Totally frustrated please help!!
 

Updated to a new system and has turned into a nightmare, firstly this started out as an onboard SoundMAX problem in SH3, after 3 days of trying everything I gave up & purchased a sound card (Creative X-fi Xtreme PCI-E), I have tried 2 different slots but the Creative install just says "No supported devices found", I'm running XP Pro (32bit) and I am coming to the conclusion that this card is for vista only, nothing mentioned in the adds where I purchased it, the disk says nothing on it!:cry:
I think I just wasted more time & money!:damn: The motherboard only has PCI-E slots free, can anyone suggest a good relatively cheap Sound card, that will run in XP, just not SoundMAX.:oops::cry:
Thanks.

Oh, I hate that message. I download usually an older driver pack from creative and install it with that, and then upgrade the drivers if I should encounter problems.

As far as the card itself goes:
Minimum System Requirements: Microsoft® Windows Vista™, Microsoft Windows® XP (Professional x64 Edition, Service Pack 2 or Media Center Edition)

Did you remember to disable the on board sound device and un-install its drivers prior to attempting to install the new daughter board?

So I assume Vista or XP 64bit & that's that! I wonder how many others have been caught out, now what to do?!?!:dead::doh::oops::cry:
Yes, completely.:cry:
I can't get over it, fancy producing a sound card that is Vista only & marked virtually in fine print!!

Return it for a 32 bit version. Seriously, just state a mistake in ordering and get a correct card swapped for it.

I go with Steamwake on this. Open the device manager and see what working and what you need to turn off for the onboard sound.

I really feel for you, Reece. It seems that card manufacturers either don't care or hired IT grad school dropouts to write the drivers.

Creative Labs, ATI, and nVidia seem to be the worst offenders.

Soundblaster cards have been going downhill for years now but people still buy them for the name. Do you really need all that audiophile fan-boy stuff? If the answer is no, then there are a few alternatives to Soundblaster cards.

Unfortunately, driver support for the others can be spotty as well, so do your homework.

Before you go crazy with trying to RMA everything, try checking the Creative forums and other forums at places like Tom's Hardware. Only with patience and some research can you fix your troubles.

One last bit...in the other thread, you stated that you increased your mobo's PCI latency from 100 to 110. This increases the delay only slightly. You may actually need to lower the setting to 64 or less. It's meant for legacy PCI cards and your on-board sound may need to have this number lowered or disabled.

I've got my own motherboard, CPU, and RAM upgrades to install. I'm excited but dreading it because of all the unknown wrinkles that inevitably come with any hardware or software upgrade.

@ Graf Paper, I hope you have better luck with your purchase, it really is pot luck that there is no problems, I used to have an Asus A7V600 that had SoundMAX and I think this had the same problem, I'm sure I went to Sound and Audio Devices Property in Device manager, selected Audio/Sound Playback, and changed the Default Device to a microsoft device instead of SoundMAX & that fixed it, but this setup only the SoundMAX setting.:-?
@ Danlisa, you may have hit the nail on the head, this new card is obviously 64bit & I use 32bit XP Pro, oh well I should get a bit back on ebay! It could be why I'm having problems with the onboard sound.

Others beware of installing 64bit devices while running a 32bit operating system.

Now all I have to do is find a 32bit sound card for the remaining PCI slot, this means I will have to move my video card (takes up 2 slots), but will have to extend the power leads! ..... what a pain!:lol::nope:

I feel for you Reece.
Truely I do!!

Microsoft stopped supporting XP when they launched Vista.
Now?
They resumed support and released service packs.
Tells me all I need to know.
And I test stuff from time to time for them.

The manufacturers got caught in the crossfire I believe.
But any packageing should be clearly marked.

It's on them if they failed to do so.

Of course they can claim,
It was in small print on the package!
Didn't you read it?

To which I'd say,
I don't have the Hubble at my beck and call at the moment!!
:rotfl:

Sounds like you may have a bum motherboard man, or a mis-configured BIOS.

As for Vista only, you should check the CL website and download the drivers from there. Never use the supplied drivers that come on CD. They are buggy and out of date by the time you get them.

As for running multiple soundcards, that shouldn't be a problem either and it is 99% chance not causing your problems. XP and Vista both are designed to handle multiple audio devices.

Give me some more details if you don't mind. I might have a thought or two with more information.

-S

Hardware insanity!
I grabbed an old Sound Blaster live 5.1 i use to use in older pc she came out 2003, to replace the mobo's onboard sound. Works like a charm thats after many hours of trying to get it to install as i first thought the card was dead the OEM sound card software would come up with an error "No sound card found, please make sure card is installed" Well its installed i know cause i was looking right at it at the time having the case open. Cards dead? Or maybe mobos PCI slots are buggered? I tried all 4 of them only to get the same message in windows. Now any right minded person would of thrown out the card by now this is after turning pc off trying another slot go back into windows try to install only to get 'No sound card found' error. Why go on. Cause i hated my onboard sound with a passion i was going to make this card work if it took me friggin days!:roll: The card is not dead, i kept telling myself. All onboard drivers were uninstalled, the cards been sitting in its static bag in a draw so its hardly been handle. This card is NOT dead! Stupid dumass windows messages!

Once i tried Safe mode the software found the card! :rock: Everything works, i now have my surround sound back using AudioHQ where you can adjust your sound quality.
Ive had it running for a few weeks all games work with this old card, had a slight problem with the Arma game i lost all sound when i started her up found out i had to download the creative DLL file 'OpenAL' all fixed once that was installed. The onboard sound was total rubbish it claims surround sound but i would always get it as normal speaker sound (2).

So Reese i know what your going through just dont give up I would say keep trying give safemode a try, but your cards is for 64bit OS and your running a 32bit. Not going to work. Another is needed. If you come across a Creative Sound Blaster 5.1 for $5 grab it! :D

Problem Solved
 

First off a big thanks to all for your support!:up:
The Creative support website has Vista drivers only that include XP 64 bit, no support whatsoever for 32 bit versions of XP.
@ Privateer, yes these things are sent to test us ..... I failed!!:lol:
@ kiwi_2005, I have never tried installing in safe mode, thought it was impossable, was originally going to purchase a standard PCI SB card but no spare slots unless I moved my double slot video card but then the power lead to the card would be too short, it amazes me how power supply leads are either too short or too long!!:yep:

Now for some good news:
After more checking on various forums I found a fix, downloaded a X-fi Xtreme notebook driver, extracted the files from the exe & there is a winxp_2k folder, so I manually installed the card, and although the sound audio device points to an "SB Xtreme Audio Notebook" the driver installed without a hitch and works!!:yep:
Most of all SHIII works with full acceleration and no stutters etc ... Yay!!!:D:D:D

Many thanks again to all.:yep:
A special thanks to Subman1 & Wolfhunter for PM-ing me with continued support, I appreciate it.:up:

Just for the fun, I went looking for the driver. You are right! There is no Xp driver! That is just plain dumb!

-S

Reese
I am so glad its sorted because in the past you have helped me out many times just as others have on here. I am a totally dummy when it comes to hardware and the like so i was useless to you on this one. I hope to be getting another computer myself soon and will be asking advice myself about keeping windows xp home edition 32 which i know pretty well, or getting the 32 bit edition of Vista, as well as a few more things such as sound card choice etc etc. But i will start a new thread for that one Reese.
Again pleased to hear its sorted buddy.

Why are you still at XP, Reece? :hmm: