# Cannot detect onboard audio after clean install of XP



## ZILLA (Jan 22, 2006)

I used Kill Disk to erase my hard drive and reinstall XP Pro. Since then I have not been able to detect the onboard audio device. When I open the "Sound and Audio Devices" options in the Control Panel, all options are greyed out and it says there is "No Device". I tried motherboard updates, Windows updates, HP updates, detect new hardware, add new hardware, and nothing worked - I'm stumped. Anyone have some advice? I have a Pavilion a1034n with the Intel 915GV Chipset (I believe it has the Realtek AC97 device). Thanks a lot!
- ZILLA


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## batty_professor (Jul 29, 2004)

Hi, and welcome to TSF. What you're complaining of usually results from the onboard sound being disabled in the bios settings. Reboot, enter the bios setup, set the defaults, save and exit. Reboot to windows.


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## ZILLA (Jan 22, 2006)

Thank you for the reply, but that is not the problem. I did try that - on both Auto and Enabled settings for the Onboard Audio. Neither worked. More on that topic...the device is not simply disabled, the device does not show up in the device manager. I have speculated that, if it's possible, that the device has just "burned" out. I have not been able to try an add-in sound card yet but that is my next attempt at resolving this issue. Thanks again!
- ZILLA


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2006)

Was this an OEM HP PC? if so you may have needed to manually go into the restore folder to manually install the drivers. Some HP OEM's are like that. meaning, the type of onboard sound that it has will not be autodtected by the restore disk for a normal reformat-restore sometimes - you have to manaully do it. However, if you are looking for a cheap but good replacement for onboard get the Chaintech AV-512 C-Media 8738 soundcard at newegg. Cheap and sounds nice (better than onboard).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829120102


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

Hi,

Have you gone here and downloaded those drivers and tried to install them through the normal update driver option and if that does not work, though the control panel add/remove area. 

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/dlac97-2.aspx?lineid=5&famid=12&series=8&Software=True

If that does not work, then go to Start, Control Panel, System, Hardware, Device Manager and open the + area then right click and delete everything under the sound, video areas. Shut Down and reboot and try to load or update drivers when it finds the hardware. Your motherboard disk should be able to do that, but if not use the downloaded drivers from the AC97 website.

Keep us posted on how you are doing with this and be sure the sound is enabled in the BIOS setup menu as Batty_professor has advised you.


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## ZILLA (Jan 22, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies! I just got an add-in PCI sound card (SoundBlaster Live) - all seems to be working fine except for one thing: Ever since I installed the sound card and drivers for it, the XP hardware detection tool keeps finding a "PCI Input Device" and prompts to install it. When it connects to the internet it cannot find any drivers and hence will not install. I do not know where to get drivers for this or what exactly this means anyways.


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## NikhilVerma (Feb 5, 2006)

I have a VERY similar problem here...
Sorry to post in this topic but I can't seem to make new topics...

I have a ASUS K8N-VM Mobo with Athlon 2800+ 64bit processor...
And the problem is that my Windows XP doesn't detect my sound card...

When I try to install the audio drivers that came with the board, I get the error that the drivers are not for the soundcard on the board...

What could be the problem ??

Some things that might help

* I haven't installed SP2 yet
* The PC is newm , so this problem arised right from the beginning
* Do I need to install Windows XP 64 bit edition for it ?
* Linux couldn't recognize the sound card aswell
* I have checked my BIOS and the onboard sound card is enabled
* I tried disabling it once and install the drivers to see what error it gives, and it said the same thing, Audio drivers not for the hardware in mobo

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I have another small problem too

I have a Seagate SATA HDD of 80GB... Now in my windows it always shows a small "Remove the Hardware Safely" icon... So why is my windows consdering this SATA HDD as a removeable drive ?
Is this normal ?

Again I haven't installed SP2 yet....



These problems are getting very annoying... So please help me out here...


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

Hi NikhilVerma,

Please post this information (just copy it and put it in a new thread for us to look at. When you get it done, send me a PM and I will come and take a look at it when I am around. Look forward to receiving your PM.


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2006)

ZILLA said:


> Thanks for all the replies! I just got an add-in PCI sound card (SoundBlaster Live) - all seems to be working fine except for one thing: Ever since I installed the sound card and drivers for it, the XP hardware detection tool keeps finding a "PCI Input Device" and prompts to install it. When it connects to the internet it cannot find any drivers and hence will not install. I do not know where to get drivers for this or what exactly this means anyways.


Any update on this ZILLA? If you're still having issues we can get you up and running. You get the drivers from creative.com in the support area (they have the drivers there). What was your exact card installation and driver install technique? If it it a boxed retail version and you registered it when you set the card up for the first time you shoul dbe able to go to Creative auto-update (with Internet Explorer) and get your driver updates. How is the card generally working? Are you saying it's connecting to the internet because the drivers may not be fully loaded, or loaded correctly?


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