Soundblaster Live! + Windows Server 2003

[Black Hawk]

How the hell do I install the drivers manually? Extracting it doesn't work. I've tried all the folders that resemble driver folders to no avail.

[Spinner]

So are you saying you are trying to use Creative's load of cr** update driver packs. The ones which need a set of drivers already installed?

If that is the case then you will need to get your hands on a modern SB Live driver CD so you can manually install the drivers out of their clearly labelled folders, off the CD, without it needing any installed in the first place.

Is that what you're talking about?

[Black Hawk]

Spinner said
So are you saying you are trying to use Creative's load of cr** update driver packs. The ones which need a set of drivers already installed?
I didn't need the drivers already installed to install the Live Drive pack.

[B]If that is the case then you will need to get your hands on a modern SB Live driver CD so you can manually install the drivers out of their clearly labelled folders, off the CD, without it needing any installed in the first place.[B]
...and what if I don't have a cd? :banghead:

[Spinner]

Black Hawk said

...and what if I don't have a cd? :banghead:

Then you try the drivers I posted in the downloads thread labelled v3512.;) They don't have a setup program, and are souly dedicated for manual installations.:D

However, whether or not they work on your cards model is another thing altogether. They worked great for my SB Live 1024 and on a mates 5.1, but I know some people have had trouble with them. However, they are as easy as pie to install.

Black Hawk said

I didn't need the drivers already installed to install the Live Drive pack.

Does the live drive pack include the drivers for the cards basic operation as well? if so, why can't you get it working? I am still slightly confused about a) what your problem is and b) what your problem is. ;) What's working and what's not working? What won't install and what will install?

Sorry if I'm being a bit slow, but I've had one too many sips of vodka and too few sips of something sobering.:eek3:

[Black Hawk]

The problem is that the Live Drive Pack and Windows Server 2003 don't get along so the drivers have to be installed manually. I tried extracting it and searching it to no avail.

[Spinner]

Okay I see, well you'll be lucky to get it working that way if the installation application isn't working.

My question is though, is the Live Drive Pack in addition to the sound cards sound drivers, or are they all inclusive in the Live Drive Pack. Is that what you mean by Live Drive Pack, the full set of drivers for the actual sound card aswell as the Live Drive device? Have you actually got the sound card working, just not the Live Drive? or is nothing working.

I've never had a Live Drive so I don't know how the drivers work for it. I don't know whether or not they're seperate drivers for the sound card and seperate drivers for the Live Drive, or one big driver bundle.

Is your problem that you can't get the Live Drive working, but the sound card itself is working fine, i.e you hear sound? Or is nothing at all working?

[Black Hawk]

Live drive pack are the card's drivers. Dunno why they call it like that.

[Spinner]

Okay well, try those drivers I suggested earlier and get back to me. v3512, in the downloads thread.

Cheers

[Shorty]

Black Hawk

Couple of quick Q's to add to <strike>posterboy's</strike> spinner's fine help :)

1) Have you enabled Windows Audio in services?

2) Have you tried extracting the files from the .exe and then manually forcing a driver? (It should use the XP driver).

[Spinner]

I took the liberty of putting together this little GIF file which I hope illustrates how to extract and install the drivers manually from a 'LiveDrvpack' setup file.

Forgive me if you already have done this.

Here's the link:
http://www.spinnershomepage.co.uk/RAIDpics/how to extract, install and update SB LIVE drivers.gif

[Black Hawk]

I see you have alot of time on your hands :D. I found the folder. I guess it's just that 2k3 doesn't look for it automaticaly. Thanks :)

[Black Hawk]

Ok so I tried it and it only installs 2 things. The sound card per se and the game port. Nothing else. Hardware acceleration can't be enabled. All 2k3 deviece performance settings are set correctly.

[croc_]

sb live = the devil. i say burn them all.

[Black Hawk]

croc_ said
sb live = the devil. i say burn them all. Better than onboard ;) The sound is fine. I just need the drivers for EAX and hardware acceleration.

[Spinner]

Black Hawk said
Better than onboard ;) The sound is fine. I just need the drivers for EAX and hardware acceleration.

I'm glad you finally got it sorted. You probably now just need to play around with the different driver sets, the download section here at Short-Media probably has a few official and unofficial Creative releases that haven't been and aren't yet available direct from them. So I suggest having a play about with different versions. The ones I've linked too below I suggest you try, as I believe these are the very latest revision for the SB Live under XP.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.spinnershomepage.co.uk/RAIDpics/SBLIVE v5.12.01.383.zip">Sound Blaster Live v5.12.01.383 WHQL<a> NEW

However, you may have trouble getting all the cards functionality running as it should, simply because the drivers aren't actually designed to operate under Windows 2003.

Also... in a closing note, I now think I understand what you were talking about when you kept refering to the 'Live Drive Pack', I originaly thought you were talking about a driver package dedicated for supporting the SB Live drive bay unit which comes with Platinum versions of your card, but now I realise you were more than likely just refering to the SB Live's normal driver package which was probalby labelled 'LiveDrvPack'. Which I presume stands for 'Live Driver Pack' and not 'Live Drive Pack'. So my aplogises for my initial confusion.

If you still have trouble getting the card running as you want it to under Windows 2003, you could also try a Audigy driver hack, which allows you to run Audigy drivers on a SB Live. In some cases this method has proven to be quite successfull in securing better performance and functionality out of the SB Live, which in all fairness is desired, because Creative has neglected the SB Live slightly over the last couple of years, at least where driver support is concerned.

If you need any more help, don't hesitate to ask.

