Windows 7: My PC doesn't detect my soundcard after Windows 7 re-install.

Hello, i have a problem with my soundcard.
This is a separate sound card, so it's not a part of my motherboard.
The name of the soundcard is: "Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio PCI Sound Card"
The card and my optical sound (i use an optical cable for digital sound, which no longer works when i switch to "S/PDIF" sound in sound devices.) no longer works. When i go to device manager, it doesn't even detect that i have my specified soundcard, which i absolutely do.

Also after the re-install, my computer feels really slow. I have 16 gigs of ram, a good CPU, and a good graphics card, so that is not the problem. If anyone could figure out or have an idea what could be wrong with those two issues, PLEASE do reply.

I fear that after my Windows 7 re-install, a ton of drivers are missing. I don't have my 'recovery hard disc' anymore, which contained a lot of stuff for my PC. The computer store who installed my sound card, graphics card and more, removed that hard drive. I didn't notice that before i had to do a re-install, and they don't have that darn hard disc anymore.

Can anyone help me? Do i have to do something in BIOS? I'll attach a DxDiag of my computer to this post! Please help me!

You are probably missing needed drivers. Since you have an intel CPU, you have a motherboard with an Intel chipset. Go to the motherboard vendor and download the needed drivers, including the Intel chipset drivers. One of the main things the chipset drivers do is define (identify) all the hardware devices on or attached to the motherboard.

I didn't see what the motherboard was in DXDiag, the BIOS should give you that information. Manufacturer and model. Then go to that manufacturers downloads for the specific model motherboard. If there are no Windows 7 drivers listed, Vista drivers are compatible.

In addition, since you are using a separate sound card, you need to disable the on-board audio (the RealTek) in the BIOS. Two sound devices can conflict which could cause some of your problems.

Alright, thanks! I'll try to check my BIOS, and do as you said. Will reply to you with results! Thanks again!

Hello, again! I ended up deleting my whole hard drive, and re-installing Windows 7 to see if there was a malware or something like that which was actually the cause of my problems. So, i did that, and now the S/PDIF sound works, and obviously my PC is way faster. Thanks for taking your time to help. If another problem comes up, or the same one again, i hope you can help me.. again, hehe.

Many thanks, & regards,
- Sebastian.

Thats a long way around, but it it works it was worth it. Thanks for the feedback.

Okay, just had some problems with some crackling sounds after using digital sound for a while, and i went into BIOS a bit more and looked. I then saw i had forgot to disable the "onboard device" HD audio configuration. Now it's disabled, and i only see "S/PDIF" in sound devices. Perfect. Hopefully this'll fix the crackling sound problem, otherwise it might be my headset that needs to be repaired.

Thanks for helping, it's truly awesome that you commit yourself to help people here on the website the way you do.

I'm a retired computer techie so I have time to do this and it keeps my mind working.

Hello, again. I feared something would happen after the re-install regarding missing drivers and such. The main reason i had for re-installing was that i downloaded the chipset for my motherboard from an unofficial website, which surprisingly enough looked fully legit. It turned out it had a virus of some sort attached to it, so i just hurried and re-installed Windows 7. Now it seems it is still there.

Please do read my post i have made on "System security".

Link to the thread here: Bootstrap virus? Computer VERY slow after re-install.