Sound problem with New RAM

[irishguy]

Hi,

Recently I bought new RAM from Crucial - 4GB kit (2GBx2), 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-5300 upgrades for Dell XPS 600 Desktop/PC, CT519124 from Crucial.com

I went to install it, only to find my sound went all crackly until disappearing altogether after a few minutes.

I've been on to Crucial, both via their forum and live chat, and I've been told to try numerous things:

1) Update soundcard drivers
2) Update chipset drivers
3) Update graphics drivers
4) Update BIOS
5) Try putting 1 module in at a time
6) Try overclocking the RAM
7) Try clearing CMOS

I've gotten different answers from the different people I've talked to at Crucial. The first person I talked to on their livechat told me the sound problem could be the BIOS trying to run the new RAM on the old RAM's speeds, and that clearing the CMOS would fix this. He then went on to suggest overclocking the RAM, which is out of the question seen as I'm on a Dell computer.
The 2nd person I talked to via livechat suggested I update my BIOS, as well as my soundcard/graphics/chipset drivers. I tried updating all drivers and that didn't fix it. I can't update my BIOS because the Dell BIOS update for my DXG051 motherboard won't work on Windows 7.
I then got a response on the Crucial forum(No Sound/Slow Performance After Upgrading RAM - Crucial Community), saying that it was a known problem with Creative X-fi Xtreme Music soundcards, and that updating my soundcard drivers would fix the problem.

I#m pretty sure it is my soundcard thats causing the problem as other people have reported the X-fi Xtreme Music card not being able to handle more than 3GB of RAM. This makes sense because I tried installing each module at a time, and both work fine on their own and so are definitely not faulty. Its only when I put them both in together that I get the sound problems.

At this point I'm desperate the solve this. Does anyone know of any solution to this problem other than updating my drivers? Or will I have to buy a new soundcard?

Any help appreciated.

 

[Wallonn7]

Hi,

Recently I bought new RAM from Crucial - 4GB kit (2GBx2), 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-5300 upgrades for Dell XPS 600 Desktop/PC, CT519124 from Crucial.com

I went to install it, only to find my sound went all crackly until disappearing altogether after a few minutes.

I've been on to Crucial, both via their forum and live chat, and I've been told to try numerous things:

1) Update soundcard drivers
2) Update chipset drivers
3) Update graphics drivers
4) Update BIOS
5) Try putting 1 module in at a time
6) Try overclocking the RAM
7) Try clearing CMOS

I've gotten different answers from the different people I've talked to at Crucial. The first person I talked to on their livechat told me the sound problem could be the BIOS trying to run the new RAM on the old RAM's speeds, and that clearing the CMOS would fix this. He then went on to suggest overclocking the RAM, which is out of the question seen as I'm on a Dell computer.
The 2nd person I talked to via livechat suggested I update my BIOS, as well as my soundcard/graphics/chipset drivers. I tried updating all drivers and that didn't fix it. I can't update my BIOS because the Dell BIOS update for my DXG051 motherboard won't work on Windows 7.
I then got a response on the Crucial forum(No Sound/Slow Performance After Upgrading RAM - Crucial Community), saying that it was a known problem with Creative X-fi Xtreme Music soundcards, and that updating my soundcard drivers would fix the problem.

I#m pretty sure it is my soundcard thats causing the problem as other people have reported the X-fi Xtreme Music card not being able to handle more than 3GB of RAM. This makes sense because I tried installing each module at a time, and both work fine on their own and so are definitely not faulty. Its only when I put them both in together that I get the sound problems.

At this point I'm desperate the solve this. Does anyone know of any solution to this problem other than updating my drivers? Or will I have to buy a new soundcard?

Any help appreciated.

Welcome to SF!

Bad news, buddy... What you report is already a known issue with nforce 4 chipset + your audio card. Anything higher than 2GB of ram will culminate in what you report. I regret to say that you have a choice to make: buy a new audio card or ram downgrade.
If you allow a personal opinion: offboard audio cards do not bring the same benefits found in offboard video cards. Tests showed, for example, that the latest Realtek ships are more efficient than Audigy ones. So I think they aren't worth the investment. But the choice is yours!
I hope I helped you!

"PLEASE REP ANYONE WHO HELPS YOU"

 

[Petey7]

I'd definitely get a new sound card. They even have USB sound cards and speakers. They probably don't sound as good, but I doubt you would have a similar problem. Also, you should still be able to update your bios, and personally I'd do it, but its up to you. Copy a the bios update to a USB or make a CD with the file on it. Boot to the CD or USB and the update should run. Go to the link I provide and go to step 5.

How to Update Your Computer's BIOS - wikiHow

 

[irishguy]

Also, you should still be able to update your bios, and personally I'd do it, but its up to you. Copy a the bios update to a USB or make a CD with the file on it. Boot to the CD or USB and the update should run. Go to the link I provide and go to step 5.

