SoundMax Audio Error

[F15pilotX]

I just reformatted my xp home pc, and have already installed the lastest nvidia/directx drivers, etc, but the sound drivers won't work...

I've tried deleting that "Multimedia device" that has the question mark in device manager, but that doesn't work, and when i try to start a program that uses sound, say, ventrilo, it says it can't "activate directsound" for that device

PC Summary:

Computer:
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
OS Service Pack Service Pack 2
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)
Computer Name F15PILOTX
User Name Owner

Motherboard:
CPU Type AMD Athlon XP, 1800 MHz (13.5 x 133) 2200+
Motherboard Name Asus A7V8X-X (6 PCI, 1 AGP, 3 DDR DIMM, Audio, LAN)
Motherboard Chipset VIA VT8377 Apollo KT400
System Memory 1024 MB (DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type Award Modular (02/13/03)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port ECP Printer Port (LPT1)

Display:
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 6600 (256 MB)
3D Accelerator nVIDIA GeForce 6600 AGP
Monitor Sony CPD-G200 [17" CRT] (7007824)

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter VIA AC'97 Enhanced Audio Controller

Storage:
IDE Controller VIA Bus Master IDE Controller
Floppy Drive Floppy disk drive
Disk Drive Maxtor 6Y080P0 (80 GB, 7200 RPM, Ultra-ATA/133)
Optical Drive SONY DVD RW DW-G120A
SMART Hard Disks Status OK

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 78152 MB (71698 MB free)

Input:
Keyboard HID Keyboard Device
Mouse Microsoft PS/2 Port Mouse (IntelliPoint)

Network:
Network Adapter Hamachi Network Interface (5.0.0.17)
Network Adapter VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter (172.16.100.4)

Peripherals:
Printer Microsoft Office Document Image Writer
USB1 Controller VIA VT83C572 PCI-USB Controller
USB1 Controller VIA VT83C572 PCI-USB Controller
USB1 Controller VIA VT83C572 PCI-USB Controller
USB2 Controller VIA USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
USB Device USB Composite Device
USB Device USB Human Interface Device
USB Device USB Human Interface Device

 

[9Nails]

Have you been to Windows Update and downloaded all the updates available for your computer? I seem to recall a Windows High Definition Audio KB that was necessary under SP2 to correctly install your audio drivers.

I *think* it may have been this KB Article. But please do try Windows Update first to ensure that you get the latest and most correct KB Update for your system...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888111/en-us

 

[F15pilotX]

yep, i have my system on auto-update, and have already shut down and installed all those updates...when i press "shutdown system", it doesn't have that icon under "shut down" either



just in case, i downloaded and installed that, and it didn't do anything


btw, there were 73 updates installed, so i'm pretty sure i got them all