BIOS/Soundcard problem

pc0019pc0019 Herefordshire, UK
edited February 2007 in Hardware
When I start my computer with the x-fi music I have just bought, it goes through the tests, the 'realtek network booter' thingy shows up (all as usual) but when windows usually starts loading, instead it stays on a black screen with a flashing _ . If i take the soundcard out, it seems to load up fine. I've had a look elsewhere on the internet and it seems creative/x-fi cards are full of bugs..
any help would be great.

Comments

  • pc0019pc0019 Herefordshire, UK
    edited February 2007
    Some info:
    P4 3.0GHz HT skt 478
    1GB RAM
    geforce fx 5950
    600W psu - so I'm hoping power isn't the prob

    When the comp used to load up with the card in - the first few boots - it was on irq 19 with a USB controller (24D4 if that helps?)
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited February 2007
    See if your BIOS has a setting somewhere for "Force ESCD Update". If so, Enable it.

    If that doesn't work, try the card in a different slot. :)
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited February 2007
    profdlp wrote:
    See if your BIOS has a setting somewhere for "Force ESCD Update". If so, Enable it....If that doesn't work, try the card in a different slot. :)
    oooooooo Force ESCD Update......... Good idea! :smiles:
  • pc0019pc0019 Herefordshire, UK
    edited February 2007
    I've had a look through the BIOS and read the manual, couldn't find anything about forcing ESCD although there was an option to 'reset ESCD NVRAM' on next boot. Should I try that?
    I swapped the card around but same problem in all slots. Managed to actually load the PC up, after about 4 boots, and at first I couldn't get any sound, then I heard sound a few seconds after it should of played.. then all was fine :S. Havn't tried loading it again since.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited February 2007
    pc0019 wrote:
    I've had a look through the BIOS and read the manual, couldn't find anything about forcing ESCD although there was an option to 'reset ESCD NVRAM' on next boot. Should I try that?...
    Different motherboards use different terminology for what is essentially the same thing. That is indeed the one you want. :)
  • zero-counterzero-counter Linux Lubber San Antonio Member
    edited February 2007
    Creative cards are notorious for resouce conflicts. Process of elimination by removing/disabling devices. The DMI configuration screen which lists the resouces used just prior to the windows boot screen can show you what is going on. Just hit the pause break button to stop the page. Otherwise, use device manager to see what the conflicts are. I have had to disable all onboard goodies to get a creative card working. The ESCD suggestion is worth a shot,unfortunately, the creative card will not budge. It is hit or miss really, and the crappy software does nothing for stability either.
  • pc0019pc0019 Herefordshire, UK
    edited February 2007
    I tried the clear NVRAM, but no luck.

    In device manager under Creative SB Live it says 'This device is working properly.' and 'No conflicts.' - although as I said, in System Information, Intel 82801EB USB Universal Host Controller - 24D4 is on the same IRQ as the sound card. There are no memory conflicts.

    I decided to leave the computer at the stage before windows loads, when it hangs, and after about two minutes it decided to reboot (ctrl alt del doesn't seem to work during this time). Had the same problem again, but it restarted after 30 seconds or so this time.. then loaded up fine - I'm just listening to Metallica.
    I have had to disable all onboard goodies
    I have disabled the onboard AC97 sound in BIOS, but nothing else - although if only the USB thing and the soundcard are on the same IRQ do I need to?
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited February 2007
    pc0019 wrote: »
    ...I have disabled the onboard AC97 sound in BIOS, but nothing else...
    First, try going to Device Manager, click View>>Show hidden devices, then uninstall anything related to the onboard sound.

    You might also try booting up in Safe Mode and see if the problem happens then.
  • pc0019pc0019 Herefordshire, UK
    edited February 2007
    I've attached a screen of the device manager, with 'show hidden devices' enabled. The sound card shows up there because the computer decided to load with it.. after several thousand restarts/crashes.
    then uninstall anything related to the onboard sound.
    Well I would.. but Kernal Audio Device?? What should I get rid of?
    Thanks

    edit: Loads fine in safe mode.
    I set it to not restart automatically on errors. When the computer actually loads past the sys checks or whatever they are, and crashes, I get the error code 0x7E, on a BSOD.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited February 2007
    pc0019 wrote: »
    ...I get the error code 0x7E, on a BSOD.
    Check out the 0x0000007E: SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED error at this page. (About halfway down.)

