Partial explanation to 3538m driver problems and a way to solution

Estarriol · Feb 14, 2007, 05:04 PM

This text relates only to Audigy 2 ZS notebook and its audio input problems

Well, guys, the problems with 3538m driver are slowly moving to resolution. Here's a detailed example how I made my Audigy2ZS notebook constantly work.

Yesterday I restored an image of a WinXP system (I had Windows for Legacy PCs installed before). This WinXP had kXdrv installed (I dont remember the exact version). So I just replaced the

Code:

C:\%WINDOWS%\System32\drivers\kx.sys

driver with original 3538m.

A2ZSnb works fine when plugged in a already loaded system. Mic is noisy and reacts to almost anything, including knocking a card with a fingernail. But I still could use a mic well, and did a funny Skype call using DSP processing of audio-in stream.

I switched the computer off per night, and turned it on at morning with a card still in. The system halted on boot, and after its normal boot-up without a card in I tried to plug A2ZSnb - the system halted constantly.

After a small thinking I concluded: all the problems of inconsistency of my prior tests come from caching. And this caching in WinXP is called PREFETCH.

First thing you have to do is to delete all the files from

Code:

C:\%WINDOWS%\Prefetch

, and turn off ALL the prefetching by setting HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters\EnablePrefetcher to zero.

The option by default, "3", means prefetching of boot files and applications. I had no intent to dig in deeper, so I just set it to "0" = no prefetch at all.

WinXP loaded fine, I plugged the card in... and it started working!

The underground of the problem is the following: 3538m original driver has a bug, leading to system halt during system load. This halt somehow corrupts prefetch file corresponding to A2ZSnb. Is it this .pf incompleteness or some incorrect bytes order, it does not matter.

After we had corrupted this .pf file, the next load without a A2ZSnb goes fine coz' WinXP does not try to load this .pf. But when A2ZSnb is plugged in, this prefetch file tries to load, halting the system again.

I dunno what these .pf contents is, but here are the experimental facts. So the solution to fix the driver is to fix a boot-bug. The card works fine when plugged in after boot-up.

thomasabarnes · Feb 14, 2007, 06:33 PM

OK, How about making an Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro work?

Estarriol · Feb 14, 2007, 06:47 PM

This topic applies only to Audigy 2 ZS notebook

silvertones · Feb 14, 2007, 08:25 PM

OK what abt win2Ksp4. I guess the real answer is to fix the bug ib 3538m?

thomasabarnes · Feb 15, 2007, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Estarriol

This topic applies only to Audigy 2 ZS notebook

LMAO

Man, I just thought if you could solve that problem with the notebook, maybe you could solve the problem with the Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro input noise.

Anyway, was just kidding around with you.

Congratulations on your success.

Max M. · Feb 15, 2007, 03:57 AM

lol

Leoromanelli · Feb 20, 2007, 03:37 AM

has anyone knows how to make the beeping dissapear of the audigy 2 zs notebook when i play a song in winamp? I've noticed that if you press play several times the music appear, and when you press again it dissapears, and you have a beeping instead of music. I've also noticed that some color in the graphic display of kx moves everytime y press play.
I'm a newbie on kx, so excuse my "indian like" description.

**Eugene Gavrilov** · Feb 24, 2007, 08:20 PM

leoromanelli: currently, there's no solution
you need to do one of the following things:
1. unload kxmixer; go to devman; disable the driver; re-enable the driver; re-start kxmixer (with --startup option)
OR:
2. close any audio applications; in kx console type rv ('reset voices')
OR:
3. playback any MIDI file (open kX Mixer's analyzer and watch until all hardware voices are allocated at least once)
OR:
4. keep pressing pause/play/pause/play in Winamp (watch kXMixer's analyzer - voices should shift to the right) -- after ~16-32 attempts this usually fixes the issue

E.

