[AeRoN]

Recently, I was changing a few things in my registry, and my computer all but died. i was able to get it started again by removing/disconnecting everything (GPU, HDs, CD drives, tuner, sound card,)... everything except the video card and 1 stick of ram. to my relief, it started, an odd thing about it is that an image that i flashed for the splash logo at startup like 8-10 months ago is showing up ??

anyway, when i reinstalled my x-fi platinum, i can't get any sound. after reseatting it about 3 times last night, i started up and was able to install the drivers, (other times i'm getting an error about no hardware installed... please make sure everything is connected properly etc. etc.) right through the automated windows prompt. except, when it finished, still no sound, i heard absolutley nothing from the front bay extension, and when i plugged my headphones into the back, i heard an extremely high pitched, extremely unbearable, frequency. so i restarted, and then xp didn't recognize any drivers... so not sure what happened here at all??

then i tried the whole driver cleaner pro deal (not really sure how to use the program, couldn't find anything specific that said soundblaster or x-fi, so just used the "creative audio" driver removal). really didn't seem to affect anything, am getting the same error.

i have been using this card successfully since xmas. if memory serves, it seems as though i had a bit of trouble getting it to work at xmas, but nothing this extreme.

any suggestions?

 

[BigFNDeal]

backup everything you can, wipe ur hard drives using dban or some other utility, reinstall OS from scratch and restore all the data u backed up. Whatever you do don't back up any Windows files, just backup data, like music, movies, pictures that sort of thing.

 

[MCC]

Back everything up then try restoring your machine's original registry. You'll need to reinstall most of your software and many other settings will be lost in the registry wipe, but it's not as bad as a reformat.

If that doesn't work a clean install might be your only choice.

 

[AeRoN]

alright, will do tomorrow. thanks for the input. should i wipe both my harddrives, even though only 1 has system files?

 

[BigFNDeal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AeRoN /img/forum/go_quote.gif alright, will do tomorrow. thanks for the input. should i wipe both my harddrives, even though only 1 has system files?

No, just wipe the one that has windows on it. My advice would be to only have the system drive hooked up until after the install of the OS. Just pull the power plug out of the 2nd drive until ur sure you can boot into a fully restored windows, then add the 2nd drive back in. That way ur sure u install on the correct drive and u don't accidentally erase the storage drive.

Also, just a thought, u might want to take this opportunity to update ur BIOS as well, since your basically starting over.

 

[Sir Nobax]

You see, playing with RegEdit = bad.

 

[AeRoN]

Reformatted (not with dban) but i did do a clean install, and... nothing. still the same damn error. also, on a different note (may be related) none of my chassis fans are running :S.

tried the x-fi in my bro's computer, which is fully functional, and it didn't work either. in fact, when i started his computer up with the sound card in it, the resolution was at 800x600, and the color quality was forced down to 4 bit, (rather than the 32 bit that it was previously set at). so i don't know what's going on, but i can't imagine that all my components up and broke as soon as i had a registry screw up. but i don't know.

'bout ready to take a hammer to the sound card.