Changing Soundcards

[georgeg]

For a long time, I've had a problem with my PC locking up at random times. I've never been able to find the cause. I have been advised to strip out cards (sound, parallel port, firewire card). I removed the parallel port card as I no longer need it. The lockup problem preceded the firewire card so I don't think that is the problem. For some reason, I resisted removing my sound card. Well, tonight I finally did remove the sound card (Sound Blaster Live Value) and so far this evening I've not experienced a lock up. I managed to install Win SP2 which failed on 3 previous attempts due to lock up and I burned an CD-R and verified the disk which almost always locks up the system.

My question is, would installing any other brand of sound card (such as a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz) be any less likely to cause my PC to lock up when installed. And yes, I did have the latest drivers for the Sound Blaster installed in my PC.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: georgeg
For a long time, I've had a problem with my PC locking up at random times. I've never been able to find the cause. I have been advised to strip out cards (sound, parallel port, firewire card). I removed the parallel port card as I no longer need it. The lockup problem preceded the firewire card so I don't think that is the problem. For some reason, I resisted removing my sound card. Well, tonight I finally did remove the sound card (Sound Blaster Live Value) and so far this evening I've not experienced a lock up. I managed to install Win SP2 which failed on 3 previous attempts due to lock up and I burned an CD-R and verified the disk which almost always locks up the system.

My question is, would installing any other brand of sound card (such as a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz) be any less likely to cause my PC to lock up when installed. And yes, I did have the latest drivers for the Sound Blaster installed in my PC.

I'd install another brand and model of sound card and give it a shot. The drivers were the likely culprit.

 

[nanaki333]

when your computer locks up and you reboot back into windows, have you checked the events log?

also, seeings how it probably is the sound card, you can try putting it in another PCI slot. may have been a conflict with another device.

 

[georgeg]

Originally posted by: nanaki333
when your computer locks up and you reboot back into windows, have you checked the events log?

also, seeings how it probably is the sound card, you can try putting it in another PCI slot. may have been a conflict with another device.

I've checked the event log (and posted it on support forums looking for help) but nothing seemed to point to any cause. I might try relocating the card but no conflicts have ever shown up in the Windows device manager.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: georgeg

Originally posted by: nanaki333
when your computer locks up and you reboot back into windows, have you checked the events log?

also, seeings how it probably is the sound card, you can try putting it in another PCI slot. may have been a conflict with another device.

I've checked the event log (and posted it on support forums looking for help) but nothing seemed to point to any cause. I might try relocating the card but no conflicts have ever shown up in the Windows device manager.

We could look at the minidumps in c:\windows\minidump to see what the cause is..