Creative SoundMax IE: None of the items like MIXER will work.

[Tinsby]

Hello,

The sound card I am using is a SupremeFX-X-Fi that came with the Asus MB. I am running a dual boot system with Xp Pro SP3 and Win7.

As per Ulrich's on the Asus forum I d/l'd the 64 bit sound driver set for the Rampage Extreme MB. I unzipped them and used the "AsusSetup" icon to install. After the installer ran it wanted a reboot so I did that. Then I got another message asking if I want to run (x86)analog devices\core\smax4pnp.exe to which I agreed. Nothing happened and there was no reboot required.

Then using the MB CD I installed all the Creative Stuff. NOW I have the "SoundMax Integrated Digital Audio Volume Panel" in my tooltray as I do in XP but it doesn't do anything.

When I choose MIXER I get " No Supported audio device App will close"
When I choose Karaoke Player "Audio device for this app not detected."
When I choose Console Launcher " No supported audio device available close app."
When I choose Audio Console " Device supported by this app not detected close app."

So in effect, I am no further along than I was with the default Win7 driver settings.
I don't know why I had to register the SoundMax card or software if it won't function!

I even tried a re-install of the drivers themselves after I had all the Creative stuff installed and that did no good. I am back to square one with it all <sigh>

What to do now? The SoundMax HD soundcard shows up in Device Manager so it clearly knows it's there and yes I have sound but only at the most basic level. I need control of the bass and treble at the very least.

Is the fact that I am running a dual boot system with XP
and Win7 the trouble? The MIXER and all other controls work fine in XP fwiw.

Yes I did read the very topmost sticky post but am unsure if any of these options will help me get it working as needed.

Thanks to all,

J Tinsby

 

[fireberd]

I just built a system using a Gigabyte motherboard (see the "My System Specs" for details). It has RealTek integrated audio on the motherboard. Gigabyte also supplied the Creative Soundblaster Xfi MB software enhancement to the RealTek. If I want to change anything such as EQ or speaker options I do it in the Soundblaster panel, not the RealTek panel.

Do you actually have a separate PCIe sound card or do you just have the on-board (on the motherboard) audio? which from your post is the Soundmax.

Please fill in the "My System Specs" as I, or someone else who tries to help you are just guessing without that info (most important is the motherboard as we can cross reference what is there from the motherobard vendor's site).

 

[Tinsby]

More information

I just built a system using a Gigabyte motherboard (see the "My System Specs" for details). It has RealTek integrated audio on the motherboard. Gigabyte also supplied the Creative Soundblaster Xfi MB software enhancement to the RealTek. If I want to change anything such as EQ or speaker options I do it in the Soundblaster panel, not the RealTek panel.

Do you actually have a separate PCIe sound card or do you just have the on-board (on the motherboard) audio? which from your post is the Soundmax.

Please fill in the "My System Specs" as I, or someone else who tries to help you are just guessing without that info (most important is the motherboard as we can cross reference what is there from the motherboard vendor's site).

Hi Fireberd,

Sadly I had this all filled in and hit the wrong key and it was gone.. so here I go again. My computer specs are now filled out sorry for the oversight.

The soundcard is a PCIe "SupremeFX-X-Fi" it is not built into the board.

I was at the Creative site and found 2 files but I don't know if they are correct.

I got the ones named : CSL_PCAPP_LB_2_61_53.exe (Allegedly the console launcher) & then SBRL_PCDRV_LB_3_00_1004.exe (The drivers?)

I have not installed any of them for fear of installing the wrong ones and making a mess in 7.

Thank you,

Tinsby

 

[fireberd]

Since you have the separate sound card, the Integrated (on the motherboard) audio should be disabled in the BIOS. If not, it will conflict with the sound card (you can only have one default audio playback device).

Disable the integrated audio in the BIOS, then see what happens with the Supreme FX, if it will install and work properly.

I'm not sure on the drivers, but there should have been drivers supplied by ASUS with the motherboard and the Supreme FX.

