X-Fi Screech of Death

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@Toronto699 wrote:

asc9000

 

QX9650 , 2gb 1600 pc ram , cpu and graphic cooling , 790i ultra MB , W vista ultamate 32 , dual 280 gtx , xtreme gamer fatality pro , 1100kw power supply , 2 160HD , 1 750 HD , 2  light scribe DVD +- RW ,  blue ray disk drive , cyberlink DVD package , The Orange Box games , this is my second Blackbird , i bought a Blackbird 002 when first released.  go configure one , even if u get half of whats in mine or a basic unit ull be very happy, and the HP accessory store is arriving soon  for upgrades and added hardware , i went with nvidia because its better, and the ati u need something from Voodoo if u format the pc . go to hpblackbird.com but be sure to read the forum pages ask questions call blackbird

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FYI Everyone - I have been running the latest Creative beta driver for a few weeks now and not even 1 screech of death.  The version I am running is 6.0.1.1367 and the filename up on Creative's site is "SBXF_PCDRVBETA_US_2_18_0006.exe".  This is definitey the most stable it's been so far, maybe Creative has actually fixed the problem?!

I have a Dell XPS 420-

* Service tag number: ~~~
* Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium (32bit)
* X-Fi driver versions tested: Dell's
* Did you have this issue out of box: YES
* Have you updated the PC to the latest bios: NO
* Did you try the X-Fi in a different PCI slot: Yes, thought maybe it was seated improperly, took out, put in diff slot as well.
* Did you try turning SLI off: NO
* Explain your usage when the screech occurs: This is usually when there is no sound playing, when music ends or when a youtube video is done playing (or if I rewind the video). There is no specific trigger except it's when it's silent. It has happened on youtube, and with Winamp, Windows Media Player and I Tunes.
* Possible workarounds? None found so far.

I thought my machine just had it's own problems until I found this forum, I still have this, in fact it did it twice today. This is my second Dell, the first one I never had a problem with. I recently purchased a laptop but due to this issue with my desktop I purchased another name brand.

Okay, I was sitting here going through all the songs that Zune Marketplace decided to kill off in error codes, and sorting them in Excel, then my sound cards starts talking in tongues!

I played some songs earlier, but was watching the television when static/chatter/noise starts blaring out of my X-Fi soundcard!

Then I had a BSoD about something DUMBUSB (?) then hard booted. Long restart to Vista x64, get in, and start catching up where I left off.

Later another sret of noisey-static goes off. Noticed it happened when browing in Firefox and had the file explorer open too.
Also recall a small amount of odd static a few days ago when I opened a browser, but it was so short I did not pay it any mind.

Been using the drivers from the supplied CD that came with my system since it ads software that the Dell drivers didn't. Guess I had better grab the Dell drivers and hope this staticy-noise goes away.

SoundBlaster X-Fi Technology (CD) P/N #: PR878, Rev A01 SB773 / SB774 Windows Vista Build Version: 6.0.01.1281

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* Operating System: Vista x64 - Service Pack 2
* X-Fi driver versions tested: So far, the Supplied CD (Theirs)
* Did you have this issue out of box (Y/N)? Out of what box? Can't plug it into my laptop.
* Have you updated the PC to the latest bios (Y/N)? Yes
* Did you try the X-Fi in a different PCI slot (Y/N)? Nothing available other than the other Video Card slot.
* Did you try turning SLI off (Y/N)? Don't have SLi yet.
* Explain your usage when the screech occurs: See Above.
* Possible workarounds? Going to try Dell's drivers. I think it's a hardware issue, or more than likely an interrupt conflict. (Screeches as I hit the Windows Key + Break, then open the Device Manager, got static instead of the Confirmation Tone.)

IRQ: 19 (not sharing) - There goes that idea.

Do I call Technical Support on this issue too? Already have a hard drive being replaced. Now it's the sound card?

I usually play music every night while I sleep, helps calms mine and my cats nerves.

