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xfi won't install

D

dwb

Member
I just unpacked my xfi Xtreme Music card. Installed it (how hard can that be?) and the computer won't boot. I went through basic troubleshooting, with no sucess. Then I took the card out, and what do you know...my computer boots.

A quick internet search has turned up some compatibility problems with the nForce 4 chipset. Anybody have any details on that? The Creative website and forums are not initially helpful.

What a drag - I thought Creative worked with EVERYTHING!

dwb
 
There's an issue the X-FI and some (not all) nF4 boards. The only permanant fix is a BIOS update, but some board makers are slow in getting it out. The alternative work-around is the firmware update that Andres3605 mentioned, but you have to ask for Creative for it first and they only want you to use it as a last resort.
 
This is great news; I am going to have to "dork" around with my new $120 sound card. I just installed an new Aopen nForce 4 board and XFX7800GT and had ZERO frustrations. Now this incompatibility with a mainstream audio card.

I am not happy.

dwb
 
Originally posted by: dwb
If you own an nForce 4 board, and are thinking of buying an XtremeMusic Xfi sound card, I recommend that you check this lively debate over at the Creative forum:

http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs...board.id=soundblaster&message.id=26289

dwb
Click to expand...


Holy crap!!!!!! Well, seems the issue is definitely hardware incompatibility related between how the nForce4 chipset is typically implemented and something Creative has done. Now we have the same sort of issue as before with the VIA 686B/SB Live! -- Creative is saying that all of the affected board makers need to make a BIOS update to correct this, yet Creative has a "work around" to address this if you send the card back to them. I am inclined to believe that Creative has done something "on the edge" again and it is biting them in the ass. This time the issue is with the nForce4 series, and that is NOT GOOD.

It would appear from this massive thread over on the Creative site that the issue seems to least affect MSI boards, which seems to gel pretty much with the responses I got from a post I made asking just how many people were having trouble.

I can tell everyone here that after more than 40 nForce3/4 builds with multiple mobo manufacturers and sound cards ranging from TB Santa Cruz to Envy24 and C-Media based cards I have not had a problem remotely like this. I have not used a Creative card and have not had a problem. Coincidence? I think not. Glad I have stuck to my guns over the past number of years and refused and will continue to refuse to use Creative products.
 
Wow, amazing that so many are having problems. I bought the extreme music version the first night it was available and it has been running flawlessly on my A8N-SLI deluxe for a couple of months. Guess I'm lucky
 
Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
Wow, amazing that so many are having problems. I bought the extreme music version the first night it was available and it has been running flawlessly on my A8N-SLI deluxe for a couple of months. Guess I'm lucky
Click to expand...


What is bizarre is that others with your board are having issues, and identical issues to boot (pun intended!). Why are you getting away without problems? What is your system config?
 
Um, it's in his sig?

I installed this card today on my NF4 board (MSI), and it's been working flawlessly. MSI are pretty good with BIOS updates, they are on version 1.9 already on my board, and they have a live BIOS update utility (you can update in windows!).
 
A8N-SLI deluxe bios 1012
3700+ SD
XFX 6600gt
X-FI extreme music
Klipsch 2.1's
Klipsch 5.1 ultras
1gb OCZ platinum rev2
2x74gb raptors RAID0
1x250gb WD PATA
NEC 3540a DVDR
Pioner DVD
Antec True Control 550w 20pin
Thermaltake Tsunami case
floppy
Dlink 624c router
XP Pro SP2


I guess I'm just livin right🙂, many things that have given other people fits work perfectly
like nVidia IDE drivers, Active Armour Firewall
 
Originally posted by: ChiPCGuy
Originally posted by: dwb
If you own an nForce 4 board, and are thinking of buying an XtremeMusic Xfi sound card, I recommend that you check this lively debate over at the Creative forum:

http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs...board.id=soundblaster&message.id=26289

dwb
Click to expand...