 

[Tinsby]

Since you have the separate sound card, the Integrated (on the motherboard) audio should be disabled in the BIOS. If not, it will conflict with the sound card (you can only have one default audio playback device).

Disable the integrated audio in the BIOS, then see what happens with the Supreme FX, if it will install and work properly.

I'm not sure on the drivers, but there should have been drivers supplied by ASUS with the motherboard and the Supreme FX.

Fireberd,

Thanks but the soundcard on the MB is disabled as soon as you plug the PCIe one in.

As stated in my first posting, yes there are drivers on the installation CD that allege to be for 64 bit but the Creative interface with all the bells and whistles can't seem to find the card in 7. It's clearly there I can see it in Device Manager.

Tinsby

 

[fireberd]

Are you sure its disabled, in the BIOS, ? I've never seen a motherboard that would automatically disable the integrated sound when a separate sound card was installed.

This may not fix the problem, but its a step that needs to be done (or confirmed that its disabled in the BIOS).

 

[stormy13]

Since you have the separate sound card,

Actually it isn't a separate sound card. It is nothing more than a riser card with a fancy name. You don't use the SupremeFX "sound card", you have no sound.

As far as the driver and the software goes, have you tried the one's from Asus for it,

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_775/Rampage_Extreme/#download

The X-Fi MB software is under utilities.

 

[fireberd]

Wow, that's pretty flukey.

 

[Tinsby]

Since you have the separate sound card,

Actually it isn't a separate sound card. It is nothing more than a riser card with a fancy name. You don't use the SupremeFX "sound card", you have no sound.

As far as the driver and the software goes, have you tried the one's from Asus for it,

ASUS - Motherboards- ASUS Rampage Extreme

The X-Fi MB software is under utilities.

Hello stormy,

Yes, I have tired numerous times to install the drivers from the Asus page or the ones that are on the CD that came with the MB. In either case I can't seem to get 7 to allow me to replace the existing driver. I am assuming that it is looking at the date of the driver and wants the most current one, rather than one that might actually work. I have even removed the 7 drivers, thinking that like XP it would then ask for drivers on start up. But it doesn't, it merely re-installs the one that was taken out and you are back to square one! If I manually try to point 7 to the older drivers, it complains that " the best driver is already installed."

It might be the 'best' but it doesn't allow all the Creative features to work, like the Console Launcher, Mixer, Crystallizer etc.

I am stumped and don't know how to bypass the driver that 7 insists is the right one. At least I can work on my music files in XP, everything works great in there but that's no reason not to have it working when I switch to Win7.

Thank you,

J T

 

[fireberd]

If this shows up in the Device Manager, Uninstall it and additionally check the box to uninstall the drivers. Then there shouldn't be any there and you should be able to install the correct drivers from ASUS drivers.

 

[Tinsby]

If this shows up in the Device Manager, Uninstall it and additionally check the box to uninstall the drivers. Then there shouldn't be any there and you should be able to install the correct drivers from ASUS drivers.

Hi Fireberd,

Here's where we are now.

I go to Device Manager and choose the soundcard the only thing I can do is remove the driver. When I do that, the card disappears from the list in DM. Then when I insert the Asus CD it tells me it can't find a supported device! Most likely because there is none showing in DM.

If I reboot, then 7 wants to correct the missing driver and re-installs the original generic one and we are back to zero again.

Inserting the Asus CD gives me a warning that it doesn't support the OS I am using I have to drill down to the AUDIO folders to find things like the 64 bit drivers, but I can't install them! Grrrrrr!

I have pulled out so much hair I am going to use it to stuff a pillow!!

Thanks for helping me and your attention to the matter.

I know we can get it but it sure is frustrating.

J T

 

[fireberd]

I've installed sound cards and devices and was able to abort the Windows install and then install my own. You can try that.

When you uninstall something in the Device Manager you have to restart the PC before it will show up again.

Vista drivers will work for Win 7, but XP won't, because some sound functions are handled differently. If the ASUS install disk Lists Vista as one of the options, use that.