# Sound card not being detected



## Kinetix7 (Feb 25, 2009)

I just got a Sound Blaster Z and installed it (hardware-wise) but my computer won't detect it. It doesn't show up in device manager, or in my BIOS when I examine the slots on my motherboard. I've tried it in the pcie 3.0 x16 slot (which is two slots down from my graphics card, which is in the first pcie 3.0 x16 slot, also coincidentally hogging up enough space to render the x1 slot above it completely useless), and then moved it to the pcie 2.0 x16 slot at the bottom of my motherboard, but both times nothing was detected, and it was shown as empty in the bios (and device manager). The sound card itself lights up when I turn on my computer, so its not completely unresponsive, but its just not being found for some reason.


This is my motherboard: ASRock > Z77 Extreme3

I also have an EVGA GTX 760 SC, 8 GB DDR3 RAM, and an i5 3570K.


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## T_Rex (Oct 21, 2012)

Try installing drivers anyway see if it's detected at that point I have had a few X-Fi's do the same thing. If your onboard is enabled disable it in the bios, and within windows right click HDMI audio device for your GTX 760 in the device manager and disable that. Then install the Creative drivers see what happens.


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## Kinetix7 (Feb 25, 2009)

No luck. Disabled all other sound devices, restarted, it still isn't showing up anywhere, and installing the driver just leads to a "Setup is unable to detect a supported product on your system".


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

Have you confirmed the card the is functional (ie tested good in another system)? 

I don't understand how the PCI-e X1 slot is blocked. It is above the x16 slot so should be clear.


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## Kinetix7 (Feb 25, 2009)

gcavan said:


> Have you confirmed the card the is functional (ie tested good in another system)?
> 
> I don't understand how the PCI-e X1 slot is blocked. It is above the x16 slot so should be clear.



Unfortunately not, I don't have another system to test in, so I'm unsure if its actually functional (except for the LED light, that blinding flood of red appears every time I turn on my computer) And my EVGA 760 SC is rather fat; coupled with the Sound Blaster Z and its EMI shield it makes a really tight fit there. Maybe I could move my graphics card down to the other PCI-e 3.0 slot, but I believe that will limit it to x8 instead of x16 (whatever difference that makes).


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

I would suspect the SB-Z is faulty.


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## bassfisher6522 (Jul 22, 2012)

My suggestion: Pull the GPU out and use the onboard graphics. The install the sound card in the PCIe 1x slot and see if it gets recognized.


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## Kinetix7 (Feb 25, 2009)

I managed to fit it in the PCIe x1 slot without taking out the graphics card, but no change. So I've swapped it through 3 PCIe slots, uninstalled + disabled all the onboard and other audio devices I could, but still nothing. =/


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## T_Rex (Oct 21, 2012)

I agree with Dogg the card seems faulty, but if at all possible I would try GC's suggestion of trying it in another system before you consider it truly faulty.


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## Kinetix7 (Feb 25, 2009)

http://images.bit-tech.net/content_images/2013/02/creative-sound-blaster-z-review/sbz-5b.jpg

I had to break off that end piece (of the metal strip, the end with the hole in it((the ground?))) to even get it to fit in my motherboard, think that'd probably void the warranty?


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## T_Rex (Oct 21, 2012)

Probably so yeah. Well your motherboard has decent quality audio I know it's not what you want to hear but at least you have something you can use while you sort this out. Try that card in another PC. Try your warranty anyway, and in the interim you can use the onboard.


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## Kinetix7 (Feb 25, 2009)

Yeah, Realtek is better than nothing, I just wanted that little boost in sound quality. Don't suppose you'd have any recommendations for different <$100 cards (with Win 8.1 support)?

I've been going back and forth with Creative support, and one of their questions is if I see any visible damage on the card. Should I tell them it looks a little damaged on one of the ends of the metal strip, or just RMA it and cross my fingers?


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## T_Rex (Oct 21, 2012)

You can take your shot at RMA, and also at the same time look at the Asus range of cards -- Xonar to be specific. They range in sound quality and specs but from top to bottom they are all quite good and they have nice headphones amps and great sound quality, and most support win 8 just fine. Bummer you can't get yours working but there are alternatives.


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## ecc83 (Oct 7, 2006)

You would do far better IMHO to get an external Audio Interface such as the Steinberg UR22. 
"Serious" sound people hate S(of a) B cards and "Creative" they ain't.

Dave.


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## T_Rex (Oct 21, 2012)

ecc83 said:


> You would do far better IMHO to get an external Audio Interface such as the Steinberg UR22.
> "Serious" sound people hate S(of a) B cards and "Creative" they ain't.
> 
> Dave.


I think he is looking to reconcile his creative purchase, and possibly looking for a temporary or alternative solution. An external DAC/USB is nice but that might not be in the scope of this solution.


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## shawnpb (May 30, 2010)

I agree the SB card is bad. Maybe the tight fit damaged it some how.


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## cybersol43 (Apr 12, 2015)

i had the same problem with my asrock board after buying 2 diff sound cards the only thing i did to get it to recognize it was:
1. go to your bios
2. go to the advanced tab
3. got to the ZT-d tab "enable it"
4. save changes and restart
good luck


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## KRNL (Jun 2, 2013)

cybersol43 said:


> i had the same problem with my asrock board after buying 2 diff sound cards the only thing i did to get it to recognize it was:
> 1. go to your bios
> 2. go to the advanced tab
> 3. got to the ZT-d tab "enable it"
> ...


I have asrock h97 fatality killer but I can not find ZT-d any where , do you mean VT-d ?


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