velda Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Hopefully I get all the terminology correct I use windows and XP, everything is up to date (virus protection, windows updates etc)I have scanned for viruses, cleaned my temp files etc etc etcMy on board sound card stopped working soon after a Windows update (not the first time! grr) but this time it wouldn't allow me to roll it back to a working driver. I followed a few instructions online about deleting the C-Media and cmuda strings from the registry, unistalling the driver etc etc , did all that and it still wouldn't work. (I'm familiar with the registry)I decided to disable it and purchased a plug in sound card. Just something inexpensive as I only use it to listen to music really. The crappy sound card (so I was told my 20 year old son) is a Retail Plus+ 4 channel audio 3D soundcard. I followed the directions, put it into my computer, plugged my audio jack into the corresponding coloured spot, installed the software. And alas, still no sound. I can see the program, it installed the C-Media mixer etc, but when I look at Hardware>Device Manager>Sound video game controllers, it shows my card CMI8738/C3DX PCI Audio Device with no exclamations or red x beside it..but again, no sound. Right clioking properties shows it working correctly. I've uninstalled, regeditted, and redid the entire process again, still no sound. The only other thing it has in the device manager with an error in that category is Microsoft Kernel Acousti Echo canceller saying it can't load the device because there is already a duplicate device running (altho It's only in the list once)I don't care which sound card I get working, but I need my music Can anyone save my soul here?? Thank you Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mewi Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Hopefully I get all the terminology correct I use windows and XP, everything is up to date (virus protection, windows updates etc)I have scanned for viruses, cleaned my temp files etc etc etcMy on board sound card stopped working soon after a Windows update (not the first time! grr) but this time it wouldn't allow me to roll it back to a working driver. I followed a few instructions online about deleting the C-Media and cmuda strings from the registry, unistalling the driver etc etc , did all that and it still wouldn't work. (I'm familiar with the registry)I decided to disable it and purchased a plug in sound card. Just something inexpensive as I only use it to listen to music really. The crappy sound card (so I was told my 20 year old son) is a Retail Plus+ 4 channel audio 3D soundcard. I followed the directions, put it into my computer, plugged my audio jack into the corresponding coloured spot, installed the software. And alas, still no sound. I can see the program, it installed the C-Media mixer etc, but when I look at Hardware>Device Manager>Sound video game controllers, it shows my card CMI8738/C3DX PCI Audio Device with no exclamations or red x beside it..but again, no sound. Right clioking properties shows it working correctly. I've uninstalled, regeditted, and redid the entire process again, still no sound. The only other thing it has in the device manager with an error in that category is Microsoft Kernel Acousti Echo canceller saying it can't load the device because there is already a duplicate device running (altho It's only in the list once)I don't care which sound card I get working, but I need my music Can anyone save my soul here?? Thank you This may be a long shot, but have you tried testing your PC speakers in another device? If not, and you still cannot hear sound, I suggest checking the various connections involved with it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted April 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Mewi, my speakers are built into my flat screen monitor and I'm not sure how I'd test them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnpol78 Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 first check the speakers to the other computers.than installed the driver from the internet which support the xp service .installed the updated drivers.speaker wires are connected to the computer correctly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 My speakers work, had my hubby test them (he's an electronics technician) -- still won't find either my on board or plug in sound card. I'm at a loss. Properties on My computer> hardware>device manager still shows error with Microsoft Kernal Acoustic Echo Cancellerbut doesn't show any other errors...All my cords are plugged into the proper spots, I've updated the drivers from the manufacturers website for my sound card and I've done all windows updates...any other ideas? Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnpol78 Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 i am very happy that you are able to get the sound in the computer with out loosing anything. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 the speakers work, but there is no sound or sound device detected. I still don't have sound! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 If you have two cards installed, you may have to tell the computer which sound card to usefor audio output. with just the original audio, have you just tried to reinstall the drivers that would be listed on the computer manufacture website? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted April 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 (edited) Hi Shane,Before I purchased a new soundcard, yes I reinstalled the driver from the website. So this is now what I have done to get back to my original spotuninstalled the onboard sound card softwareuninstalled and removed the new plug in sound carduninstalled all the software for bothcleaned registry of C-Media and cmuda strings etc (both sound cards happened to be C-media)ran all cleaning programs I have to remove temp files etcmanually removed the yellow files in Program Files for both C-Media nd PCI (new soundcard software)rebootedTHis is the error I got in the beginning and am now getting again:error loading cmicnfg.cplThe specified module could not be foundWhen I go to the Control panel>Sounds and audio devices, it says there is no sound device. THis is where my problem originated. My orginal onboard soundcard is C-Media AC97 -- the new one I purchased is Retail Plus 4 channel - upon installing the new one the software showed it also being a C-Media device. I now have nothing new installed and am back at square 1Any help you can offer would be much appreciated, I really don't want to have to take it in for repair if I can help it Thank you so muchVelda Edited April 25, 2009 by velda Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 Generally most sound cards want to use the same resources (IRQ requests to interrupt the processor and talk to it, Memory addresses, IO addresses where the CPU sends them instructions or requests). So generally speaking you can only easily have one sound card installed. So if you are going with the PCI sound card you need to boot to bios and disable the onboard sound card (generally shows as AC97 sound). Consult your motherboard manual for specific instructions (a few have a jumper you must move to disable the onboard sound).Some of the most common things to cause a sound card to stop working are an incorrect driver (using windows update to get drivers from microsoft for example. Microsoft has a long history of mis identifying installed hardware and forcing incompatible drivers to install ) Or getting drivers from the card maker (IE Cmedia ) when your onboard card contains modified firmware (a blessing) to identify it as part of an OEM system (such as Dell). In this case you must install the drivers from the computer builder (dell) although often after you install their drivers you can install updated drivers from the chipset maker unless it attempts to replace the specific dlls that the blessing affects.What to do? First is download the appropriate driver so it is ready to use.Next thing is go to control panel => hardware =>device manager => view => show hidden devices.Locate each device with a red X , yellow ? or yellow ! and select it and choose remove / uninstall as appropriate.When done restart computer and let the device be detected and let windows search for best driver. If not found point it to the location of the driver you downloaded. Or hit cancel when it detects the device and asks to search for driver. When you get to windows run the driver install package. