Installing Audio Drivers Causes Desktop Location Error

CoreyRS · 17 Jun 2012

I've searched for and read many threads on forums about these two issues separately but never together, and I've whittled it down to the EXACT issue.

With my motherboard (asrock n68c-gs) i need to install the windows 7 VIA audio drivers. After doing so, the "No audio output device is installed" error disappears and I can access the volume icon. Upon reboot though, once I login I get the "C:\...Desktop refers to a location that is unavailable" error. Now this error ONLY occurs when I install an audio driver that fixes the audio output device error. It also hapened when I installed the realtek 3d blah blah driver, which also fixed the error, but not when I installed the realtek HD audio driver, which didn't fix the problem. The problem IS the correct driver installation, which has to be the most retarded issue I've experienced in the last decade.

Does anyone know how to fix this? I've had to use a restore point every time just to get the desktop back. I've tried solutions such as looking in the location where it says the desktop is unavailable, and also checked regedit User Shell Folders. The registry entries pointed to C:\Users\(my profile)\. Checking it now it gives a variable %USERPROFILE%. Is the fact that it wasn't written using the variable the problem? Thought I'd ask before I change anything. If not, any of solutions?

Thanks in advance.

fireberd · 17 Jun 2012

Are you using the driver supplied by ASRock? If not, give that a try and see what happens.

Also, if you uninstall first, restart the PC before installing the ASRock driver.

I didn't look at the ASRock site for proper driver but I don't think VIA and RealTek are both compatible. Either you have RealTek or VIA but not both(?)

CoreyRS · 17 Jun 2012

The VIA one is the one asrock supplies you with and also the one they supply on their own website. I've uninstalled and rebooted between installations to no avail. They both solved the issue and enabled volume control, so seems they both worked... oddly.

karlsnooks · 17 Jun 2012

Have you considered asking at the asrock site?

CoreyRS · 17 Jun 2012

Nope. Made sense to ask here first since the driver proves working and it is a problem with windows 7.

karlsnooks · 17 Jun 2012

Might I suggest that you try the asrock site which makes perfect sense to me.

fireberd · 18 Jun 2012

ASRock support answered a question for me within a couple of hours. I bought an ASRock Z77 Professional motherboard for a new build and ran into a problem with it (two memory slots caused "no memory detected" POST error if a memory module was installed in them). I sent an inquiry to ASRock and had a response within 4 hours. (As it turned out the new motherboard was defective and it has been sent back to newegg for replacement, if newegg ever gets around to it).