Installed the Dell drivers over the CD installed version. Seems to be working so far.

I do notice that the output volume is less than before. I'm at 75% volume and can hear music comfortably. Most hardware would be blaring the walls down at 75% volume!

Twice now, while playing EverQuest 2, I got a BSoD after applying the Dell driver patch. Not had this BSoD beforehand.

In the game I have tried opening the in-game's Firefox browser, which seemed to stagger-stall on loading and I got the BSoD. ANother time I was just running around in the game (on a mount) and heard a very short slight scratchiness of the sound and got the same BSoD.

I know EQ2 has a new voice-chat service that loads separate of the game - but when the game starts. I fear that may be a big issue too, on this BSoD stuff. But also seems connected to the sound card too.

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer. SYETMS_SERVICE_EXCEPTION If this is the first time you've seen this Stop error screen, restart your compiter. If the screen appears again, follow these steps: Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any windows uodates you need. If the problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options as caching or shadowing. If you need to use Safe Mode to select Advanced Startup Options, and the select Safe Mode. Technical information: *** STOP: 0x0000003B (0x00000000C0000005, 0xFFFFF80000CB6AAC, 0xFFFFFA6010213E80, 0x0000000000000000)

The screech is back! Killed off all sounds on the computer.

Right-clicked the Creative SB X-fi Volume Pnel in the system try, switched to Game Mode, got sound back again. Swapped it back to Entertainment Mode, and it's still playing sounds.

All I was doing was setting up shortcuts on my Microsoft Natural Pro keyboard's shortcut menu, and opened up Vista Explorer, and the screech/warbled static went out.

NEW: SOE changed the in-game voice chat software in the EverQuest 2 game, and this program claims to not be fully compatible from the properties & system logs. When I have sound issues in EQ2, I used to get scratchy noises. Now I am receiving BSoD:

SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION

I swapped the PCI slots that both the sound card and USB port cards were using. Also updated the drivers directly from Creative Labs, since the Dell version didn't last long for a cure.
Did notice that the small white square that used to be in the system, tray is gone, the one that opened up the various settings and equalizer, and also had thee modes to switch to: Entertainment, Game, Recording. I really miss the enhancements, that only seem to be installable from the Creative Labs X-Fi CD -

Now in Win7 I am playing EQ2 just fine, no BSoD, and no scratchy or screeching noises have been heard (yet). Had to be something in Vista x64 causing a conflict, just haven't tracked it down.

Thought I would post an update: July 7th's Windows Updates (Vista & Windows 7) seem to have fixed the issues I was experiencing with the X-Fi sound card, with an occasional static pop here and there when playing EverQuest 2 in Entertainment mode.

The Creative X-Fi Volume Switcher has vanished from the system tray, and occasionally I get a pop-up that the WMI Reverser something or another stopped working. Andthat usually leads to the Service Exception BSoD. That sort of narrows down towhat was causing that nasty BSoD out of the blue.

SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION

Windows Update lists it as:

Creative - Audio - Creative X-Fi Auto Processor (WDM)    Optional    7/7/2009

thanks Xelkos for the update, let the list know in two weeks if your system remains stable.

my Creative is still removed, the onboard has worked fine for me, how much deep sensative sound do I need to hear things getting blown up or crashing while I game?  I mean really, if I need super senative sound I still have my Fisher (25+ years old and still great fidelity).

If you system remains stable with the update, I may try it and see if my rig will run it as well.

Thanks again,

Darrell

Had good luck so far, minus a bit of distortion or static games, 'til just a few minutes ago...

Was making folders in a Zune "monitored" music folder, using Windows Explorer. When I right-clicked to created a new Folder, I was asked by the UAC for permission. As soon as I clicked to Allow, the sound card briefly "screeched out the static-y noise".

Guess the update isn't a cure after all. Should probably try this in Windows 7, once the Zune support staff fixes my songs.

