No Analogue Audio on MSI K8N Neo4-F (PCB 1.0) in Vista Ultimate

[Decius]

I'm setting up my HTPC with the MSI K8N Neo4-F (PCB 1.0) motherboard under Vista Ultimate, and when I install the Realtek AC97 drivers I don't get any audio out of the analogue outputs. Audio works on digital no problems, but analogue is non-existent. I can't even select the analogue channels; they're completely greyed out. Here's the full specs of the computer.

• MSI K8N Neo4-F (PCB 1.0)
• AMD Athlon64 X2 3800+ Socket 939
• 2GB 2x1GB PC3200 DDR Dual Channel
• ASUS EN8600GT GeForce 8600GT Silentcool
• Onboard RealTek ALC850 AC97 v2.3 Sound
• Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 250GB SATA2 8.5MS 7200RPM 16MB Cache (JBOD, Disk 0)
• Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 500GB SATA2 3GB/S 7200RPM 16MB Cache (JBOD, Disk 1)
• Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 80GB SATA2 2MB 11MS 7200RPM
• Sony 16x DVD-ROM
• Pioneer DVR-112D DVD-RW
• Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150 MCE TV Tuner
• SilverStone Grandia GD01-MX HTPC case
• Corsair HX520W
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Edition 32BIT RTM
• Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 HS/F
• Logitech diNovo Cordless Desktop

The system is booting off the JBOD array, and the 80GB drive is just sitting there for recorded TV. I basically install Vista, then install the drivers. No updates have been installed at this point. My next step is to try XP MCE to see if it's just Vista being retarded or something else actually wrong. However I turn to your forum for some help because, surprisingly, I actually want to run Vista for this situation.

 

[Zap]

Two things to check...

1) If front panel audio isn't hooked up, many boards require jumpers on the headers. (this is unlikely based on your description)

2) Try disabling digital output. I remember seeing once some onboard audio driver that could only output one or the other and not both at the same time, so if one was enabled then the other was disabled.

Beyond those suggestions, I'd have to sit down in front of it to figure out anything else.

 

[Decius]

1) Jumpers are configured. First thing I checked.

2) Hmmm, I'll have to check on that one. Rings a bell from the last time I did a fresh install.

Edit: Checked the applet that resides in the system tray, and the analogue outputs are grayed out. I can only select 6CH and 8CH digital.

 

[Decius]

Installed XP MCE and used the drivers direct from MSI. Now I do have an SPDIF tab, and I've set it to "No Output." Still can select analogue channels and and no audio coming out. Wonder if the mobo is screwed. I hate computers, lol.

 

[Decius]

Anyone have any further suggestions?