Windows 7: Creative USB sound card causes loud pop at startup and shutdown, sleep

I have installed a new Creative "Soundblaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro USB Audio System with THX SB1095" soundcard. I disabled the old on-board card. Note: It's USB. When I start-up, shutdown, sleep or wake, I get a very loud POP thru the speakers.

I contacted Creative and they told me this is "normal" because Windows 7 is polling the USB input to see if there is anything connected. This doesn't sound right, because it happens when I shutdown or sleep, too! Why would Windows poll a usb input while shutting down or going to sleep? Anyway, it sounds like a bug to me.

If it's not, is there any way to have Windows poll without issuing an audible POP?
Thanks for your help and advice.

There is an option, on most PC's to have the USB ports power active all the time. This would eliminate the pops with standby, but would not stop the pop when booting up (it is turning on USB port power) and the SoundBlaster is powering on or when Powering off when it's dropping power and the SoundBlaster is powering off.

It's really a design issue in the SoundBlaster. Basically the SoundBlaster needs to work with the PC, not the PC must work with the SoundBlaster.

They (Creative/SoundBlaster) could have eliminated this in design. Many Peavey (and some other brands) solid state guitar amplifiers do this when powering on and/or off, Peavey finally redesigned the power supply in newer models and eliminated the pop.

I have decided to return the USB sound card and either do with my old one or, maybe, buy a new PCI card. The old one seems better and better to me, after this experience, so maybe I'll just buy some cheap software with virtual sound capabilities!

Thanks again.