Windows XP clean install - HELP!

[Jozif]

So here's the situation:

I had a Compaq presario 7000 that I wished to upgrade. I found a number of incompatibilities and errors, so I deicded to purchase a new motherboard/chip combo, and in the process new/more ram. My old system, obviously, wasn't runnning 100% for a while, and I thought that perhaps some of it had to do with the fact that I originally had Windows ME, then upgraded to Windows XP Pro without doing a clean install. So, I decided to do a clean install, and backed up all of my important data.

Yesterday I recieved the new equipment and proceeded to switch all of the components from the old to the new, including the old memory sticks, which I knew worked properly, since there was room for them. Once that was done, I popped my Windows XP Home Upgrade cd in (I ended up having to purchase a new copy of XP, due to losing the XP pro cd) and told the setup program to format the drive then install. I now have a multitude of problems that I can't figure out where/why they're coming from.

For starters, during the initial setup I ran into a couple of errors. One was a blue screen of death, saying that a core dump failed and I'd haveto restart the computer. I restarted and it went back into setup and I didn't recieve that error again. The second error I recieved it said it couldn't install the hardware 'System'. Only option was to click Ok, which I did, and it continued on.

The setup program finally finished loading XP, and I brought the machine up into Windows XP. First order of business was to attempt to install drivers for my video card and sound card. The video card install went off without a hitch, so I moved on to the sound card. I cannot for the life of me get the sound card to work. I've installed and uninstalled countless times. I've tried downloading updated drivers and patches from Creative for my card. I've tried going into Control Panel->System->Device Manager and manually updating the drivers. That was when I noticed that Multimedia Audio Controller was not working, and it said that the drivers weren't installed. Now, the motherboard has built in sound device, but it's not 5.1 so I wanted to use the soundblaster card. Is this conflicting with the soundblaster card and causing it not to work? If not, what else could the problem be?

Additionally concerning the sound card, after the first attempt at installing the drivers, the computer would not boot up. After the POST completed it would just hang, without continuing on to load XP. I finally was able to get something out of it by sticking the XP disk in and booting from that, then running repair install. After that it booted fine.

Well, after spending about 2 hours messing with the sound card I decided to take a break (before I took out my sledgehammer) and install a game and relax a minute or two. So I brought out the game CD, exactly as it came the day I bought it, and attempted to install it. About halfway through the install I got an error saying that the media install was corrupt because it couldn't continue, and it canceled the install. Reboot, try again, same result. Okay, I'm going to bed.

So that's the story so far of my adventures. What's going on with my computer? Is all of this becuase of something wrong with the system? Could it be the memory sticks I transfered over from the old to the new? Do I need to wipe everything out again and redo the install(not a huge problem if necessary, as I still have the back up data saved on another computer)? Please help, I'm lost at this point.

PS - sorry for the long post, I wanted to give as much info as possible.

[Mobo]

Have you tried chipset drivers for the motherboard ?

[Jozif]

No, I didn't. =(

I guess I assumed that XP would handle it okay. Can I go in now and install that, and do you think it will clear up a lot of the errors I'm having?

[Mobo]

Xp doesn't have all chipset drivers included. My two year old board doesn't have then in the xp driver database as well so give it a try..

[amjdz]

Go into your bios (accessible while your comp is first starting up)
Make sure that the on board sound is turned off. Cant tell you how 'cause i don't know what kinda mobo your runnin, but the info book that came with your mobo should be able to tell you how to get into your bios and how to turn off your onboard sound.

[Jozif]

Still no go on the audio. I installed the drivers from the CD that came with the motherboard. I went into the BIOS and disabled the onboard audio. Uninstalled Creative's stuff the reinstalled it, still nothing.

In Device Manager I still get Multimedia Audio Controller with an exclamation point, and says no drivers for it. I also have an Unknown Device under Sound, Video, and Game controllers with an exclamation point as well. If I try to open any of creatives programs for diagnostic or audio controls it tells me the drivers aren't there and I need to reinstall them.

[Jozif]

Oh, and FYI I don't know which step fixed this problem, but I took the old memory out, and after installing the drivers from motherboard cd, I was able to install a couple other things without any issue. Right now the only problem is the sound card.

[barryhal]

What I would do is go in and uninstall anything with an exclamation point, reboot, and let winxp recognize them again.

[Jozif]

tried that, they come right back in the same manner

[Jozif]

Well, I tried downloading another set of drivers today and this is the error message I get:

Setup could not detect any Sound Blaster Audio Card on your system.

Please ensure that your Sound Blaster hardware is properly installed before running this Setup program.

Setup will now exit.


I know that at least part of the card is working, because the system recognizes the game port in the Device Manager.

[amjdz]

Try putting your sound card into a different pci slot..Mabye also when you take out the sound card before you put it back in go into add/remove programs and delete any programs or drivers associated with the exclamation points in your device manager, then go into device manager and delete the ones with exclamation points..

I use a sound blaster audigy myself and have had numerous install problems in the past.. mabye instead of installing all the crap that comes with your sound blaster, try installing only the drivers for your card.

[deathy]

i know this is gunna sound really painfull, but if i was you i would take that memory out and reinstall xp again, sounds like the memory is corrupt and what caused the system errors.

this may help your sound card problem.

what sound card do you have by the way becuase i had a simular problem with one of my pc's here.

another thing to check is that you have onboard modem turned of if your not using it. it may say amr analouge modem riser i think :/ /me wacks brain into gear.

hope this helps.

Deathy

IT Technician.

[Sootah]

Setup could not detect any Sound Blaster Audio card on your system

http://www.tweaksforgeeks.com/Instal...b_Drivers.html