inselaffe on 28/6/2009 at 23:14
Oh dear.
Ok i first, uninstalled my onboard sound drivers, driver swept as per here: (
http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127155&page=3)
Didn't disable in the bios as i didn't quite realise how to yet. Didn't think that was so much a problem since it was removed anyway (and as i found out later, the setting set to auto anyway, so with another card detected it wouldn't use the onboard).
Then I tried plugging in the xtreme music card, cancelling it's hardware install box (as instructed in the install guide) and then installing off of the creative cd.
Rebooted the computer. The hardware box came up again listing it (as multimedia audio controller). Somehow it didn't work.
Went into my bios and found some setting about audio codec and through searching on the internet found out this was what i should disable: (
http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?board_id=1&model=K8N&id=20090226015832299&page=1&SLanguage=en-us)
Tried another windows installation on the same computer. This windows had no sound driver to start with and is basically untouched. again, same problem, "installed" the stuff off the cd but then when you restart, it still doesn't know what the hell the card actually is. (In the device manager in "other devices" as "multimedia audio controller")
I tried going back into my normal windows again and this time the hardware thing in the bottom right task bar eventually decided it was an "xfi audio device" or something (i can't remember the exact wording) and i got hopeful.
Unfortunately, then, before windows could fully initialise it caused a blue screen of death.
This then happened whenever i started booting into that windows. However i think i could boot into safe mode (not sure) as i remember seeing it displayed with a proper name in the device manager.
Unfortunately, loading up the "untouched" windows, it would boot into there, but still was calling it a multimedia audio controller and asking for its hardware to be installed every time.
Looking on the internet there seems to be some strange bios problem with the card if you have an nforce 4 chipset that can cause these problems but I have an nforce 3 chipset so i don't know - i am guessing that might not be the issue.
My board is an asus k8n if that helps.
EvaUnit02 on 29/6/2009 at 00:24
The ancient driver on your installation CD simply doesn't work, full stip. You see early X-Fi drivers were intentionally designed to stop functioning after a certain date.
Bloody stupid move and one can only guess what Creative were smoking when thought it up.
Anyway:-
1. If you can, uninstall the Creative X-Fi driver from Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs (retitled to Programs and Features under Vista). If it's not there, then don't worry about it and move onto the next step.
2. Go to (
www.creative.com) and download the latest driver for your model of X-Fi.
3. Boot into Windows safe mode and use Driver Sweeper to erase every trace of the Creative driver.
4. Reboot into normal Windows and install that new driver which you downloaded.
5. Reboot again after driver installation.
inselaffe on 29/6/2009 at 17:45
I'm safe to leave all the other creative crap - like the utilities though, just uninstall the driver? (I think i did a full install of everything, just to see what was what - so i even have minidisk exporting ahaha).
As far as I can see in add/remove programs there is: Creative Media Toolbox, Creative MediaSource and Creative System Information. No mention of a standalone driver so I wonder which one it is. If i can keep the utilities on there so i don't have to reinstall them also, that would be nice, since it took ages to install the first time and so uninstalling everything is not preferable. Might be safer though.
I'm assuming, put the card back in after step 3. I really hope this all works cos I have been pooing myself a bit that the card is dud.
Will try later, cheers.
EvaUnit02 on 29/6/2009 at 18:21
Quote Posted by inselaffe
I'm safe to leave all the other creative crap - like the utilities though, just uninstall the driver?
Yes, you can keep them if you like. But in all honesty I'd dump it all, it's just bloatware programs that you don't need.
You really only require the driver + the Audio Console. The THX thingy (I forget what it's called exactly) is occasionally useful for DVD movie playback but it's not necessary.
Quote:
I'm assuming, put the card back in after step 3. I really hope this all works cos I have been pooing myself a bit that the card is dud.
Yes. You need to install the card physically BEFORE installing the driver though.
Sulphur on 29/6/2009 at 18:42
Quote Posted by EvaUnit02
The ancient driver on your installation CD simply doesn't work, full stip. You see early X-Fi drivers were intentionally designed to stop functioning after a certain date.
Mm? Every time I've reinstalled XP over the years, my X-Fi driver CD's worked perfectly fine. I recall that it was usually the beta drivers on Creative's site that had expiry dates.
No harm in trying the new drivers, of course. Just need to ensure all the previous onboard/Creative drivers were thoroughly wiped off the system before running them, as you said.
I've had issues with the X-Fi before, it tends to 'disappear' from XP sometimes. What I usually do is take it out and pop it into another PCI slot, which somehow miraculously works. There's no science or logic to it, inselaffe, and I doubt it'd work in your case since the card is being recognised, but hey, no harm in seeing if that could help ya.
inselaffe on 29/6/2009 at 22:40
Ok, i removed everything from the add/remove programs (there was an extra entry i did not spot before, xfi something or other - the main install basically).
I then cleaned it in safe mode.
So, after putting the card back in and restarting, no "new hardware" window came up. So i decided to check the device manager and it actually had the card listed in it properly under sound devices, but in an error state:
Inline Image:
http://storm.elxx.net/daniel/found.PNGSo i installed the latest drivers ( SBXF_PCDRV_LB_2_18_0013.exe ) and restarted. Again, I still have no sound and get that same thin in the device manager, in error state:
Quote:
Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)
What now? :eww: At least there was no bsod. Also, the new drivers didn't seem to install the audio console.
Sulphur -hmm yes, i tried different slots yesterday, to no avail.
bikerdude on 30/6/2009 at 12:12
Quote Posted by inselaffe
SBXF_PCDRV_LB_2_18_0013.exe
There are know issues with this version, go back to the previous version and then see how you go.
Also try putting the sound card in adjacent pci slot, so it forces windows to re-detect it..
EvaUnit02 on 30/6/2009 at 13:45
@inselaffe
Try this:-
1. From the Device Manager, right-click the X-Fi and choose uninstall.
2. Boot into safe mode and run Driver Sweeper again.
3. Boot into regular Windows and try installing the driver again.
inselaffe on 30/6/2009 at 17:24
Quote Posted by Bikerdude
There are know issues with this version, go back to the previous version and then see how you go.
Also try putting the sound card in adjacent pci slot, so it forces windows to re-detect it..
Where do I get this previous version from?
Quote Posted by EvaUnit02
@inselaffe
Try this:-
1. From the Device Manager, right-click the X-Fi and choose uninstall.
2. Boot into safe mode and run Driver Sweeper again.
3. Boot into regular Windows and try installing the driver again.
I am pretty sure I tried something like that last night and then when it came to identifying the card it first thought it was "Multimedia Audio Controller", then the hardware thing searched a bit more and it went back to "Creative X-Fi Audio Processor" and then eventually a blue screen came up as it was trying to install the driver (perhaps I was trying from the device manager - or perhaps from the actually install exe without windows "doing it by magics"). Anyway, it cause a blue screen saying : STOP: 0x0000009C (0x00000004, 0x865646E70, 0xB2000000, 0x00070F0F)
Although perhaps this could be just cos it isn't installing the driver properly and can't communicate properly with the card. Or bios is too old (i heard something about nforce 4 being a problem but mine is nforce 3). I am a little weary about reflashing a bios though as i've never done it before and could effectively brick my computer.
-------------------------
Also, in the
other fresh install of windows, it won't even detect that the card is part of the sound, video and game controller group - it just puts in "others" and installing the driver doesn't even make windows believe that the card is installed (effectively does nothing). Could be because this windows literally has no updates after service pack 2 though.
