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Use Dell Creative SB0460 (XtremeMusic) in Non-Dell System in Vista OS?
I have a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic (SB0460) sound card that was pulled from a Dell system and would like to use it in another non-Dell PC in the Vista 32-bit operating system.
I have the original setup disk and I have no trouble setting up and using the card in 2.1 mode, but cannot get the system to function correctly in 5.1 mode.
When I configure the sound system and test it using the speaker test setup, all speakers function correctly and I get proper test sound from each individual speaker (front L/R, back L/R, center, and subwoofer). However, once I start using a player like Windows Media Player, I get only 2.1 functionality. I get sound from the front left, front right and subwoofer, but no sound from rear left and right and no center speaker sound.
I have tried using the original installation disk as well as Creative drivers and software from the Creative Labs site. Attempting to use the latest Creative Labs drivers and software from the Creative site is apparently a mistake with the Dell version of this card, as it causes total loss of sound (at least, when I load it).
I was hoping there might be drivers available from the Dell site for this card, but I'm having trouble finding the drivers. I'm also not sure if such drivers would be glitchy in another system...(?).
Any help or advice?
fireberd
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April 12th, 2009 09:00
You can try the Creative (SoundBlaster) drivers and see it that makes any difference. I've seen quite a few posts in the Audio section about using the Retail SoundBlaster drivers.
SOME programs ONLY output 2.1, they do not output surround sound and that could be one issue. Again, I've seen several posts about this in the Desktop Audio section.
varuscelli
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April 12th, 2009 10:00
Thanks, fireberd, I appreciate the help. I'll check out the Desktop Audio section for more info.
I actually tried using the Creative SoundBlaster drivers for this card as downloaded from the Creative site, but that seemed to result in a completely audio-less system. I couldn't get any of the speakers to work when using just the Creative drivers. Perhaps if I downloaded additional tools from the Creative site (not just the drivers, but the suite), I'd be able to get it to work (but I was a bit reluctant to download and install the entire suite of Creative software for this card -- of course, if that's what it takes, I'll do it).
The programs I'm using should be allowing 5.1 since they allowed it in Windows XP (and they seem to show the speakers as properly configured for 5.1 once set up). So, I've got a feeling that the problem lies elsewhere...and I'm certainly not excluding user error on my part. I've actually gone through a lot of gyrations to get this to work, but have not yet found the right combination of drivers/software/system settings to make all the elements combine properly.
Thanks again for the heads-up about the discussion in the Desktop Audio section.
fireberd
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April 12th, 2009 16:00
Have you tried THIS Dell driver for the Xfi?
Actually, the Dell Xfi does not have a good record. A lot of people are having "screeching" problems with the Xfi and have removed them from their systems and went back to the Integrated (on the motherboard) audio. The XPS section probably has posts about this too, I know the old Dell forum XPS section had many posts. I won't say it's a "global" problem but many that have posted on the forum are having the problem.
varuscelli
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April 13th, 2009 09:00
Thanks again, fireberd. Will check out that driver, too, as a possible solution. I sincerely appreciate your feedback on this. And yeah...from what I've read in various places around the net (including here), I don't get many warm and fuzzy feelings about this particular card and what I'm trying to do with it. I'd like to use it if possible, but sure don't want to spend excessive hours (days) messing around on what could turn out to be a bad path to follow. If nothing else, I have another old Dell machine I might be able to use this card on for 2.1 sound and then pursue more of a workable solution for the new PC. Again, thanks. :emotion-5:
I've also found info that indicates the driver that I need for the Dell version of the XtremeMusic card seems to be in the R144728.exe download. This seems to be no longer available via the Dell site (?), but I've found it elsewhere (or at least found a link that seems to allow download of this file somehow via the Dell site). I'd have to guess (at the moment) that the R144728 drivers are XP related and might not be of help for Vista.