Tried it, and got the same error as when I tried running it from the desktop:

Windows Configuration Error

An error was encountered trying to configure Windows to allow flashing, please reboot and try again. If this error re-occurs, please contact technical help.

Apparently its a proprietary issue, in that because Dell never sold the XPS 600 with Windows 7, the BIOS update won't work on it, and needs to be done on XP or Vista. Doesn't really matter anyway as it wouldn't fix my sound issue.

 

[Petey7]

Windows shouldn't play a role if you took the steps in the tutorial I linked to, as the HDD is not touched at all, but it might not be any thing important anyways. I still recommend a new sound card as you will be happier spending $30 on a cheap sound card, than with 2gigs of RAM in 64 bit windows.

 

[irishguy]

Are there any soundcards you could reccommend at a good(cheap) price that don't have the RAM/sound problem?

 

[stormy13]

Mine works just fine with 4 GB of ram. That said if you haven't seen or tried them I would give this a try,

SB X-Fi Series Support Pack 2.0 (05/15/2009) - Creative Labs

(and if you don't like Rapidshare, Download XFI_SupportPack_2_0.exe )

Uninstall anything and everything Creative before installing, then see if it still happens. If that fixes it you can either leave it as is, or update to the latest driver that was released last month,

Creative Worldwide Support > X-Fi XtremeMusic

 

[Petey7]

As far as I know any one from bestbuy should work but based on your name I assume you are in Ireland. I have little knowledge of what stores they have there. Go to any chain electronics store that has a computer repair station and talk to them for a recommendations. If you go the USB route, none of them will have the problem.

 

[irishguy]

Mine works just fine with 4 GB of ram. That said if you haven't seen or tried them I would give this a try,

SB X-Fi Series Support Pack 2.0 (05/15/2009) - Creative Labs

(and if you don't like Rapidshare, Download XFI_SupportPack_2_0.exe )

Uninstall anything and everything Creative before installing, then see if it still happens. If that fixes it you can either leave it as is, or update to the latest driver that was released last month,

Creative Worldwide Support > X-Fi XtremeMusic

Ok I tried this, got rid of everything Creative before I installed. I then installed the Support Pack, restarted, but it didn't fix the problem. So I uninstalled everything from it, restarted, installed the 2.18.0013 drivers from June 2009, and all of a sudden I have working sound. But then when I restart, the sound problem comes back. What could be happening during that restart that could cause the sound problem to return? Or what could've caused it to work in the first place before I restarted?

 

[Petey7]

What are your windows update settings? Did updates install/be configured while restarting? Sometimes Windows updates will automatically install updated drivers whether you want the version they install or not.

 

[irishguy]

What are your windows update settings? Did updates install/be configured while restarting? Sometimes Windows updates will automatically install updated drivers whether you want the version they install or not.

I've been able to replicate what I described above twice. The first time I installed and uninstalled the Support Pack, and restarted, Windows updated the drivers automatically to version 2.18.0013. The 2nd time it didn't, and I installed the 2.18.0013 drivers manually. Both times the sound problem went away, until I restarted, and it came back again, even though it didn't update again after I restarted.

 

[Petey7]

I have to admit I have no idea. Maybe someone else will. I still say replace it.

 

[stormy13]

I just looked up the specs of your Dell,

Documentation

and have a good idea as to what is causing the problem. It is the Nvidia nforce 4 chipset, combined with the 4 GB of ram and the X-Fi. That combination was very hit and miss as far as the problem occurring (and happened on both the Intel and AMD versions of that chipset, with some having the problem and some not), which made it a pain trying to determine which was actually to blame. It also isn't a new thing with that combo and has been going on since the cards came out,

nf4 x-fi - Google Search

One thing that most found though was that once they moved to a new computer or motherboard that didn't have that chipset, their sound card started working OK.

Doesn't help much in your case though. You basically have 3 options,

1. Pull the card and use the onboard sound, and save the X-Fi for the next computer.

2. Get another sound card, instead of using the onboard sound.

3. Only use 3 GB of ram.

 

[Wallonn7]

I just looked up the specs of your Dell,

Documentation

and have a good idea as to what is causing the problem. It is the Nvidia nforce 4 chipset, combined with the 4 GB of ram and the X-Fi. That combination was very hit and miss as far as the problem occurring (and happened on both the Intel and AMD versions of that chipset, with some having the problem and some not), which made it a pain trying to determine which was actually to blame. It also isn't a new thing with that combo and has been going on since the cards came out,

nf4 x-fi - Google Search

One thing that most found though was that once they moved to a new computer or motherboard that didn't have that chipset, their sound card started working OK.

Doesn't help much in your case though. You basically have 3 options,

1. Pull the card and use the onboard sound, and save the X-Fi for the next computer.

2. Get another sound card, instead of using the onboard sound.

3. Only use 3 GB of ram.

I agree with what stormy13 said, as this is basically what I said some posts before.