Sound card and video card conflict, only on w7

[brreaker]

First of all, hello!
I have kind of a big problem here. I have an nVidia Geforce GT220 video card and a Creative SB Audigy SE sound card (PCI)
They both work fine under windows XP, however, on windows 7 I have a problem with a conflict. The thing is, the video card has integrated Audio (for HDMI) so my sound card doesn't show up in device manager at all. If after a clean install of Windows I remove the GPU and restart, Windows will see my Sound card and I can install and use it, however, after restarting to finish the sound card install and plugging my GPU back in, as there is already an audio driver installed (The creative one) windows doesn't recognize my GPU anymore (not showing up in device manager, can't install the driver because it is not detected as connected)
After running device manager with set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1 I can see that my GPU is in the device manager list, but it is listed as not connected to the PC (Error 45). I contacted nvidia, they told me to contact Creative, I did so, and they told me to talk to nVidia. I am sure this is a windows 7 problem, considering they both work just fine under windows XP. Is there any way I can disable this device priority thing under windows 7 so I am able to use both my cards?
Sometimes, after I restart, windows would see my video card and stop seeing the sound one, then other times it would see the sound one and stop seeing the GPU. It's very annoying.
Thank you in advance!
Best regards,
Manu Andrei

 

[fireberd]

You would be better off using the Integrated VIA HD audio on the motherboard. It is newer and just as good as the old SoundBlaster. But, if you want to use the SoundBlaster, make sure the integrated audio is disabled in the BIOS so it does not conflict. Also, make sure you are using the correct SoundBlaster driver for Vista/Windows 7.

The HDMI audio should not conflict and should not set itself as default audio playback device unless there is an HDMI cable connected.

 

[brreaker]

Not quite so, considering that my onboard is 2.1 while my creative is 7.1
I am using a surround system, so I kinda need my Creative board.
It is set as default for some reason, that's my problem. The onboard audio is disabled via BIOS, when I boot up windows, it installs 4 High Definition Audio Devices, after installing my GPU driver they turn into nVidia Audio. I checked the hardware IDs, my soundcard is nowhere to be found. I am not using a HDMI cable, and they don't show up in Control Panel under "Sound". The list is empty, my sound icon has a red x on it, troubleshooter doesn't find anything. I am using the correct driver, but I cannot install it. As the windows does not see my sound card, I get the error that "Setup could not find a compatible hardware".

 

[fireberd]

According to the ASRock specs for that motherboard it is 5.1. It also shows Integrated video. Have you tried just using the integrated video? I show multiple HDMI entries in my Sound Playback panel so that is not the problem.

The PCI slot on most newer motherboards is not a true PCI slot and only a "bridged" slot from the PCIe bus. As the PCI sound card, apparently, is not being detected this could be part of the problem. Reinstall the NVIDIA all in one driver from the ASRock downloads and see if that helps the SoundBlaster. CLICK ME

Audio, Video and NetworkingGraphics- Integrated NVIDIA® GeForce 7025 graphics
- DX9.0 VGA, Pixel Shader 3.0
- Max. shared memory 256MB
- Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 1920x1440 @ 60HzAudio- 5.1 CH HD Audio (VIA® VT1705 Audio Codec)

 

[brreaker]

I cannot use the integrated video as I use my computer both for gaming (such as Battlefield 3, which has quite the requirements) and video editing, so I need a good GPU. The integrated GPU takes memory off my RAM, which I also need during some operations. I installed all of those, no help. Also, the integrated audio has a total of 3 audio jacks, if I were to use it in 5.1 mode I would have to plug in all 3 of my jacks in one of the 3 holes, thus leaving me unable to use a microphone or a line-in (like my electric guitar)
I tried installing the nVidia GT220 custom install, without installing the audio driver, but still doesn't help. All I have in control panel-sound, at the moment, are 4 High Definition Audio Device (HDMI).
Edit: I installed the nVidia drivers for the HD Audio and now they disappeared from cPanel, I installed them in order to try and use the hotfix, but no success.

 

[fireberd]

Using the integrated Video, for troubleshooting, is something to consider. I understand you need higher Video for gaming, but for troubleshooting and testing it is an option. Same way with removing the SoundBlaster and enabling and installing the drivers for the VIA HD audio. You have to get it down to "minimum" configuration and if all works there, then start adding the extra hardware, such as the Video card, and progressing from there. If the VIA HD Audio still works with the Video card, then disable the VIA Audio in the BIOS and reinstall the SoundBlaster and try. I know this is all a lot of trouble, but you have to establish what does or does not work on the motherboard before continuing on.

BIOS V1.40 is the latest. http://www.asrock.com/mb/NVIDIA/N68C-GS%20FX/?cat=Download&os=BIOS

If you already have 1.40, reset the BIOS/CMOS Memory back to defaults (disable the integrated audio in the BIOS) and see what happens.

