Changing Souncards & The Registry

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 10 Jan 2008 3:16 am

I'm going be upgrading my(SB AudigyII)soundcard to an SB X-Fi Xtreme Music.

Aside from the usual add/remove process, should I be concerned about getting rid of any registry (or any other location) remnants of AudigyII?

I really want to be sure I make a clean install of the new card.

Any suggestions, friends?

Chip

John Roche · Post by **John Roche** » 10 Jan 2008 3:39 am

Chip, after you uninsall and removed the hardware, run something like Regclean and restart,Close down the PC then install the new card and restart, have any drivers ready when the new hardware is found..

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 10 Jan 2008 4:03 am

You won't need to do anything to the registry. Just uninstall the sound card and software (using the Windows add/remove software). When you install the new card and Windows starts you will probably get a window asking you if you want Windows to search for new drivers. DO NOT let Windows perform this operation - cancel it. Then when Windows finishes installing, run the SoundBlaster installation CD and install the Drivers and associated software applications.

After you get it installed and all is working, go to the SoundBlaster site and check for updated drivers, most of the time the drivers that are supplied are an older version.

In reference to a registry cleaner (again, that you don't need for this change), I don't usually recommend them unless you really know what you are doing as they can delete needed items if you are not careful. I've repaired several customer's PC's that were "fixed" by a registry cleaner (each customer used a different registry cleaner). The "best" registry cleaner is a complete "clean" reinstall of the Operating system and associated device drivers and applications software.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 10 Jan 2008 6:19 am

Myself, and rather than start a new thread, I've had a problem "removing" the onboard sound card and putting in a SB X Fi sound card. I tried it once, with little luck.

I might be getting a new MB, so we'll see...

EJL

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 10 Jan 2008 6:55 am

Eric, I don't know about the M/B you have but on many the on-board is disabled in the BIOS. There are some that have a jumper on the M/B to disable the on-board audio. After that is done there should be no problem installing a PCI sound card. However, there have been some reported problems in Vista with the Xfi series of cards on the Dell users forum. I haven't seen anything relative to XP, either someone that has installed one or that had a problem.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 10 Jan 2008 7:40 am

Thanks John, Jack, and Eric.

I have Registry Mechanic. Should I stop subscribing to this? I use it occaisionally. Did not even consider to use it during the install. I thought it was supposed to be an OK software.

As far as drivers go, I know there is already an update one at Creative Labs, as I read many reviews on this soundcard, and one fella said he bought a new X-Fi and had to update a driver.

It's supposed to arrive tommorrow or Saturday.
BTW, what is M/B?

Chip

John Roche · Post by **John Roche** » 10 Jan 2008 8:15 am

Chip. I use a couple of reg programs, never had a problem , it gets rid of unwanted entries in the reg and helps to speed up the laptop..

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 10 Jan 2008 10:39 am

Chip- M/B=Mother Board. Ray

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 10 Jan 2008 11:58 am

There a lot both ways on Registry Cleaners. Most "techies" that I know say they are not needed. It's your computer so do what you want.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 11 Jan 2008 11:27 am

Thanks again, John, Ray, and Jack.

I was leery at first about buying into RM, but went ahead; have been using it for a year or two; and have had no side effects so far.

As to whether it's really helping, I couldn't tell ya.

Mucho Appreciado...

Chipper