Can't install kX driver

funkdude

Here's the story. A year or so ago, I was running win2k on my previous computer and bought an Audigy 2 OEM card. I don't know the exact model, I just know it is an Audigy 2 and I bought it OEM. It came with a CD, driver, the whole thing worked pretty good.

Now, I frankensteined myself a new computer from various parts I had and others I bought used, but found out I had lost my Audigy 2 CD. Hey, no problem, I'll just get the driver from Creative's website. No such luck. The thing refuses to install, saying it doesn't recognize my card, etc. Creative support isn't much help, they since I bought it OEM, they can't provide support.

So, I decided to turn to kX as a last resort (not that kX is a bad thing, just that I very recently heard of it). I go through the first part of the installation, then check the "install kX driver" check box and click Finish. I click install on the new dialog, click ok at the first screen, but then it goes directly to the VST selection screen. No driver install dialog or anything. I then click cancel since I have no VST, the next dialog says everything has been installed, etc. Except when I reboot, no driver is installed. kX is there, but if I try starting up the mixer, it says I don't have the driver installed.

So, I booted up in safe mode and tried to install the driver manually. I selected kx.sys as the file and "EMU10k2 Generic" as the driver. Windows warns me the driver might not be compatible, I click to continue anyways, same thing for digital signing. Reboot, I get a message that my card could not be initialized due to a driver problem.

Here are my full system specs (just ask if you need more):

Intel D865PERL board
3.0GHz P4 w/ HT
1024mb ram
Audigy 2 OEM (specific model unknown, how do I find out?)

Running Windows XP SP2, all latest updates.

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Russ

There should be some indications of the model number printed on the card.
i.e.
Identifying a Creative Products Model Number

The serial number (usually printed on a sticker on the card) can usually be used to identify the specific model as well.

I am not sure how much help either method will be with an OEM model, but you can give it a try.

There is no guarantee that kX will work with your card (especially without knowing the model number), but make sure that you are trying the latest version of kX (currently 3538m), as it supports more models than some previous versions, etc.

funkdude

Thanks for the help.

I tried 3538m (the above post was with 3537) and the install went smoothly. It correctly recognized my card and installed the proper driver. Turns out the card is a SB0400 (clearly written on the card itself), apparently an Audigy 2 Value. So, I reboot, but the same message comes about not being able to initialize device, bad drivers, etc. :|

Edit: Now I can't even uninstall the kX drivers. Windows xompletely freezes when I try to. I have ran the kx uninstaller, but the driver didn't get unnstalled. I also tried in safe mode, and even by physically removing the card. Everytime, windows just freezes upon unnistall attempt or kX drivers come back when I boot back up :|

I also tried installing Creative drivers. Same freeze-up when it tries to "update windows driver".

I just want to listen to my music

Russ

Hmm, if it truly is an A2 Value (SB0400), than it should work with kX (although there is an issue with the mapping with the outputs).

Try using DriverCleaner (in Safe Mode) to completely remove the kX driver, and any remnants of the Creative driver, and then try installing kX 3538m again.

BTW: If it is truly an A2 Value, then the Creative driver should have worked as well, so I am not sure what to think about all the problems you are having...

funkdude

After some fiddling with Driver Cleaner in safe mode a few times, I managed to properly (I think) unninstall the drivers. Tried running 3538m setup again, same error about bad driver. Currently trying to run kx unninstaller, its been hanging on "Execute: kxsetup --clean" for a 5 minutes now...

Doug W

Someone correct me if I am wrong here, but doesn't hyperthreading have to be disabled for 3538M?

Russ

I have no idea... But that doesn't explain the problem with the CL driver, right? In any case, it couldn't hurt to try disabling it.

Beyond the above, if you are unable to get it to work with kX, I would try letting Windows install a generic driver, and see if that works (to verify that the sound card still works, and see what model Windows thinks it is, etc).

Maddogg6

Well - I didn't disable HT on my PC - and KX 3538m installed flawlessly for me.

Any reference to what it is your talking about?

Doug W

OK, I went back to the thread where I knew this info was about HT and it wasn't there so now I am thinking that it was the 1960s coming back to haunt me.

funkdude

Update of sorts:

After more messing around with Driver Cleaner in safe mode, uninstalling, cleaning, adn resinstalling various drivers many times, I'm starting to think my card is dead/dying :/

I managed to install the creative driver, and also let windows load it's own default driver. Both of which result in pretty much the same thing as kX, I get the following "device status" in device manager:

"Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)

Click Troubleshoot to start the troubleshooter for this device."


Next thing I'm gonna do is try and find a PC in which I could put my card, see if its an issue with my config or something.

Maddogg6

Oh wow maaan - I know what you mean, maaan. lolz

Russ

Sounds like a good plan, let us know how you make out...

funkdude

Installed the card in my father's celeron-based Dell, worked like a charm with creative drivers. I had my answer so I didn't try kX.

So somethings is wrong with my computer. Hmm. Could there possibly be any conflicts? My onboard card is disabled in BIOS. Is there any other app besides DriverCleaner which I could run to try and clear out everything? Anything else I should check?

A reformat/reinstall is kinda out of the question, I really don't feel like going through this again.

Edit: a few more details that may or may not be related:

While running CL's setup, I get the "driver not signed, continue anyways or not". I click continue anyways, but is this normal? I thought Creative's drivers would be signed? Also, the setup hangs for about 15min when it says "Updating windows drivers" before it completes. Another thing, but it might not be related specifically to this card, is that trhe driver setup (both kx and cl) cannot find the required system files (such as ksuser.sys and ks.inf) by themselves. I have to manually point them to the files in the system32 and system32\driver folders.

I'm really stuck here. Can't see at all what the problem could possibly be.

Doug W

Have you tried a different PCI slot in the first computer?

Russ

I agree that a clean reinstall of Windows can be a royal headache, but you have already spent 4 days trying to figure this out...

Try disabling any anti-virus and firewall software while performing the installation.

Use msconfig or a startup manager to disable any programs that automatically start with Windows.

As Doug W. stated, try the card in a different PCI slot.

Try resetting your computer's BIOS to it's default setting.

Try changing any BIOS settings that you think might have an effect (PCI latency, etc).

Maybe try re-applying SP2.

Maybe try an in-place upgrade (repair installation) of Windows.

Maybe try installing a second copy of Windows (dual boot), to try and determine if it is a problem with Windows, or a problem with your system, etc. (this is a nice option if you have a second hard drive, and if your BIOS lets you designate which drive to boot from)

funkdude

Ok, sorry for the somewhat long delay, but my PSU actually blew up on me when I rebooted. God must hate me or something. (it was three year old generic psu, I guess it had done its time)

So, I have tried, disabling every startup item and a lot of unnecessary/3rd party services in msconfig, changing the pci slot and resetting/messing with the bios. To no avail.

Will try repair install and reapplying SP2 now.

Russ

If your BIOS has an area to monitor your motherboard voltages, I would check to make sure that it is getting the proper voltages, as voltage problems could cause problems like you are having (under-powered PSU, bad voltage regulator, bad wiring, bad caps, etc can cause voltage problems).

funkdude

Sorry for the double post, but my issue is resolved. A windows repair install did it. Huge thanks Russ.

I have installed kX, but still am having issues with it. Might be related to the fact that my SB0400 isn't fully supported. I'll be starting a new thread to hopefully get some more help.

Russ

Glad to hear that you got it working