to use its own ASIO drivers, you should completely uninstall ASIO4ALL.
 
I am also hoping that you  have the latest and greatest drivers installed for your audio interface, so if that is not the case, you should look into making sure those get updated too.
 
Soooooooo, please review and test things out per the above steps, first removing ASIO4ALL, then updating your audio interface's drivers, if needed, and then trying the other de-selection/selection steps I described above.
 
If you DO get your interface set to use ASIO for your audio interface, also try setting the ASIO Buffer Size to 128, which should be a reasonable setting when recording, and then try recording something, without adding any effects - just raw mic input - to see how that works.
 
AND, also at that point, please list the Sonar-reported latency values when you are running with the ASIO Buffer Size set to 128.
 
Thanks,
 
Bob Bone
 

Also, since you said you heard the noises when SONAR or nothing else is running or playing back audio, you can test by lowering your audio interface's sample buffer size to 10 ms or lower and see if the noise goes away. Since for some reason RME had you using the WDM driver mode, you're probably using the Multiface II for Windows sounds, as well. Also, to check to see if the problem is with the Multiface, you can try using onboard sound for Windows sounds and setting the onboard sound as the Windows playback device to see if the noise is gone away when your system is idle and nothing else is playing back.
 
Just something to mention, in case you have to keep using WDM driver mode.
 
If you end up having to use the Multiface for onboard sound, too, make sure you enable the option to "Share drivers with other programs" in the SONAR Unified Preference View in the Audio>Playback And Recording section, to see if that fixes the noises problem.
 
And as mentioned, uninstall the ASIO4All driver, first. :)
 
I know Bob will help you get to the bottom of the problem, but the above may also be useful info for you. :)
 
 
 

Another suggestion, run Sonar with full admin right, especially if you just upgraded.
 
It happens to me after a Sonar upgrade some version back. A few of my fully authorized VST still need admin right to ..settle down at least the first run after upgrading.