Do not use that Windows 7 Home-group setup for music files stored on another drive/partition, as gawd that's annoyingly hard to get rid of; as it "locks" that drive/partition on other OS'. So if you was working in Vista, you can't access the Home-group, and buying new music and have it download won't work, software complains of not having "usage rights" to the folder. So annoying.
Homegroup might be best used for an external drive storage, least until release.

Soundcard was doing okay till I played some Earth & Beyond AVI files, now the thing is stuttering playback of music while I'm opening up and reloading webpages. I would't think a soundcard would be affected in this fashion.

Would hate to call technical support as they seem to only replace stuff when there's an error code from the basic diagnostics, past that they are clueless as to real support.

Please Help !

I have a problem since I have updated my 710 H2C to Vista 64

I get static over my Creative SB X-FI

Latest Driver from Creative

Latest BIOS from DELL

New issue since update from XP to Vista 64

SLI is off

Have not changed card to new slot

Reloaded driver from Creative ..... no help

Can not use gaming headphones ..... please help

I've post this issue last year.  Dell technical support gave me the run around.... I went through 7 people till I finally got told from customer service that they don't do anything after 30 days..I didn't read the fine print. Shame is I missed it by 5 days... opps. Now I'm stuck with an X-Fi extreme music pci card that works but not with my dell XPS 730 system.  I've been using my onboard card for many months. I've even tried my X-Fi Elite Pro on my old rig and the bios detects it but the drivers won't install.  Says it don't exist..lol what a crock.  But I know creative is responsible for that issue turning card features on or off depending on the OS and X-Fi card version.

For the BSOD and other odd sound events are partly a hardware compatibility between Creative X-Fi cards and Nvidia nForce mobo boards mine being a 790i.

Operating system:  Original dell Vista 32bit Home premium, Vista 64bit Ultimate + SP1 + SP2, Win7 7100 RC1 64bit,  All give me BSOD when gaming.

X-Fi driver versions tested,  ALL even betas... none work.. the only one I haven't tried is the brazil dude's custom drivers that had been threatened by Creative.. I would love to get my hands on those Unofficial drivers.

Did you have this issue out of Box?  Yes but I try to resolve the issue by my self before I worry about getting help.  Also I have had 2 years experiance with my elite pro from my old rig running XP SP2 and Vista 32bit Ulitmate.  Working on a Intel motherboard. I even tested the Dell X-Fi extreme music on my old rig and it works.. Just not on the dell I had purchased.

Have you updated the PC to the latest bios?  I have my nForce 790i at Dell Inc 1.06 which is latest.. But did the same on 1.04 1.05 too. That doesn't work. 

Did I try to use the X-Fi on a different slot?  Yes I still get the BSOD.

Did I try turnign SLI off? I have a single GeForce GTX280.

Explain my usage when the screech occurs... Lets see? playing games. I play games. alot of games.  Most of the time I get stuttering or odd sound clipping then followed by a BSOD.

Possible workarounds?  Sure not using it. Use your onboard sound card... in my case a High Definition Realtek sound chipset.  Not X-Fi quality but working. My Dell XPS works great without X-Fi.. But that's not what i bought!

This is what me off the most.  I ask the sales guy about nForce boards and Creative cards before I bought the XPS Rig. I've had 2 years with my Elite pro so I know about Vista driver issues. I also knew on creative labs and Nvidia forums about there two hardwares not being compatible.  He said don't worry dell tech have fixed the issue.  So i spend cash on a non functioning system.  

So Dell sales have no clue what there talking about... Dell tech don't do nothing but and pass you around hoping you hangup in frustration. 

I've read some post here too. these guys aren't going to help you all... Once they've bagged your hard earned money this is all for show.  I've been supporting dell for 10 years..I used to buy a few laptops.  This rig will be my last system I ever buy from dell.. 

Goodluck dell you will need it.  Economy is tough these days..

WH