Hello guys. I’m not the most computer literate person so please bear that in mind - thanks! My new laptop has updated Windows 10 and now when I record into Audacity each recording is full of tiny hiccups and dropouts which renders them unusable. I have scoured this forum and tried every possible suggestion to no avail. I’ve also completely uninstalled and reinstalled Audacity which didn’t help. I suspect the issue is something to do with Windows Defender but when I open it to try and exclude Audacity the programme simply doesn’t appear. All other functions are fine btw. Can you suggest a simple way please to ease my recording misery? Thanks 
Hiccups and dropouts? Like the recording is cutting out almost? I might say that’s your internal recording system in your computer, but I don’t want to discourage you from using it. I don’t believe audacity would be doing that, I’ve never had it do that to me.
tried every possible suggestion to no avail.
There is a desperation method. If you go much over about two to three weeks struggling with the computer, stop using the computer.
This is a Zoom H4 sound recorder. I just took delivery of a Zoom H1n and I’m happy with it. Neither of them has computer recording problems.
After I transfer the clean voice recording to Audacity, I run post production processing and quality control. In my case the goal was prepare an audiobook quality submission.
Koz
We do have a publication about dropouts.
https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/faq_recording_troubleshooting.html#skips
Koz
How important is recording in Audacity to you?
If it’s the reason you get up in the morning, you could Revert to your earlier Windows. The one that made good recordings.
The other blanket process is take the machine off-line. Disconnect the network cable or shut down WiFi. Clean Start with Shift-Shutdown, Wait, and Start. Don’t let anything else start when it comes back up.
Did the problem change? It’s important to note any change, not whether or not it got better.
Koz
I found the H1n photo.
Substitute my quiet third bedroom for all that wood. Everything else stays the same. That is the script for my sound test.
koz
I’m just now catching up that nobody asked you what you were recording.
What were you recording?
Koz