    This patch might be worth a shot, too. :)
  • pc0019pc0019 Herefordshire, UK
    edited February 2007
    http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=321637&sd=RMVP
    Well I didnt get the error report thing on startup, and it has only shown up on the event viewer twice. From the event viewer:

    Error code 1000007e, parameter1 c0000005, parameter2 b77f9230, parameter3 f7cc1a30, parameter4 f7cc172c

    Error code 1000007e, parameter1 c0000005, parameter2 b3711230, parameter3 f79f5a30, parameter4 f79f572c

    Are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th parameters relevant? Or are they computer specific? Becasue neither is the same as the one on the MS site.

    Next time I get the error on startup I'll note down the other parameters.

    Hmm I have a horrible feeling I got the error 0x7E when my pc was having problems last year. They were caused by either not enough power or a faulty PSU. I think.
    I have a 600w Jeantech atm, with 2 HDs, a 3.0 P4 w/ HT, FX 5950, the X-Fi, 2x512Mb PC3200. And 2 120mm case fans, and a huge Zalman HSF - tho all fans are on low.
  • pc0019pc0019 Herefordshire, UK
    edited February 2007
    http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=900485&sd=RMVP

    STOP 0x0000007e (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4)
    aec.sys
    I didnt get anything after the Stop error.. will installing that patch harm my computer if it wasnt that problem?

    Damn, just seen another error that happened yesterday.

    Error code 1000008e, parameter1 c0000005, parameter2 0069e219, parameter3 f799dca8, parameter4 00000000

    6 seconds after a 0x7E error. Looking at the rest of the stuff on event viewer, that was just after the computer loaded all the startup services, and then it crashed.
  • pc0019pc0019 Herefordshire, UK
    edited February 2007
    Hmm sorry to make a million posts.

    In the picture attatched: the PCI bus conflicts with the gfx card.. twice. And is 15 conflicts normal?
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited February 2007
    WinXP will stack up all sorts of things on the same IRQ if you have ACPI enabled. It is perfectly normal.

    One thing you could try is to lock the PCI slot the Creative card is in to a particular IRQ and see if that helps. If you don't use either of the two Com Ports you could try disabling them in the BIOS, uninstalling them in Windows, then set the slot the SB card is in to IRQ 4.
  • pc0019pc0019 Herefordshire, UK
    edited February 2007
    Thanks, Ill just try that now.

    Oddly, when the computer hangs before it loads windows, the diagnostic LEDs say that it's 'initializing floppy drive controller' even though in BIOS I have disabled FDC, disabled the drive that showedd up even though Ihavn't got one, and also disabled FDD seek.
    When I take the sound card out it loads up fine. Or at least it has the last 7 times.

    edit: I have assigned the PCI slot that the card is in to IRQ 4 which is not being used by anything.

    When I finally got my computer started up (it hanged before windows loads up, and then when its loaded up or still loading, but never a BSOD) the card didnt load up properly. Apparently there is a resource conflict. With what it does not tell me. I have attatched a picture that shows the card and onboard lan both on PCI bus 2, so I though of changing that. But as you can see the options are greyed out on the lan resource tab. They are greyed out for all other things too.
  • pc0019pc0019 Herefordshire, UK
    edited February 2007
    WOW well I never. I disabled the LAN in device managed, restarted and it all worked fine. Restarted again, and still works! Then I enabled the LAN and both sound and internet worked fine. After a restart they still do!

    It seems the Realtek LAN thingy has been asigned a different part of the memory, so I guess that was the problem. I read somewhere that creative cards are rather stubborn. I guess the Realtek LAN isn't so.

    Well it's working now but will it be tomorrow? Ill post back if its still working in a week. Thanks for the help profdlp!!!

    PC
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited February 2007
    Glad to hear that it's working, and I hope it continues to do so. :cheers:
Sign In or Register to comment.