Feb 14, 2007, 05:04 PM	#1
Estarriol DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 59 Rep Power: 0	Partial explanation to Audigy 2 ZS notebook & 3538m driver problems This text relates only to Audigy 2 ZS notebook and its audio input problems Well, guys, the problems with 3538m driver are slowly moving to resolution. Here's a detailed example how I made my Audigy2ZS notebook constantly work. Yesterday I restored an image of a WinXP system (I had Windows for Legacy PCs installed before). This WinXP had kXdrv installed (I dont remember the exact version). So I just replaced the Code: C:\%WINDOWS%\System32\drivers\kx.sys driver with original 3538m. A2ZSnb works fine when plugged in a already loaded system. Mic is noisy and reacts to almost anything, including knocking a card with a fingernail. But I still could use a mic well, and did a funny Skype call using DSP processing of audio-in stream. I switched the computer off per night, and turned it on at morning with a card still in. The system halted on boot, and after its normal boot-up without a card in I tried to plug A2ZSnb - the system halted constantly. After a small thinking I concluded: all the problems of inconsistency of my prior tests come from caching. And this caching in WinXP is called PREFETCH. First thing you have to do is to delete all the files from Code: C:\%WINDOWS%\Prefetch , and turn off ALL the prefetching by setting HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters\EnablePrefetcher to zero. The option by default, "3", means prefetching of boot files and applications. I had no intent to dig in deeper, so I just set it to "0" = no prefetch at all. WinXP loaded fine, I plugged the card in... and it started working! The underground of the problem is the following: 3538m original driver has a bug, leading to system halt during system load. This halt somehow corrupts prefetch file corresponding to A2ZSnb. Is it this .pf incompleteness or some incorrect bytes order, it does not matter. After we had corrupted this .pf file, the next load without a A2ZSnb goes fine coz' WinXP does not try to load this .pf. But when A2ZSnb is plugged in, this prefetch file tries to load, halting the system again. I dunno what these .pf contents is, but here are the experimental facts. So the solution to fix the driver is to fix a boot-bug. The card works fine when plugged in after boot-up. Last edited by Estarriol; Feb 14, 2007 at 06:45 PM.

Feb 14, 2007, 06:33 PM	#2
thomasabarnes Long Time ***** Friend Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: USA Posts: 1,375 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	OK, How about making an Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro work? __________________ May a song always touch you in a positive way. SONAR X1D Expanded, Windows 7 Pro 64Bit, MOTU UltraLite MK3, 150 GB HDD, 250 GB HDD, 1 TB x2 HDD 7200 rpm My Music Production: Top 40, Contemporary Christian, Pop/Rock, Decent Rap, Inspirationals, and Children Songs

Feb 14, 2007, 06:47 PM	Thread Starter #3
Estarriol DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 59 Rep Power: 0	This topic applies only to Audigy 2 ZS notebook

Feb 14, 2007, 08:25 PM	#4
silvertones HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 283 Rep Power: 39	OK what abt win2Ksp4. I guess the real answer is to fix the bug ib 3538m?

Feb 15, 2007, 03:57 AM	#6
Max M. h/h member-shmember Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Evil Empire Posts: 2,639 Rep Power: 69	lol

Feb 20, 2007, 03:37 AM	#7
Leoromanelli DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	has anyone knows how to make the beeping dissapear of the audigy 2 zs notebook when i play a song in winamp? I've noticed that if you press play several times the music appear, and when you press again it dissapears, and you have a beeping instead of music. I've also noticed that some color in the graphic display of kx moves everytime y press play. I'm a newbie on kx, so excuse my "indian like" description.

Feb 24, 2007, 08:20 PM	#8
Eugene Gavrilov kX Project Lead Programmer and Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,119 Rep Power: 75	leoromanelli: currently, there's no solution you need to do one of the following things: 1. unload kxmixer; go to devman; disable the driver; re-enable the driver; re-start kxmixer (with --startup option) OR: 2. close any audio applications; in kx console type rv ('reset voices') OR: 3. playback any MIDI file (open kX Mixer's analyzer and watch until all hardware voices are allocated at least once) OR: 4. keep pressing pause/play/pause/play in Winamp (watch kXMixer's analyzer - voices should shift to the right) -- after ~16-32 attempts this usually fixes the issue E.