Sound Problem with Integrated CMI8738

**risingtide** · September 9th, 2007, 06:35 PM

Greetings.

Summary: After a recent fresh install of Windows XP, the sound on my computer is no longer working.

Details: As you can see below my motherboard is a bit old, but still fine for my current purposes. I've been using it for about 6 years with no problems. I recently had to reinstall XP because of a hard drive upgrade. I installed all the drivers that came with the motherboard on CD and also installed all the updates from SOYO's site. At one point during my driver installation the sound WAS working, but at some point it stopped (unfortunately I do not know exactly when). When I try to install the C-Media Driver that is from Soyo's site (listed under the drivers for my specific motherboard) I receive this error: "Our audio chip provides mult-speaker surround and realistic sound effects. Due to the fact that your computer is not equipped with our audio chip, you can not avail yourself of these advanced features. For more information, please contact your computer dealer - C-Media Electronic Inc. - Website http://www.cmedia.com.tw"

I have tried installing the latest drivers from C-Media's site (the CMI8738_WDM_0639XP.zip package), but receive a message during install that says "Waiting for audio driver......" that hangs indefintely until I click on Exit, which then restarts my computer, but still without sound. The PCI Audio Applications software installs successfully on reboot, but when I try to run it I receive: "Can not execute all the components of AudioRack. Please check program files and registry settings or just reinstall AudioRack."

There also seems to be an opensource driver available here:
http://cmediadrivers.googlepages.com/home (CMIDriver-1.1.4-bin-x86.zip). However, when I try to install that I receive this error "Driver Installer (CMI 8738/8768) has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience." (complete with the handy Send Error Report business to Microsoft).

Thoughts: It seems to me there is some type of driver conflict going on somewhere but I do not know what else to do or try. There is a more detailed list of my system below. I'm also having random IE7 problems where it freezes and says it has to close and send Microsoft the famous error report, but I believe that my be unrelated (??) Anyway, if anyone has any ideas on what I could try next I would truly appreciate it. I've spent a good bit of time at this myself but have come up quite dry. I have searched a quite a few forums and FAQs for all the associated software vendors involved but have found nothing there either. If there is any more specific information that is needed about my system, I will be more than happy to post it for you!

System Details:
Motherboard - SY-K7V Dragon+
Chipset - VIA KT266A / 8233 CE Version
Integrated Sound - CMI 8738 (No add-on sound card)
Windows XP SP2 (with all updates including IE7)

Sound Related Programs - PCI Audio Applications
Sound, video and game controllers -
- Audio Codecs
- Legacy Audio Drivers
- Legacy Video Capture Devices
- Media Control Devices
- Video Codecs

More Details about what I have tried/checked:

- There are no conflicts in device manager.
- The sound is enabled in the BIOS.
- When I open Volume Control I receive this message:
"There are no active mixer devices available. To install mixer devices, go to Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click Add Hardware. This program will now close."
- Windows Audio Entry is set to Automatic and started.
- The speaker volume option under Sounds and Audio Devices is actually grayed out completely (as is the Advanced button).
- There are no default devices for Sound Playback, Sound Recording, or MIDI music playback.
- Both my TDK CDRW241040B CD-Burner and my TOSHIBA DVD-ROM SD-M1612 are both enabled and at full volume.
- An Audio Codecs entry is under Hardware, but no "Audio Controller"
- There are 11 Audio Codes listed with the Microsoft PCM Converter currently at 11th (and imaadp32.acm 1st).

Many thanks for even reading this far!

**NooNoo** · September 10th, 2007, 06:10 AM

Welcome to Windrivers RisingTide

Looks like you have done quite a bit of research.

OK, boot to safe mode (press f8 before the windows screen comes up or start, run, type in msconfig... go to the boot.ini tab and check the safe mode (minimal) box.

uninstall any and all cmedia from add/remove programs. Uninstall any entries in device manager that are duplicated, have ! or ? or say AC97. Shut down the computer. Boot straight into bios and turn off onboard sound completely (there may be up to 3 different entries including midi and dos or soundblaster emulation).

Restart the computer, it will go to safe mode if you used the msconfig method - if you did, start, run msconfig and uncheck the safe mode box in boot.ini tab.

If you have properly disabled sound in bios, Windows will not detect any new devices and the audio service should be stopped. Run SFC /purgecache to remove any cached driver files and then go on a hunt for the cmedia files you downloaded and installed (inf, pnf, cat and sys plus the audio rack).

now install the via 4 in 1 4.43 drivers listed here towards the bottom of the page... do not use the hyperions. Reboot to normal mode to ensure the drivers finish installing.

Now re-enable the sound in bios and reboot to normal mode. Windows should ask for drivers. Tell windows to search on windows updates (yes those drivers are there!) If for some reason it doesn't find them cancel the install and run the installer from Soyo - cmi8738_win_xp_v0644.exe

Reboot and cross your fingers! It is entirely possible that your onboard sound chip decided to die, so if you do have another sound card to put in to test the theory, that would be your next step.