Cheers

SPINNER

[Black Hawk]

Well I searched google for sh**z & gigglez and I found nothing related to the problem. What am I supposed to do? Force the drivers or "copy & paste" from another OS (I'm dual booting with XP)? What am I exactly supposed to copy? The live driver pack has diffrent drivers then what 2k3 comes with. Atleast that's what I found when it says to check certain files for the version and 2k3 doesn't have them. I really do miss hardware acceleration and EAX. Games don't feel so alive.

[Enverex]

Why not try the Hacked Audigy 2 drivers? More likely to work.....

NS

[Mt_Goat]

Remember that 2003 is a pure server and doesnot support a lot of software. I learned all this some time ago. Unless you have the conversion to make it a true OS and not a server you will be limited to what you can do as it doesn't like a lot of progs out there at all.

[Black Hawk]

NightShade737 said
Why not try the Hacked Audigy 2 drivers? More likely to work.....

NS
I guess I'll try it...

mtgoat said
Remember that 2003 is a pure server and doesnot support a lot of software. I learned all this some time ago. Unless you have the conversion to make it a true OS and not a server you will be limited to what you can do as it doesn't like a lot of progs out there at all.
I don't know deep down what it is but to me it just seems like a server version of XP. All my programs, drivers (except for the sound) and games work well. I've also disabled all unnecessary services. Windows 2K is also a server OS and look now (although after several service packs).

Forgot to mention. THe problem isn't the drivers but the installation. They say you're supposed to do it manually but how?

[Mt_Goat]

MS really put the screws to this one. It is the pickiest thing I have ever seen for software compatability. In 2k server you could get away with quite a bit but this was truely meant as a buisness server from the ground up.

[Black Hawk]

Well I fixed the problem. :celebrate Downloaded XP drivers from here (http://www.emu.com/support/aps.asp) and they work perfectly. I got hardware acceleration and EAX. Would the proggies from the Live Driver Pack work with diffrent drivers?

[Black Hawk]

N/M. Installed the Live Driver Pack on top of the drivers and the other programs. Works great.

Does anyone know if I need a specific version of the drivers to get the digital out to work? Tried with the stock drivers that came with 2k3 and it didn't work.

[Spinner]

Great, glad you got it sorted. Good idea using the drivers from EMU. Just out of curiosity, after you installed them, what was the sound card labelled as in Device Manager?

As for your digital output question... Not to my knowledge. I do recall though that when you first install the drivers from Creative, it asks you whether you want to make the digital output your default, that could have something to do with the problems you are having. You may need to change a setting somewhere, probably in the control panel. That's all I can suggest.

[Black Hawk]

Spinner said
Just out of curiosity, after you installed them, what was the sound card labelled as in Device Manager? SB Live! Audio [D000] and the little "Live!" icon.

[Black Hawk]

Well it seems these drivers and digital out are making my speakers "not respond". A friend of mine has the same speakers and sound card and it works for him. I'm using a 1/8" to RCA that he told me to use. With these drivers, it stops responding when I turn it on. I have to unplug the power cord and unplug the audio cord. With the stock drivers, it would randomly stop responding.

[Spinner]

All I can suggest is keep trying different drivers. There is a wide selection up in the downloads thread. I'll have a think and post back tomorrow if I can come up with something.

Cheers

[Black Hawk]

Well tried 2 diffrent drivers to no avail. I think it's a speaker problem. I connect it and I have digital out disabled. I enable it and it stops responding.

[Spinner]

Try going back to basics for a minute. Remove the card, and spend some time removing all traces of previous drivers, registry entries, driver files, that sort of thing. Then put the card back in, perhaps in a different PCI slot, then try the official Creatives again.

[Black Hawk]

The machine doesn't stop responding. The speakers do. From what I see it activates the AC3 thingy but it stays like that and does nothing. Could also be the wire cause it's probably broken in some place and it's causing a short... I'm just gonna leave it. I just wanted to try it out but I'm too lazy for the hassle.

[Enverex]

If you can be bothered in the end, grab the drivers from the Creative Site for the Audigy 2 and the Live/Audigy 1 hack from here and try using the Audigy 2 drivers. Probably has more chance of it working due to them being newer drivers.

http://atomnet.co.uk/?p=guides&id=1

NS

[Spinner]

Black Hawk said
The machine doesn't stop responding. The speakers do. From what I see it activates the AC3 thingy but it stays like that and does nothing. Could also be the wire cause it's probably broken in some place and it's causing a short... I'm just gonna leave it. I just wanted to try it out but I'm too lazy for the hassle.

Hmmm, strange. Like you said, it's probably something to do with the speakers then. Let us know if you get is sorted.

Cheers

[profdlp]

Try the speakers & card in another comp. :wave:

[Black Hawk]

No other comp :(

[dakight]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm having the same problem and I can't find the download v3512 that is mentioned in here. When i try to install the drivers they appear to install but Device Manager returns an error code 36, driver missing or corrupt. Help!

[Gobbles]

I install SB Live 24bit cards into many of our servers running 2003. I have not had a single issue. Granted I am not installing the software that comes with it, but getting basic sound functions only takes me about 30 seconds. XP drivers work fine in 2003.

What live card do you have?

[dakight]

I have an older SB Live! Value. The trouble is I don't have the original CD, or at least I haven't found it yet so I'm trying to install from the downloaded version which is an exe. I was hoping to find the extracted versions of the files so that i could do a manual install and see if it would work.

[mat33]

hi guys,

i got also a big problem with the installation of a sb live 24Bit on a windows 2003 server. i use the following driver vers: 5.12.1.314 and the device is installed correctly but i can't set it as audio device. Any suggestions?

Greets
mat