sound card not detected in PCI slot

[rb608]

In anticipation of delivery of a new digital camcorder, I've been
anxious to get a Firewire port installed on the PC. I bought and
installed an Adaptec card, but XP would not detect it. After
exhausting the limits of my expertise, I took it to the local PC tech
guys who declared that the card was bad (it wouldn't detect in their
machine either.) Problem solved; so I thought.

Soured on Adaptec products, I instead opted for a Soundblaster Audigy 2
ZS card. I figure I only need one 1394 port anyhow, and why not
upgrade from the onboard sound while I'm at it. Installed it, booted
up, nothing. It doesn't detect either.

FWIW, I have already checked the BIOS, and PnP is enabled. I also
tried disabling the onboard audio in both Device Manager & the BIOS.
No difference. I tried manually installing the drivers from the mfr's
CD, but it will not proceed because it doesn't see the card.

I looked into the tech support at the Creative website, and it suggests
that if I have an AGP card installed, I should try moving the sound
card to a non-adjacent PCI slot. I do have an AGP video card; but the
Audigy card is actually two cards (the sound card & a SCSI joystick
card). Only one of these is adjacent to the AGP video card, but XP
isn't detecting either one. I haven't tried swapping the cards around
yet, but I'm skeptical that's going to make a difference.

Assuming the odds that I've bought two dead cards from two different
mfrs is pretty slim, I have to think I have a different problem. Any
suggestions on where I should look next?

TIA,
Joe

 

[namniar]

Did you uninstall the onboard sound in device manager, and any software
associated with it if any. Reboot, enter CMOS immediately, disable on board
sound in BIOS, let windows start up. Shutdown and install the Creative card
and midi/joystick adapter. Reboot and XP should detect the new card.
Follow Creatives instructions from then on.

The Audigy 2 ZS is actually one card, not two. The midi/joystick adapter is
not a card. The actual circuit board card is what the suggesting should not
be located next to the AGP slot.

http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/download.asp

r.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

The first card that 'rb608' was talking about was an Adaptec Firewire card.
It was deemed to be "bad". Now. 'rb608' seems to have a problem with an
Audigy 2 ZS, so this is card 2. Total number of cards tried and "seem to be
bad": 2

'rb608': How many PCI slots do you have in your PCI? Did you try to get
the PnP configured with a "Reset" option? Some BIOSes allow you to reset
PnP configurations.

 

[namniar]

Yves,

Quote from rb608:
" ...but the Audigy card is actually two cards (the sound card & a SCSI
joystick card). "

Fairly clear to me.

P.S. rb608:
Audigy 2 ZS is one card but can take up two pci slots if you use the bracket
(D-Bracket?) that Creative supplies for the midi/joystick adapter 15 pin
female housing. For my Audigy 2 ZS I chose not to use the supplied bracket
and popped out the appropriately sized knock out for the midi/joystick 15
pin female connector. Therefore it did not take up an otherwise unusable
pci slot.

hth

r.

 

[namniar]

Oops, should read as follows: "...the appropriately sized knock out (in the
case)..."

r.

 

[rb608]

I believe I have done all of the steps you suggest, but not necessarily
in that order. Based on your suggestions, when I get home tonight, I
will try the following steps in the following order:
1. Physically remove the Audigy card (&SCSI adapter)
2. Reboot
3. Disable the onboard audio driver in Device Manager
4. Reboot; enter the BIOS configuration & disable the onboard audio.
Continue with the normal startup.
5. Shut down
6. Install the Audigy card in the non-adjacent slot (I have 3 PCI
slots; but the AGP video card is in one)
7. Restart & hope for the best

A couple of questions re: the SCSI adapter: It connects to the Audigy
card via a small ribbon cable to pins on the side of the Audigy. If
flipping the locations of the Audigy & SCSI adapter make it difficult
or impossible to make that connection, will leaving the SCSI adapter
out prevent the Audigy from functioning correctly? If it will connect
and I leave it in, will its location next to the AGP card cause a
problem?

Thanks for the help.
Joe

 

[rb608]

Okay, you lost me on that one. The SCSI adapter I have is a small
card-like thing that looks to me as though it must go into a PCI slot
(in addition to the ribbon cable connection.) It has the contacts on
the bottom & the bracket to fit the case knockouts.

??
Joe

 

[Yves Leclerc]

Not a "SCSI" but a Game/Midi port. It is normally used for adding a
gameport joystick (which is becoming an antique) or a Midi compatible
piano-like keyboard. Most joysticks are now USB ready, so you could leave
it out and not connect it. There is no logic electronics in the cable.

 

[rb608]

Right. My bad. I don't own a joystick, so I won't miss the port if I
don't need to install it.