Holy crap!!!!!! Well, seems the issue is definitely hardware incompatibility related between how the nForce4 chipset is typically implemented and something Creative has done. Now we have the same sort of issue as before with the VIA 686B/SB Live! -- Creative is saying that all of the affected board makers need to make a BIOS update to correct this, yet Creative has a "work around" to address this if you send the card back to them. I am inclined to believe that Creative has done something "on the edge" again and it is biting them in the ass. This time the issue is with the nForce4 series, and that is NOT GOOD.

It would appear from this massive thread over on the Creative site that the issue seems to least affect MSI boards, which seems to gel pretty much with the responses I got from a post I made asking just how many people were having trouble.
.....
.....
Click to expand...

Unfortunately if eax3/4 functionality is wanted, creative cards are the only choice.

The original VIA 686b problem was actually a Creative issue not VIA. Afaik, Creative did not follow pci specs and it caused problems with the VIA chipset.


 
Originally posted by: PrayForDeath
Um, it's in his sig?

I installed this card today on my NF4 board (MSI), and it's been working flawlessly. MSI are pretty good with BIOS updates, they are on version 1.9 already on my board, and they have a live BIOS update utility (you can update in windows!).
Click to expand...


Um, did you read my post? I want more data than what is in his sig.

Also, I indicated that people with MSI boards seem to have, so far and on average, less problems. Your success is less than overwhelming and convincing that there is no issue to worry about. I am happy you are happy with your machine, but we are talking about real problems here that affect a great many people.
 
Originally posted by: orangat
Originally posted by: ChiPCGuy
Originally posted by: dwb
If you own an nForce 4 board, and are thinking of buying an XtremeMusic Xfi sound card, I recommend that you check this lively debate over at the Creative forum:

http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs...board.id=soundblaster&message.id=26289

dwb
Click to expand...


Holy crap!!!!!! Well, seems the issue is definitely hardware incompatibility related between how the nForce4 chipset is typically implemented and something Creative has done. Now we have the same sort of issue as before with the VIA 686B/SB Live! -- Creative is saying that all of the affected board makers need to make a BIOS update to correct this, yet Creative has a "work around" to address this if you send the card back to them. I am inclined to believe that Creative has done something "on the edge" again and it is biting them in the ass. This time the issue is with the nForce4 series, and that is NOT GOOD.

It would appear from this massive thread over on the Creative site that the issue seems to least affect MSI boards, which seems to gel pretty much with the responses I got from a post I made asking just how many people were having trouble.
.....
.....
Click to expand...

Unfortunately if eax3/4 functionality is wanted, creative cards are the only choice.

The original VIA 686b problem was actually a Creative issue not VIA. Afaik, Creative did not follow pci specs and it caused problems with the VIA chipset.
Click to expand...


Your first point is poignantly correct and quite unfortunate. I know the 686B issue was 90% Creative's fault due to inordinate PCI bus bandwidth utilization. VIA had some responsibility, but at least VIA tried something to fix it.
 
Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
A8N-SLI deluxe bios 1012
3700+ SD
XFX 6600gt
X-FI extreme music
Klipsch 2.1's
Klipsch 5.1 ultras
1gb OCZ platinum rev2
2x74gb raptors RAID0
1x250gb WD PATA
NEC 3540a DVDR
Pioner DVD
Antec True Control 550w 20pin
Thermaltake Tsunami case
floppy
Dlink 624c router
XP Pro SP2


I guess I'm just livin right🙂, many things that have given other people fits work perfectly
like nVidia IDE drivers, Active Armour Firewall
Click to expand...


Thanks. Hopefully we can draw some inferences based on your setup and others. Time will tell. Crap, you are even getting NAM working right?! Man, just about everybody but you is having trouble there.

Final question--what on-board devices are enabled or disabled in BIOS?
 
Just a follow up on this issue:

I recieved my card back from Creative; it works now after the firmware was modified at their service center. I had no difficulties loading the card, and have found no problems listening to music or playing games. It is a very good card. Creative took care of the problem in a professional manner; it cost me only time and frustration, no cash.

A bit of a rocky road, but a solid sounding product.

dwb
 
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