Sound Blaster X-Fi and Windows 7 64-bit

SOLUTION: Installing Windows 7 SP1 RC resolves this issue.

Please note: Windows 7 SP1 RC is for testing purposes only. If you are not familiar with beta software, or are not comfortable with troubleshooting beta software issues, you should wait for the public release version of SP1. The scheduled release date for SP1 according to Microsoft is in the first half of 2011. I suspect it will be as early as the first week of March. This RC version will insert a time-bomb in your Windows. It'll add anexpiry date of Nov 30, 2011 to your Windows. So you can use your system till Nov 30, 2011. After that you'll need to either upgrade to final version of SP1 or uninstall RC version of SP1 to be able to use your Windows. SP1 RC will also add a watermark on your Desktop which says: Windows 7 Evaluation copy. Build 7601

You can download SP1 RC here - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/ff183870.aspx

I was correct to suspect this was a Windows 7 issue, rather than the sound card driver issue. I still think the problem has to do with the way Windows 7 allocates physical memory for hardware resources. I am still not clear why Windows 7 reserves 1GB of physical memory for hardware in a 4GB system, leaving only 3GB useable physical memory for the OS and programs.

I have only tested this solution with a Windows 7 32-bit clean install on Dell E520 with 4GB of RAM and the Sound BlasterX-Fi XtremeMusic (SB0460) PCI card. I was able to make the sound card work with the Creative Labs beta driver version 2.18.0015 and the beta Creative Console Launcher version 2.61.49. You can download these from the Creative Labs support site.

I also was able to make the sound card work with the unofficial and unsupported AuzenForte Pack 1.0. If you want the optional components (like the Volume Panel , THX Console, AutoMode Switcher, etc.) you'll need to install this pack. The driver version contained in this pack is 2.20.0000.27 RC1, and the console launcher version is 2.61.44. You do not need to install all the components contained in this pack. Just select 'Cancel' for any components you do not wish to install. You will also get a warning from Windows 7 when it tries to install the driver, select 'Install driver anyway' here. You can downloadAuzenForte Pack 1.0 here (Warning: Install at your own risk) - http://forums.creative.com/t5/Sound-Blaster/SB-X-Fi-Series-AuzenForte-Pack-1-0-06-14-201-0/td-p/557866

How to uninstall Windows 7 SP1 RC?

1. Open Control Panel and click on "Programs -> Uninstall a program " if you are using "Category" view.

If you are using "Icons" view, click on "Programs and Features " icon.

2. Now click on "View installed updates " link given in left sidebar.

3. Select the "Service Pack for Microsoft Windows (KB976932) " item in the given list and click on "Uninstall " button in the toolbar. You can also right-click on the update and select "Uninstall" option.

4. It'll ask for confirmation, click on "Yes" button.

That's it. It'll take some time and will uninstall SP1 RC from your system.

Please post back, if this solution works for you. Good luck and thanks to everyone who has posted on this issue.

To Josh.....I assume you have the SB0460 card (Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic) installed. Windows 7 does not contain native drivers for SB0460, even though Microsoft has certified it as Windows 7. You'll have to download and install the drivers from Creative Labs. The beta drivers for Windows 7 64-bit can be found here

• http://support.creative.com/Downloads/welcome.aspx

However, even after installing these driver you may find that the audio will deteriorate in quality, as your physical memory gets used up.

I have just begun to test this, but installing Windows 7 SP1 RC seems to resolve the problem. You can download SP1 RC here - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/ff183870.aspx

Please be advised, these are beta software, so install at your own risk. If you are unsure or not familiar with beta software, you may be better off waiting for the public release versions.

Note: I have only tested this on a Dell E520 with 4GB, SB0460 and 32-bit Windows 7. Also, disable all background applications, including any AV and firewall software before installing the drivers and SP1 RC.

Hope this helps, good luck.

I have a Dell XPS-410, which they are now calling a Dimension 9200. It came with this card you all are talking about, and with winXPpro, in 2007. I just upgraded to win7 pro 64, and of course, no sound at all.

This is more than a Creative problem. Win 7's 'device manager' cannot even SEE the sound card at all. It just reports some 'multimedia audio controller', for which there are no drivers. Downloading a driver which SEEMS right - claims it is for the PCI X-Fi Sounblaster in win 7 64, but it quits on running - claims it finds no such device on my system.

Like I say, I think MS has a big share of the blame for this snafu. DM should be able to tell me I have a sound card, for pete's sake.

josh

To Mike Hall MVP.....With all due respect, please do not post meaningless URLs unless you know they are going to help. The only thing it does is just clutter the discussion. Seems to me that you haven't even tested the drivers or the hardware, yet you assumed that posting some general URLs about issue will help. It doesn't. Most users, as I have, have tested the sound card, available released and beta drivers extensively. We are frustrated by the lack of support from both Creative Labs and Microsoft, even though both companies have certified the hardware as Windows 7 compatible. Needless to say, this will be the last product I will purchase from Creative Labs.

Possible solution: I have just installed SP1 RC for Windows 7 (an hour ago), and the sound cards seems to be performing as expected, but I am still testing this out.