 

[brreaker]

I had already tried that, as I said in the first post, I removed my GPU, disabled onboard audio, booted up, w7 saw my Soundblaster, I installed it, restarted, put back in my video card, just that after windows booted nor my GPU nor my Soundblaster were anywhere to be found. They were not in device manager, when I enabled the "show nonpresent devices" they were under code 45 (hardware not connected to the PC) so I had to format, as removing all the drivers and cleaning with driversweeper and CCleaner didn't manage to make my windows see my GPU again.
Also, after installing the nVidia sound drivers, they disappear from the Sound panel in control panel. If I uninstall them, they pop right back up as HDMI.

 

[fireberd]

Have you tried updating the BIOS? I don't usually recommend BIOS updates, but in this case it is something to consider, especially with the code 45 errors. If the BIOS isn't seeing the devices or not recognizing them correctly, Windows will not see them either.

 

[brreaker]

I did flash the latest version of BIOS yesterday.
It does see it on XP, it sees it on w7 as well if I remove the GPU (but then makes it impossible for me to reinstall the GPU)
I contacted nVidia, the one I talked to had no idea what I can do, apparently he sent it for further investigation, so I kinda doubt I will receive any more replies. Should it be needed, I can paste the conversation over here.

 

[fireberd]

The SoundBlaster works OK, with just the integrated video? Correct? If this is the case and it doesn't work with the GT220 installed it mostly puts the problem on the GT220. The GT220 is a relatively "low end" Video card, I don't understand, other than memory, why the Integrated Video wouldn't be just as good? I've used the built in Intel Video in an i5 CPU and I have no problems with my recording studio DAW program, Sonar X2 64 bit Producer, which is fairly graphic intensive.

 

[brreaker]

First, because my integrated graphics does not support bf3, for example. Second, because it uses shared memory, which lowers my RAM by quite a bit. I am aware it is a low-end card, I am aware of the solution that you keep telling me of (no offense), but my goal is to be able to use both cards, seeing how I paid for them and how I need them, it is fairly logical to me that I should be able to use them without any restrictions. Apparently, this audio problem is a known problem by nVidia, but they didn't release any fix or pull out of the market the cards that do this. This is something they can get sued because of.

 

[fireberd]

If its a known problem with this particular NVIDA card, then unless NVIDIA does something to fix it you are stuck with the problem you have.

 

[brreaker]

That's the thing, not just this card, a whole range of cards. They developed a fix for vista, which doesn't work on win7
However, the person I talked with told me that it should be fixable through windows considering that it works under windows XP.

 

[fireberd]

The issue is that Windows/Microsoft does not have to be compatible with NVIDIA. NVIDIA must be compatible with Windows. Thus its NVIDIA's problem to fix.

I have that problem with an old game, Soldier of Fortune. It works with an AMD Radeon video card, but does not work with NVIDIA cards. AMD did have a problem at one time but they fixed their problem. NVIDIA never has. I have one system with an NVIDIA GTS450OC video card and a dual boot Win 7/Win 8 and the game will not work with the NVIDIA card. I have another dual boot system Win 7/Win 8 with an AMD Radeon HD7770 and it works OK on both Win 7 and Win 8.

Getting back to who's problem it is (NVIDIA's). A comparison would be you have a Ford car and you install a non-Ford aftermarket part on the car and it does not fit correctly. Its not Ford's fault or problem, its the company that made the aftermarket part that was sold as fitting.

 

[brreaker]

Very much so, however it is not only nVidia's fault, if you think about it, microsoft restricts you from installing whichever hardware you want (for example multiple soundboards)

 

[fireberd]

The multiple sound cards is a Windows restriction, as are some other items, but that is not the issue here. When it comes to 3rd party hardware or applications then it becomes the 3rd party's responsibility to make it work or be compatible with the Operating System.

Hardware vendors and software companies are given or are involved with the Beta releases of an Operating System well in advance (sometimes years) and have time to develop or redesign their products to work with the new OS.
It isn't something they find out about after the new OS is released. At one time, Microsoft made a new OS 100% backward compatible with older OS', but that stopped with Windows XP and as the OS' have evolved they have reduced the backward compatibility even more. Audio functions are an example, in Windows XP and earlier some audio functions were handled a certain way, with Vista (and later OS) those functions are handled differently in the OS and audio vendors had to change their drivers to accommodate how the new OS handled those functions.

 

[brreaker]

I am very aware of that, nVidia should offer a way or a fix so windows doesn't block the soundcards based on it, Creative should create a driver that lets you install the board even though it is not detected, so you can select it as primary in Speakers and let windows prioritize on it, microsoft should let you manually overwrite this protection. In my opinion, all parties have a bit of a fault. The thing is not that the device isn't working with windows, because it is, just that windows prioritizes it instead of the soundcard (which I find rather strange)