# ???C-Media AC97 Audio Device...This device cannot start [code 10]???



## topher86

I reinstalled windows, and my device manager searched for a driver for my sound device and it gave me this message.....C-Media AC97 Audio Device...This device cannot start [code 10]........What does this mean? I went to c-media to find a different driver, installed....same thing. 

Any advice?


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## oldmn

open you control panel, system, hardware, device manager, And see if there is a yellow "?" with unknown pci device. If there is right click on it and disable it. close out of here and restart have your MOB (Motherboard) disk handy when windows finds new hardware and asks for drivers have it look on the MOB CD.


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## topher86

*Already tried that.*

every time i try anything like that windows automaticly loads its own "updated" driver. and when i put in my MOB disk and try to replace the file windows wont let me because the drivers which are already installed are new/better version. I have been trying to resolve this myself over the past six months. This is the first time i havent been able to fix somthing on my PC myself. I have gone to the website for C-media and i must have tried every driver i could find on that site. For some reason, I always get that dang [code 10] error. So I guess my question is: How do i replace the new drivers with the old on my MOB disk? and do you think the issue is purely a driver? 

On my MOB disk it has the ac97 driver for windows19xx, ME, and 2000, nothing for xp....I am So freaking confused right now.

P.S.- this is the last time i buy a PC from a "friend"! It was pieced together by some no-name computer shop. and they basically told me to go scratch when i asked for their assistance. Sorry for the Ranting

thank you


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## topher86

*old driver installed, still no sound...*

I installed the old driver, the yellow "?" is gone. the speakers are pluged in correctly, the only sound i get is a bit of white noise every once in a while. and audio is turned on in the bios. What the heck is going on?!?!?!?


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## Wozer

You know what I'd do if I were you? I would reboot, go into the Bios, disable the ac97 codec and anything else associated with onboard audio..woops, that's second..first thing I would do is to go and buy a cheapo Soundblaster Live card..then do the above, then when windows detected the new hardware, pop in the included drivers disc, and go!

I'm quite serious here, if nothing else because of various problems with onboard audio that ppl have reported...I chose to just skip the above type of problem, and didn't even try to use the onboard audio on my board, and I am quite happy with that decision


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## oldmn

topher86 said:


> I installed the old driver, the yellow "?" is gone. the speakers are pluged in correctly, the only sound i get is a bit of white noise every once in a while. and audio is turned on in the bios. What the heck is going on?!?!?!?


Have you gone into My computer and looked to see if thers is a c-media icon? if there is open it and look at he configuration. :sayyes: 
You may also want to check and make sure that you audio volum control is not muted. :sayyes:
Also: While you are in control panel go to the (sound and multimedia icon) open it go to the audio tab and make sure your sound card is selected if there are more than one option.
From your other posts it may be the sound is :dead: on this board. In that case, Wozer has an excellant idea.


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## aLiGiNdAhOuSe

I have that same problem but with a "!"

I have tried reinstalling it with my motherboard CD but no luck, the "!" is still there afterwards.

If you can help in any way that would be much appreciated.


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## w00t

I would do what wozer said. Onboard audio "escpecially the AC97" has died on me or had some nasty problems before. A cheap soundcard (thats probably as good or better that an onboard card) is about $10-$15 dollars at compusa.


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## ivanja

Have you guys checked the basics like address lines , if there is a conflict it could cause a code 10 failure to start error.


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