# Realtek audio driver on creative sound card?



## SJSanity (Dec 1, 2013)

I have a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro USB Sound Card, and it comes with a really terrible driver:









However when I look at reviews of this sound card the driver looks like this:









I have tried to install this but so far have had no success. Does anyone know how to do this?

If not is there any way to use Realtek HD audio manager with my external sound card?:









I am already using realtek audio manager for my on-board audio.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

You are comparing the user interface. Drivers are how Windows utilize the hardware.

The User Interface can vary based on chipset and software version.

Also, the first screen shot is the Windows interface through Control Panel. The second screen shot is likely the Creative software interface which is generally accessible through the icon in the tray. You will see similar differences with your Realtek installation.

And no, you cannot use Realtek software/drivers for Creative hardware. You have to use Creative software/drivers. They are not interchangeable.


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## SJSanity (Dec 1, 2013)

Thank you very much, so is there any way to change my interface? I don't seem to have any icon in the tray.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

Try a different driver version. The interface varies by driver version and OS. Even the same driver version can appear different on different OS's.

I don't recall even not having an icon in the tray, regardless of the brand audio chipset used, when manually installing the full driver.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

Hi SJSanity :wave:

To get your speaker icon to appear in the System Tray, try right-clicking on the black bits in the Tray, around the icons, then select 'Properties' in the drop-down list.

That should display all the icons in the tray, plus their status - Look for the speaker icon and make sure it's set to 'On', then below the list is a link marked 'Customise icons', click that then ensure the speaker icon is set to 'Show icon and notification'. OK everything back to the desktop. Your icon should, in theory, be back.


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## JimE (Apr 16, 2009)

The software icon is separate from the speaker icon. It should be in the tray. Most installs have more icons present than can be displayed, simply click the up arrow and a bubble should appear with all of the icons.


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