Tx,
Joe

 

[rb608]

Uh, make that a joystick port. I seemed to have SCSI on my brain
today. Same question though.

Joe

 

[namniar]

Comments in-line

good luck,

r.

I believe I have done all of the steps you suggest, but not necessarily
in that order. Based on your suggestions, when I get home tonight, I
will try the following steps in the following order:
1. Physically remove the Audigy card (&SCSI adapter)

Before removing Audigy card go to add/remove programs and uninstall anything
from Creative and/or EAX Unified (though it sounds like you didn't get far
enough to install the Creative software anyway). Also, before shutdown
check the Device Manager under Sound, Video and Game Controllers. Uninstall
anything listed with Creative in the name.

2. Reboot
3. Disable the onboard audio driver in Device Manager

Right-click and select Uninstall.

4. Reboot; enter the BIOS configuration & disable the onboard audio.

Don't forget to choose "Save and Exit" when exiting BIOS Setup

Continue with the normal startup.
5. Shut down
6. Install the Audigy card in the non-adjacent slot (I have 3 PCI
slots; but the AGP video card is in one)

PCI slots are white in colour. An AGP slot is dark brown (I think) and
looks similar to a PCI slot however it is physically attatched to the
motherboard further away from the back edge of the motherboard than a PCI
slot. Without a hammer I don't think you could put a PCI card in an AGP
slot or vice versa. You may actually have a PCI video card - only you
can tell. You could also checkout the motherboard manual or if you don't
have one download it from the manufacturer to know for sure.

7. Restart & hope for the best

A stiff drink might be in order.

A couple of questions re: the SCSI adapter: It connects to the Audigy
card via a small ribbon cable to pins on the side of the Audigy.
Correct.

If flipping the locations of the Audigy & SCSI adapter make it difficult
or impossible to make that connection, will leaving the SCSI adapter
out prevent the Audigy from functioning correctly?

No, however you will be then unable to attach a analog joystick/midi, etc.
via the Creative card. If you have an onboard joystick/midi or if you have
no use for this connection then go ahead. Read my comments previously about
a knock out in the case that can be used for the joystick/midi connector so
that it does not cover up a PCI slot.

If it will connect and I leave it in, will its location next to the AGP
card cause a
problem?

I doubt it other than maybe it would interfere with game play or midi in/out
signal. I.E. - excessive jitter on a joystick.

Thanks for the help.
Joe

Your welcome. Hope you get it figured out.

Others may have other ideas as to why your card is not installing - so stay
tuned.

r.

 

[James E Middleton]

Sorry if I missed it in the thread, have you tried the card in the other two
PCI slots? Sometimes PCI slots share resources with system devices. Some
devices share, some need the resources all to themselves to function
properly. I had an old ASUS motherboard with an onboard ATA controller
sharing resources with PCI slot 3. Some cards would work in that slot, but
the SB Live card I has wouldn't. Put the card in slot 2 or 4 and I had no
problems. Even with a new P4 board and some resource hogging cards like a DV
Storm, the systems can be a little picky when it come to which PCI slot
cards will function properly in. Worth a try...

 

[rb608]

Comments in-line

good luck,

Apparently luck was not enough (though the stiff drink helped.) Regarding
a few items I was describing from memory, however, I was a bit incorrect.
Yes, I do have an AGP card (NVIDEA GeForce4 MX 4000), and it's in an AGP
slot (brown). No, the game/midi adapter is not on any sort of card, it's
just on a cover plate (my brain was confusing it with the modem card I took
out to make room). I have two PCI slots (white).

I went through all of the steps previously described; but without success.
Still no card detection. Balls.

I'm stumped. I guess I'll lug the box up to the local tech shop & have them
figure it out. This is just too strange for me.

Thanks for the help just the same.
Joe

 

[David Vair]

Double check that the card is seated all the way in the slot. I have had cards that the end comes
out a little when i put the screw in. All it takes it a little bit out for it not to be seen.

 

[rb608]

----- Original Message -----

Double check that the card is seated all the way in the slot. I have had
cards that the end comes out a little when i put the screw in. All it
takes it a little bit out for it not to be seen.

I don't think so. I leaned on it pretty firmly; and it's been the same
result in two different slots and on several different tries. It seems to
seat well.

It wouldn't surprise me at all though if after mustering all the best tech
minds, the solution was something that simple.

Tx,
Joe

 

[namniar]

Sorry it didn't work.

r.

----- Original Message -----


I don't think so. I leaned on it pretty firmly; and it's been the same
result in two different slots and on several different tries. It seems to
seat well.

It wouldn't surprise me at all though if after mustering all the best tech
minds, the solution was something that simple.

Tx,
Joe