How do I remove C-Media sound drivers? 2

[euston]

I am cursed with C-Media sound drivers, courtesy of Microsoft. I cannot get rid of the d----d things. I uninstall C-Media drivers with the supplied utility. I then install a Creative PCI 128 card using the Microsoft Creative drivers and the sound is terrible. It's not hardware. I know that this is so because when I run a different copy of Windows XP (without having been so stupid as to let XP install C-Media drivers), the sound works well.

It would seem that the C-Media driver is interfering with the Creative one.


Owzat! On ya way, back to the pavilion!

 

[wahnula]

A little clarity please. Sequence of events, hardware specs, etc. would be nice instead of just complaining...

Like..."I want to use a (insert card make & model here) with a (insert PC make & model, or detailed specs, OS SP level, etc), but I am having trouble with (insert trouble here)."

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[tlcscousin]

Have you tried going into BIOS and disable onboard sound if the motherboard has onboard sound?

 

[euston]

Thanks for replying. The on-board sound system is disabled in BIOS.

As to the events, I installed WinXP on a machine with a Jetway V400DB system board equipped with AC97 sound. I allowed Windows to install a driver for that sound system. It didn't sound too good (very attenuated) so I uninstalled the drivers (or so I thought), disabled the AC97 in BIOS, inserted a Creative CT4810, let Windows find a driver and was disappointed to hear a very distorted sound (the melody is apparent but it sounds on the edge of breaking up).

I have to say that I didn't give much thought to what Windows was doing when it installed the driver for the AC97 sound system. I have read that it is less than perfect at identifying audio chips.

When I run a different installtion of Windows XP on the same hardware, the CT4810 behaves perfectly. I wish that I had elected to disable the AC97 in BIOS and use the CT4810 on initial install.


Owzat! On ya way, back to the pavilion!

 

[BadBigBen]

Windows will only replace the driver if it is newer than the installed version, also WHQL plays a part in the picture...

uninstalling, ergo removing the said C-Media driver, would have to be done by hand, then when you deinstall the driver per device manager it does not get deleted, just the hooks pointing to the hardware get reset, and upon reboot will get reinstalled...

btw. here is the link to the latest driver for that (CRP) card...

http://support.creative.com/Product...6 PCI&subCatName=Others&CatName=Sound+Blaster

if windows (see above as to why) does not switch out drivers, then unpack (use winrar or similar) the driver package to a folder, then edit the ctpci2K.inf file...

e.g.
original file

[Version]
Signature ="$CHICAGO$"
Class =MEDIA
ClassGUID ={4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
provider =%MfgName%
DriverVer =06/11/2002,5.12.01.5017
CatalogFile =ctpci2k.cat

to something like this:

[Version]
Signature ="$CHICAGO$"
Class =MEDIA
ClassGUID ={4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
provider =%MfgName%
DriverVer =06/11/2008,5.15.01.5017
CatalogFile =ctpci2k.cat

notice the date and version change! this is necessary to FOOL windows into thinking that this driver is newer than the one installed...

if you are not comfortable in doing this change yourself, or just don't want to mess with it, then you could also look for the program called DriverCleaner (costs $9.99), it may be able to remove the C-Media driver completely from the system...

it can be found here:

http://www.drivercleaner.net/

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[wahnula]

Ben,

Wonderful response! Good crystal-clear explanation too, have a star.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[euston]

This is most embarrassing! The problem was the speakers. Intermittent faults are the very devil. There was an extraordinary coincidence between the speakers going duff and the use of different installations of Windows XP. The speakers have now gone permanently duff and have been consigned to the dustbin.

I have to thank BigBadBen for his expertise. That post is very useful and will come in handy when I really do have a driver problem.


Owzat! On ya way, back to the pavilion!

 

[BadBigBen]

@ Euston - glad you found the culprit, and thanx for posting what the fix was... LOL, I almost suggested you check the cabling and speakers, but that the second install worked without a flaw kept me from doing so...

@ Tony - thanks for the heads up... since I had once a similar problem (a monitor inf file), I remembered what to do in order to fool the system...

both thanx for the star...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."