[XP/Vista/7] Soundblaster X-FI Bluescreen FIX

[Jorgee!]

I got this on Xiansue or whatever the map name is, when I select weapon and deploy.

Didnt happen any time in the Beta

[garra]

The original driver version recommended is not available for download anymore, the most recent version (2013 V1.05) is BSODing again.

Can anyone confirm? This is the umpteenth driver I'm trying, so I'm considering driver residue fscking things up. Despite Driver Cleaner, you never know.

Oh, before I forget. If someone could share the old installer package, that'd be great!

[Jorgee!]

The original driver version recommended is not available for download anymore, the most recent version (2013 V1.05) is BSODing again.

Can anyone confirm? This is the umpteenth driver I'm trying, so I'm considering driver residue fscking things up. Despite Driver Cleaner, you never know.

Oh, before I forget. If someone could share the old installer package, that'd be great!

SO I reinstalled my system, I was using PAX, but not sure which version (since the past 2 years)

I had BSOD if minimized and tried to change sound settings, avoidable.

In order to NOT GET BSOD while playing, I had to open TeamSpeak before entering the game (Strange, but that was my fix).

Will try again with Creative ones.

[harveyB]

Hi,

I have a SB X-FI platinum on a PC running vista 32-bit . When I try to access the "audio creation mode" via console launcher or audio panel to route the audio through the upgrade kit front panel I have, I get the BSOD. The sound card works, but only in what presumably is a basic mode.

It all worked fine until a Vista upgrade removed my audio device and I had to reinstall the drivers.

Do you think these drivers will fix this problem?

Regards
Harvey

[WeeGeez]

It might be worth adding this info to OP:

The main reason X-FI systems either lock up or BSOD is to do with PCI latency issues and conflicts between Graphic and Sound cards. It largely depends on what order components in a system were installed, in most cases, the sound card is installed into the machine after the video card, and this is what causes conflicts. Drivers wont ever fix it.

Potential conflicts can be seen by doing the following: Run msinfo32.exe and navigate to Hardware Resources > IRQ.

The workaround is to uninstall both sound and graphics card drivers, removing both cards physically, clean the OS with driver sweeper (v3.2.0 is the best version for creative) and to install the sound card first, video card second. This way each card its allocated its own IRQ address. I'm unsure if physical removal of cards is necessary in fact, perhaps IRQ are allocated at software install alone. Its the way I've done it and it seems to work. This workaround and largely depends on chipset implementation, i.e. whether or not PCI lanes are shared by a single chip and/or if there are only two pcie slots.

Alternatively it may be worth changing PCI Latency first to see if this alone prevents Bsods/hangs. This solution won't work for PCI-E cards, only those that use legacy 32bit PCI (e.g. Xtreme Gamer):

Most Creative soundcard issues are the result of how they work on the PCI bus. Generally speaking, Creative cards are bus hogs. They make good sound but rely heavily on a clean PCI bus.

Yes. The fix: adjust pci latency. Default pci latency for all devices is usually set in the motherboard bios, typically 32. When you install video card drivers, the install program often sets pci latency for the video card at 248. Reduce the latency of the video card so that it is not more than twice the sound card (in multiples of eight). My latency values are 64 for sound and 128 for video.

Source

PCI Latency and IRQ conflict are related but 'X-fi clicks' are soley a latency issue. I've experienced these clicks (though not in PR) even after having the fixed the bsod problem.


So in short, with new builds; install chipset drivers then sound card then video card.

As SnipingCoward already pointed out, chipset / SMBUS drivers can be make or break system performance.

[Zet]

X-FI PCIe Titanium
PAX MASTER PCIe Titanium Driver Suite V1.30 release

Where to download? PAX MASTER PCIe Titanium Driver Suite V1.30 release?

[sprint113]

Where to download? PAX MASTER PCIe Titanium Driver Suite V1.30 release?

They seem to be gone now. I think the current official drivers online appear to fix the BSOD issue (although I'm under the impression that you may still need to disable X-RAM). If you can, a good option might be to find the latest DanielK's X-Fi driver pack.