Help - Windows XP - Speaker Settings defaulting to incorrect mode

[quickclicker]

Hi all.

I'm running Windows XP, and each time I boot up my computer, in order to hear my surround speakers I must go into the control panel, click on Sounds and Audio Devices, and "just click" on the advanced tab. After clicking the advanced tab the surround speakers are then audible. It's as if Windows is not updating the registry when I click "apply."

I've tried applying a different setting, then reverting back to my original setting; thereby resetting it - no dice.

I'm 99.99% sure it's not a driver problem. I can open my surround mixer, change my sound card's settings (SB Live! w/correct XP drivers) from 4 speakers, back to 2, then back to 4. It doesn't correct the problem.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[MTDEW]

I had the same problem when using the default drivers for my SBLive that came with WinXp. (Or the ones from the XP "UPDATES" page)

When I use the latest drivers from Creatives site for my SB Live & Xp it works fine by changing the speaker settings in Audio HQ.

Get the latest SB Live Xp Drivers from Creative Here then go into Audio Hq & change the speaker settings to what you want, then the settings will "stay put".

Dont even bother with Cpntrol Panel/Sounds & Audio under windows, nothing I tried will get it to retain the settings you choose, just set it to 4.1, 5.1 , srrnd or whatever under Audio HQ & youre good to go. 😉

 

[quickclicker]

Thanks MTDEW,

I appreciate your reply to my question.

One problem: I also had the exact same problem w/default Windows XP drivers, and downloaded the ones from Creative's website. It stopped doing it for a few weeks, and now it's back?! Crazy, huh?

I'll try re-installing the drivers. Any other suggestions you can think of? I contacted Microsoft about this, and am awaiting a reply, but I figure they'll give me advice such as, "Hmm, we're stumped; just re-install Windows."

Thanks,
Matt

 

[quickclicker]

Well, I just thought I'd mention that I found the problem and reported it to Microsoft.

Here's an excerpt from the email I sent to MS:

"I was logging on to Windows and I thought about what I did last before I started having problems with my surround speakers. It dawned on me that not long ago I turned off the startup music in Windows. I figured it was a long shot, but I thought, why not try reverting back to the default startup.wav?

Well, it appears to have solved my problem. Windows booted up, and when the startup.wav played, all four speakers were on. I opened Winamp, played a mp3, same result - all worked fine. I re-booted, and double-checked it - everything works.

Obviously, nearest I can tell, this is not a soundcard/driver issue. This was not the case with Windows 98. (first edition, with SP1 installed) Like I stated in my previous email, I did uninstall and re-install the soundcard's drivers - that did nothing."

Now, all is well.

Matt