Also, ensure that your antivirus is switched OFF and that you are NOT online when installing the 4 in 1 and the sound drivers (if not using windows update route).
AND if you haven't got antivirus, you may already need it, I have noticed that the first thing to get screwed up is the sound on certain spyware and antivirus infections

Oh and you will need to redo your windows updates because of the purgecache you ran...

Let me know how you get on.

**risingtide** · September 12th, 2007, 07:44 PM

NooNoo,

First of all, let me thank you for your quick and detailed response.

Now, I'm having a few problems with some of your steps...particularly this one:

uninstall any and all cmedia from add/remove programs. Uninstall any entries in device manager that are duplicated, have ! or ? or say AC97. Shut down the computer. Boot straight into bios and turn off onboard sound completely (there may be up to 3 different entries including midi and dos or soundblaster emulation).

To the best of my knowledge I have done everything above...however, something must be awry because when I load windows the Windows Audio Service is still on and set to Automatic. What have I missed? I have gone over my BIOS with a fine-toothed comb and only found one Onboard 6-Way Audio option to disable (which I have disabled). I will say, however, that Windows does not detect any new device drivers though when I boot up after disabling that option. Any ideas?

Secondly, this command

SFC /purgecache

does not seem to work. Am I missing something there too?

And thirdly, what do you mean when you say

then go on a hunt for the cmedia files you downloaded and installed (inf, pnf, cat and sys plus the audio rack)

Does that mean that you want me to delete any other files I have downloaded from C-Media? Even if they are still zipped in a file from the download?

Please forgive my lack of knowledge on these matters; I know enough to not do anything that I'm not sure of, but that's all!

Many thanks!!

**NooNoo** · September 13th, 2007, 06:59 AM

OK, don't worry about the Audio Service and don't worry about the zipped files.

How did you run SFC /purgecache?

If you, click start, run and type in
SFC /purgecache
then click ok, a black window will open and then vanish when it's done.

The purgecache step is only precautionary. The fact that windows doesn't detect the hardware with it turned off in bios is probably good enough.

I forgot to add that after the purgecache, you should find your windows disk and click start, run,
SFC /scannow
and click ok with your windows disk in the drive which will put back the original cache. Install the 4 in 1 drivers, etc and finally do your windows updates.

**risingtide** · September 13th, 2007, 08:25 PM

Okay, I got the sfc /purgecache to work and did the /scannow as well. I also did everything else down to this point

Now re-enable the sound in bios and reboot to normal mode. Windows should ask for drivers.

except that windows didn't ask for any drivers. What should I do at now?

I made sure I had McAfee off when I installed the drivers too.

Thanks again for your time!

**NooNoo** · September 14th, 2007, 03:57 AM

If the sound was re-enabled, and the sound drivers were not available to windows, it would have asked for them... except of course if they hadn't re-enabled properly or there is a problem with the sound chip itself.... or it quietly installed the sound drivers while you weren't looking (it happens!).

Check device manager first - any AC97 or Cmedia devices shown under the sound section?

**risingtide** · September 14th, 2007, 08:54 AM

Nope. None there.

Should I go into Device Manager and start the sound driver installation manually?

**NooNoo** · September 14th, 2007, 11:01 AM

No, run the driver setup.exe you got... and make sure that the sound is enabled in bios.

**risingtide** · September 14th, 2007, 12:22 PM

Interesting. When I run the Soyo - cmi8738_win_xp_v0644.exe I receive this message

Our audio chip provides mult-speaker surround and realistic sound effects. Dueto the fact that your computer is not equipped with our audio chip, you can not avail yourself of these advanced features.

For more information, please contact your computer dealer

C-Media Electronic Inc.
Website http://www.cmedia.com.tw"

Hmm...

**NooNoo** · September 14th, 2007, 12:41 PM

So you need to check the motherboard details again.

**Sarphog** · December 30th, 2009, 05:26 AM

i had the same problem... (my card isnt integrated)
i went to Control Panel -> Add Hardware -> Next -> clicked Cancel on the Found New Hardware Wizard -> Selected Yes, clicked Next -> chose Add a new hardware device at the bottom -> chose the Recommended option -> Next -> Sound,video and game controllers, clicked Next -> chose the manufacturer and the model and pressed Next -> Next...

But now i have a different problem.
When i want to install the cmi8738 it goes about halfway, the computer crashes into a blue screen full of errors...

Hope that helps you...

**Ferrit** · December 30th, 2009, 11:13 AM

You should not have to add the soundcard like that at all
If you have the right drivers you merly install the card,boot the system and then
cancel when it tries to auto install it and then install from the setup file.
That can be downloaded here.

http://www.cmedia.com.tw/drivers.html

Choose the right one (8738) and the right windows and download