Windows 7 can't see my 5.1 speakers, ZOMG

[TitusPullo]

I just installed Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit on a new computer.

I am using an older Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium sound card, which has never had a single problem in Windows 7 on my old PC.

However now after I install the X-Fi drivers (from Creative's site), Windows shows 2-channel stereo as the only available speaker configuration.

When I go to the Creative properties window for speakers, there is the full list of speaker configs, but when I choose anything besides 2-channel or headphone (like 4.1 or 5.1), the system pauses a second then forces the drop-down menu selection back to 2-channel.

I plugged the colored speaker inputs into the X-Fi correctly, but for some reason only the green plug (front left/right) is recognized and outputting sound.

I have tried disabling the Realtek onboard audio in BIOS, also I tried uninstalling the X-Fi, nothing works. When I uninstalled the X-Fi, Windows automatically installed a generic "HD Audio Device" driver that gives the same result -- 2 channel stereo only.

I have not tried using the SPDIF output yet, as I do not have an optical cable handy.

But I shouldn't have to use SPDIF for Windows to at least SHOW the 5.1 option.

Specs:
- Intel Core i7 2600K
- Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3
- 4GB G.SKILL DDR3 RAM
- Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium PCI-e
- Logitech Z5500 THX 5.1 surround sound speakers
- Sapphire Radeon 5870 1GB
- OCZ Vertex 3 120GB system drive
- Western Digital Caviar 1.5TB data drive
- LG Blu-ray DVD/RW
- Samsung DVD/RW/Lightscribe

 

[Ketchup]

Creative has always had driver problems. You might want to see if you can google for some better drivers. Even older ones might work.

Bypassing the problem, have you tried doing 5.1 with the Realtek onboard sound? I have been pleased with the chip on my board.

 

[TitusPullo]

Creative has always had driver problems. You might want to see if you can google for some better drivers. Even older ones might work.

Bypassing the problem, have you tried doing 5.1 with the Realtek onboard sound? I have been pleased with the chip on my board.

I haven't tried using 5.1 with the Realtek only. It seems like a last resort when I have this specialized PCI-e card sitting around -- and working perfectly on my last PC, which only died a week ago.

 

[MtnMan]

That's not windows, that's a driver issue.

 

[TheInternal]

I've grown to loathe Creative over the last few years... with end-users making better drivers than Creative would provide, then Creative suing them... yeah... sorta don't recommend their products anymore. I've had nothing but problems with my various Audigy cards in Windows 7... probably IRQ conflicts, but wasn't able to every properly address them.