Soundblaster X-Fi xtreme sound problem

[chewvalleyman]

Hi Everyone,
Can someone help me with a sound problem? When I boot up I have no sound until I go into Creative Labs Console and move the apparent default Mode Setting from Game to Entertainment Mode. When I do this I see that it is set at 2/2.1 speakers instead of 7.1 speakers. I can manually alter this setting and the sound is fabulous! However, on next reboot its back to square one again!
Can anyone tell me how to alter the default the settings to what I want? Also how to make sure that the sound is on at boot-up? The volume settings are not set at mute so I don't understand why there is no sound until I re-set the mode!
I hope someone can help.
Thanks.
My Computer is Mesh Elite2 with Intel Pentium D950 Dual Core[3.4Ghz and 2MB Cache,800MHz] O/S is Windows Media Centre 2005.
SO_19399

[GoNz0]

new drivers are out, would suggest you uninstall your current drivers and run the updated ones to see if that fixes it.

its software related if you can sort it out each time.

http://uk.europe.creative.com/suppor...ame=Windows+XP

[chewvalleyman]

Many thanks to GoNzO for his message about drivers. I had already downloaded the latest Creative Labs driver for my Sound Card "SBXF_PCDRV_LB_2_09_0001.exe" dated 3rd July 2006 Size 41.92 Mb and installed it.
However, following GoNzO's suggestion, I decided to remove the latest driver I had installed and re-installed it.
I am keeping my fingers and everything else crossed and hope that that sorts it out.
At least when I rebooted, the sound of XP starting up was there, whereas it wasn't before.
I will be back with an update after a few reboots.
Thanks again,
Bye for now.

[arthurleung]

Did you set in the Audio Console under Speaker option to sync with windows control panel?

[Zillatech]

Many thanks to GoNzO for his message about drivers. I had already downloaded the latest Creative Labs driver for my Sound Card "SBXF_PCDRV_LB_2_09_0001.exe" dated 3rd July 2006 Size 41.92 Mb and installed it.
However, following GoNzO's suggestion, I decided to remove the latest driver I had installed and re-installed it.
I am keeping my fingers and everything else crossed and hope that that sorts it out.
At least when I rebooted, the sound of XP starting up was there, whereas it wasn't before.
I will be back with an update after a few reboots.
Thanks again,
Bye for now.

I am interested to know if you solved your problem Chewvalleyman because I have almost the same problem on a system I built recently. I've posted on Creatives Forums but haven't recieved any responses. See below

http://forums.creative.com/creativel...ssage.id=69720

I'm gonna work on the problem a bit more by uninstalling / re-installing, etc. and will post back here when I solve the problem. I will probably try switching PCI slots as well.

[chewvalleyman]

Hi Arthur leung,
I found the Audio Console you mentioned which is avaialable through the control panel. Within the console is a speaker's tab and yes, the box is ticked for Synchonisation with Microsoft Windows Control Panel.
Any other ideas?
I thought I might have cured the problem when I re-installed the drivers etc but no.
I still have no sound when my computer starts up until I go to Creative Labs console and change the mode from "Game Mode" to "Entertainment Mode". When I do that there is a split second flash on the screen of the "Mute" wording which comes up normally when you mute the speakers! However, the speakers are not set to mute, so that doesn't account for no sound. It is a real mystery.
Creative Labs won't or can't help unless I remove my X-Fi Sound Card and give them the serial number and an ink number, which is on their card. To do this, I would have to open the tower and I am loathe to do this and possibly jeopodise my warranty!
In any case, why should it be necessary to give Creative these numbers, when I have already told them the type of card it is? All I want to know is how to change the default from "Game Mode" to "Entertainment Mode" and why I have this problem of no sound when I re-start the computer.

[Zillatech]

Update, I am still working on this issue & am trying to talk to ASUS about it. I found another user with the same problem on the Tom's Hardware Guide forums. He eventually ditched his X-Fi and went with the Audigy 2 but I think this is an unresolved issue between the nForce 4 chipset and the X-Fi series of cards. It may also be linked to nVidia Chipset Drivers or a newly released BIOS update that causes the problem. I will post back on my findings when I have more information.

Actually, I think is a "Creative Issue" and they don't have a handle on it yet which is pretty damn sad because the X-Fi series of cards have been out for almost a year now!

[Zillatech]

Did you set in the Audio Console under Speaker option to sync with windows control panel?

Arthur leung,

What sound cards are you using? Have you tried an X-Fi on your box, you might run into the same issue with your nForce 4 based system.

[arthurleung]

Arthur leung,

What sound cards are you using? Have you tried an X-Fi on your box, you might run into the same issue with your nForce 4 based system.

