C-Media AC97 Audio Device

[billurie]

Suddenly my XP/SP2 has no sound capability. Looking
at Device Manager/Sound, Video, I see C-Media AC97 Audio
Device, whereas my machine for 2 years has been using
Avance AC'97 Audio for VIA Audio Controller.

I seem to recall that a recent "Windows Update" may have
given me the new C-Media software, and I'd like to
verify that it did, and find a way to uninstall it if
it was a gift from Microsoft which blocked my regular
nicely-working audio.

Thank you.

 

[Peter A. Stavrakoglou]

Suddenly my XP/SP2 has no sound capability. Looking
at Device Manager/Sound, Video, I see C-Media AC97 Audio
Device, whereas my machine for 2 years has been using
Avance AC'97 Audio for VIA Audio Controller.

I seem to recall that a recent "Windows Update" may have
given me the new C-Media software, and I'd like to
verify that it did, and find a way to uninstall it if
it was a gift from Microsoft which blocked my regular
nicely-working audio.

Thank you.

If your driver has indded been updated with another, have you tried to "roll
back" the driver? In Device Manager, right clikc the sound device, click
"Properties", click the "Driver" tab, select "Roll Back Driver"

 

[gls858]

Suddenly my XP/SP2 has no sound capability. Looking
at Device Manager/Sound, Video, I see C-Media AC97 Audio
Device, whereas my machine for 2 years has been using
Avance AC'97 Audio for VIA Audio Controller.

I seem to recall that a recent "Windows Update" may have
given me the new C-Media software, and I'd like to
verify that it did, and find a way to uninstall it if
it was a gift from Microsoft which blocked my regular
nicely-working audio.

Thank you

system restore? Or has it been a long time? I never load the
drivers from MS. It's a known problem area. Always get them
from the manufacturer.

I'm not at an XP box but I seem to remember there was a rollback
feature on the driver tab for the device.

gls858

 

[billurie]

Thanks, Peter. I hadn't been aware of that
capability. Tried it, but there was no "history"
for it to revert to. I uninstalled the C-Media
drivers and reinstalled the original from the
vendor's CD but that didn't fix the problem.
Still looking......

 

[billurie]

system restore?

I don't do 'restore points' at all.

Or has it been a long time? I never load the

drivers from MS. It's a known problem area. Always get them
from the manufacturer.

See later post, wherein I uninstalled the C-Media drivers,
reinstalled OEM's Avance Drivers from their CD, but I still
have the problem. Thanks for advice, though.

I'm not at an XP box but I seem to remember there was a rollback
feature on the driver tab for the device.

Right, I tried that, but it hadn't a place to roll back to.

 

[peterk]

a few suggestions:
under control panel/add&remove.........remove the C-Media drivers
under device manager.......remove the actual device
reboot........XP should redetect as the original Via Audio Controller
reinstall the VIA drivers
reinstall the Avance drivers
hope this helps
peter

 

[Sharon F]

See later post, wherein I uninstalled the C-Media drivers,
reinstalled OEM's Avance Drivers from their CD, but I still
have the problem. Thanks for advice, though.

Another thing you could try: After uninstalling the CMedia drivers, remove
the sound device from Device Manager. Restart the computer. If prompted by
the new hardware wizard for drivers, reinstall the OEM drivers that you
have. You may not be prompted since these were installed (and working)
before.

 

[Peter A. Stavrakoglou]

Thanks, Peter. I hadn't been aware of that
capability. Tried it, but there was no "history"
for it to revert to. I uninstalled the C-Media
drivers and reinstalled the original from the
vendor's CD but that didn't fix the problem.
Still looking......

As others have posted, remove the CMedia drivers and then remove the sound
device from Device Manager, then reboot. Windows will detect the device and
eiher load the drivers or start the "Found New Hardware" wizard at which
point you can specify where the drivers are that you want to load. Prior to
doing this, I suggest downloading the latest VIA sound drivers and place
them in a folder (unzip the file if it is zipped). If the "Found New
Hardware" wizard starts up, browse for the drivers in the folder you creted
so those new drivers will be installed.

 

[billurie]

Another thing you could try: After uninstalling the CMedia drivers, remove
the sound device from Device Manager. Restart the computer. If prompted by
the new hardware wizard for drivers, reinstall the OEM drivers that you
have. You may not be prompted since these were installed (and working)
before.

Thank you for your always good (and temperate) advice, Sharon.

The straightforward procedure you outlined did not solve it; I
had already done that and more. But I solved it a different way.

I deleted that main partition and restored the system from a
drive image of 6/22/05 .... just a few days before my audio
did its mysterious disappearance act. Of course, the audio is
now working on that restored system. And then I did a Windows
Update, not allowing it to install whatever was available. I
selected the Critical Update, and went on to see what else was
there. Sure enough, there is a C-Media AC97 Audio Update waiting
to be downloaded and installed. Now if I were a true scientist, I
would download it and install it, and I feel certain that I would
lose my audio again. Right now, thanks to my obsession with
frequent drive imaging, I have spent two days of my time and quite
a bit of helpful readers' time, undoing what may be a worthwhile
'upgrade' for some people. I sure hope it is.

 

[Sharon F]

Thank you for your always good (and temperate) advice, Sharon.

The straightforward procedure you outlined did not solve it; I
had already done that and more. But I solved it a different way.

I deleted that main partition and restored the system from a
drive image of 6/22/05 .... just a few days before my audio
did its mysterious disappearance act. Of course, the audio is
now working on that restored system.

You're welcome, Bill and am glad to hear that you have sound again. I've
had installs banged out by bad driver updates too so can appreciate what
you're saying.

 

[Guest]

Rollback your AC97 do a rollback and do not trust microsoft updates.