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnpol78 Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 you have two sound drivers so both the drivers are conflicting with each other , may be this is the problem in the computer.so uninstalled both the sound drivers from the computer completely after that installed the external sound card driver only . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted April 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Hi Pete, long time no talk to Guess my computer has been great till now So I'm still a little stuck. I'd like to definately use my on board if I can. The problem happened exactly as you said, when I did a windows update. Usually I can just revert back but this time it wouldn't let me. So if my sound AC97 is the one I want to use, where do I get the driver? I had been downloading the one from CMedia, but it didn't work. So my computer says Axess SPM Micro.... so from what I understand it's Realtek. I've downloaded the drivers etc and I'm off to try...man this is so frustrating! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sethook Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Which make and model is your PC? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted April 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 SPM Micro, Inc.Model 2004Intel ® 4 CPU 2.50GHz2.50GHz, 352MB of RamIs that what you need? I'm using Windows XP Home edition Version 2002 Service Pack 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sethook Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 (edited) Here's a thread with some info on SPM Micro. Appears they used Biostar mobos on some models, so you may want to see if your board has a model # on it as well as the manufacturer. That will enable you to get latest on-board drivers, although you should be able to install a sound card without any problems. Are you sure your card is good? (grasping at straws)SPM micro Edited April 27, 2009 by sethook Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted April 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 the on board one worked until it stopped working after an update, whether it's still good, I have no idea, how would I check that? The other I tried putting in, I purchased brand new at Staples. I'm not sure where on the motherboard I should be looking, but I do see a chip that has the little blue sound(something) crab thing on it...that's really technical huh? lol...looks like it has ALC665 and then under that 42318T1 4100 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Oh my! Those MS updates have been screwing up a lot of sound cards lately. The Brit broke his and spent forever finding a fix, still hasn't... The only fix he knows of is "driver agent", but it's a pay for subscription... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 I give up, nothing seems to work. Thanks for everyones help Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted May 1, 2009 Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 First off go to control panel => add/remove programs and see if there are any entries from either sound card with a uninstaller. Uninstall the softwareThen go to control panel => hardware => device manager=> Sound, video and game controllers Locate any sound cards there and uninstall / removeShut down computer. Leave just one sound card connected. Boot up and let windows detect it and search for best driver.Would have been easier if at the first sign of trouble you had just gone to device manager and rolled back the driver.Good articlehttp://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar05/arti.../pcmusician.htmDriver agent and Driver genius are paid programs which should be able to clean up invalid drivers and find the right ones.Here are some allegedly free applications which may workhttp://www.freedownloadmanager.org/downloa...pdates_58475_p/http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Secu...r-Cleaner.shtml(free trial)http://www.drivermagician.com/UninstallDriver.htmhttp://www.drivermagician.com/download.htm(looks like you have to pay to get it to uninstall drivers) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Hi Pete, This is just so frustrating. I *did* try to roll back the driver as soon as it happened, and it said it couldn't find it, it was very strange, I've never had this problem before, that's why I'm so frustrated....I'll follow your step by step and I'll be back. Thank you Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Add and remove programs: uninstalled the new pci card I installed Device manager: (this is what was listed)Audio codecsLegacy audio driverslegacy video capture devicesMedia control devicesMIcrosoft kernel acoustic echo cancellervideo codecsThe only thing that had ! was the microsoft kernel so I uninstalled that. The others only gave me option to remove, but indicated they are needed for the system, are there any others I should be removing?I took out the plug and play card I installed, plugged my sound plug back into my onboard sound card spotrebootedNow it's not searching for anything and it's still showing no sound device in Control Pannel > Sounds and Audio Devices. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Add and remove programs : uninstalled the PCI card I bought and installedDevice manager: (this is what was listed)Audio codecsLegacy audio driverslegacy video capture devicesmedia control devicesmicrosft kernel acoustic echo cancellervideo codecsthere was only one issue, the kernel acoustic had ! -- I uninstalled that. The others didn't have an uninstall option, only the remove option but indicated it would affect the system and I wasn't sure where to remove any of thoseI took out my cardrebooted It's not searching for anything now, but also indicates no audio device in control panel > Sounds and audio devices Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 sorry about the double post, the first one froze up on me, feel free to remove one Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted May 2, 2009 Report Share Posted May 2, 2009 Yep, the microsft kernel acoustic echo canceller is not standard; so unless you have one attached uninstalling it was the right thing to do.But you should have an AC97 entry if you have onboard sound.If the new card has been removed; you should try reinstalling the drivers and software for your onboard sound. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
velda Posted May 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Thanks Pete,Do I leave these other things on my computer, or do I remove them:Audio codecsLegacy audio driverslegacy video capture devicesmedia control devicesvideo codecs Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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