I'm running my X-Fi XM on my DFI NF4 SLI-DR mobo and not a single problem.

Haven't tried that on my A8N-SLI though

They have different versions of cards with different serials. (a 3 yrs old SB Live is different from a 2 yrs old SB Live. They could have changed the chip but keeping the same product name. A different chip may have a different issue with a particular board and the driver wouldn't know which is which)

If you have a logitech keyboard I suggest you uninstall the logitech software and see if it helps. (I don't use the logitech software for my MX3100 / MX Duo)
Logitech driver (IIRC) overtakes some sound-related function like volume control and changed some registry which prevented the Asus online update from working. It might be the logitech driver restoring your settings.

When I do that there is a split second flash on the screen of the "Mute" wording

This suggest it happened after you login which is when the logitech software loads.

[Zillatech]

I'm running my X-Fi XM on my DFI NF4 SLI-DR mobo and not a single problem.

Haven't tried that on my A8N-SLI though

They have different versions of cards with different serials. (a 3 yrs old SB Live is different from a 2 yrs old SB Live. They could have changed the chip but keeping the same product name. A different chip may have a different issue with a particular board and the driver wouldn't know which is which)

If you have a logitech keyboard I suggest you uninstall the logitech software and see if it helps. (I don't use the logitech software for my MX3100 / MX Duo)
Logitech driver (IIRC) overtakes some sound-related function like volume control and changed some registry which prevented the Asus online update from working. It might be the logitech driver restoring your settings.


This suggest it happened after you login which is when the logitech software loads.

FYI ~ (ps: no Logitech Hardware or Software involved, I run my systems "Very Clean") ~ Less is More


Hello, I have been searching everywhere on the web to try and trouble shoot a problem I'm having and found your post about your trouble with the X-Fi sound card and the Asus A8N5X motherboard. Below is a description of my problem. Did you have this problem ???

http://forums.creative.com/creativel...d=67704#M69720

The only thing I haven't tried is moving the sound card to another PCI slot (I'm using the 2nd one).

What problems did you have? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am thinking about ordering the Audigy 2 Platinum from NewEgg and ditching the X-Fi just to solve the problem.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102163

Thanks in advance ~

His reply:

Hey, I did have this problem with mine and it seems to hit in paricular the Asus boards with the NForce4 chipset. Not sure why, doesn't happen as much with MSI, Gigibyte, DFI... etc.

Some have gotten it to work with a bios update, in some cases even going back to an old bios. Different ones for different ppl but I've heard that the 1010 has had the most luck, not for me though. Try the bios update option (work your way up as it's harder to down grade i.e. go from 1010 to 1009 than up). Every time you try it though make sure you completely remove the drivers before updating the bios and installing from scratch.

In the end I'm using an audigy 2, too bad but oh well.

_________________
Asus A8N SLI Premium
AMD Athlon X2 4800+ (OC 2.8)
BFG 7800GTX SLI (OC 500 / 1.4)
2 GB OCZ Platinum DDR500 Ram
Thermaltake Armor Case
Silverstone 750w PSU
Water Cooled w/ Storm, NV78SLI, 2x120mm rad, MP655 pump, Alphacool Cape 25cm res

[Zillatech]

I just got off the phone with ASUS tech support and they didn't have any answers. They said they had not heard of any specific problems like this and that all I could do was make sure I have the latest drivers, BIOS updates, etc. (for Motherboard, Sound Card) which I do.

It's looking more and more like Creative is @ fault but I am waiting to hear back from their technical support (e-mail only) which totally sucks

[Zillatech]

2nd Update:

Ok, one of Creative's Senior techs said that he had the exact same problem and sent me the following link to a knowledge base article on how to "Completely Remove" or "Clean Sweep" Creative Sound Blaster audio cards from the system "before" attempting to reinstall or update the drivers to the lastest if you are having problems.

Clean Sweep / Un-install Creative Audio Cards

I was advised to do this and then try reinstalling from the Orginal Installation CD followed by immeadiately updating the Creative software with the latest driver/software patch.

Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic, Platinum and Fatal1ty Driver with OpenAL support 2.09.0001

The difference being that the "clean sweep" method removes any and all traces of the original software installation.

I will post back after I have tried this to report the results.

[Zillatech]

It turns out that moving the X-Fi sound card to the first PCI slot solves the problem. I was using the 2nd PCI Slot in the ASUS A8N5X Motherboard before and when I moved it up one slot the sound worked everytime after that.

I did go through all the steps suggested by Creative prior to moving the card and the problem was still there so I moved the Card to PCI Slot 1 and "BAM" ~ Problem solved