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Troubleshooting Integrated Audio Systems

Integrated Audio Driver Fails to Install for Sigmatel* or Realtek*  (Two most popular Mobo Integrated Audio Systems)
When installing Sigmatel* or Realtek* audio drivers (either from the Express Installer CD or using the latest driver download available from the web), the installation may fail with 

either of the following error messages:

  • Device Object not present, restart the system and run setup again. 

  • The system does not support the driver you are attempting to install.

Resolution - The Universal Audio Architecture (UAA) High Definition Audio class driver for Windows may be corrupted or

                     causing problems with the audio driver installation.

To resolve this, try the following:

  1. Click Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs.

  2. Look for the following two items: Realtek* High Definition Audio Driver and High Definition Audio driver Package - KB888111.

  3. If these items are listed in Add/Remove programs, remove them.

  4. Restart Windows.

  5. Download the latest audio driver for your desktop board from respective Download Center.

  6. Double-click the filename to extract the files.

  7. Go to the folder where the files have been extracted and browse to the \HDAQFE\xpsp2\us\ folder

  8. or the \MSHDQFE\Win2K_XP\us\ folder.  (The name of this folder depends on your desktop board model.)

  9. Double-click the file kb888111xpsp2.exe to install the High Definition Audio Driver Package.

  10. Restart Windows.

  11. Install the audio driver.

Or you can also go to the hardware device manager page and select the HD Audio device and remove/uninstall it.

When windows reboots it will see the audio device and automatically reload the driver for it.

  

 

Some Speakers Don't Play
If you can hear sound coming from some speakers, but not others, check the following:

The system may assume you are using two-channel (stereo) sound, even if you have plugged in four or more speakers. Select the correct speaker type with the Windows Speaker icon or the third-party sound mixer you’ve installed.
 

  • The speakers may be connected to the wrong jacks. Make sure you connect all speakers to the correct jacks. If you

  • connect them to line-in or microphone jacks, they won't work. Refer to the documentation that came with your speaker

  • system for connection details.
     

  • The balance settings may be incorrect. If you hear audio from the left speakers only or the right speakers only, check the

  • balance. Balance control needs to be centered with the Windows Speaker icon or a third-party sound mixer.
     

  • Some 4.1 speaker systems (one subwoofer and four satellite speakers) are designed to connect to computer gaming

  • sound cards. If you connect to a standard computer sound card (or onboard audio) instead, look for an input switch

  • and make sure it is set to ‘stereo’. Consult the documentation for your 4.1 speaker system for more details.
     

  • It is common to hear only front right and front left channels from a multichannel receiver when it is connected to S/PDIF.

  • If your receiver has discrete multichannel analog connections, it is recommended that they be connected to the Analog

  • Front-Out, Rear-Out, and Center/Subwoofer Out. See  Creative Labs' Knowledgebase* for additional information.

Note - On some systems with integrated audio, audio jacks have multiple uses.

For example, in six-channel mode on some systems, the normal line-in and microphone jacks might be reconfigured to work with rear and center/subwoofer speakers. In such cases,

the mixer controls need to be reset.

 

 

No Sound Output to Speakers or Headphones

No sound output can be caused by several problems. The following suggestions may resolve the problem of no audio output:

 

Onboard audio is disabled in the BIOS

The BIOS Setup program is accessed by pressing the <F2> key after the Power-On Self-Test (POST) memory test begins and before the operating system boot begins. Go to the Advanced > Peripheral Configuration menu to make sure onboard audio is enabled.

 

Audio settings in the sound mixer are incorrect
Check your audio mixer software to ensure audio is not muted or the volume level is not turned too low.

 

The speakers or headphones may be connected to the wrong jacks
Make sure you connect all speakers to the correct jacks. If you connect them to line-in or microphone jacks, they won't work.

 

Audio drivers are not properly installed
Check Device Manager under the Sound, video and game controllers section for any errors associated with the audio driver. Reinstall the audio driver if necessary.

 

Audio to back panel is muted if front panel is connected
Check your audio mixer software for a setting that mutes back panel audio if you have plugged headphones into a front panel audio solution. Uncheck this setting to allow audio to both the back and front.

 

Sound Playback is set to wrong device
In Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices, go to the Audio tab. Check the default device for sound playback; there may be multiple selections. Select the desired device, either rear panel or front panel.

  

Sound is Distorted or Scratchy

Distorted or scratchy sound can be caused by several problems. Improving the sound can be as simple as rearranging your hardware components. The following suggestions may resolve the problem of scratchy sound:

  • Are there any other devices around the speakers or wires for the speakers?

  • Electro-magnetic interference can cause poor audio. Try moving your speakers and wires around and away from other devices.
     

  • Have you recently added any new cards to your computer? Cards within the computer can also cause electro-magnetic interference. Try moving the card to another location within the computer, if possible.
     

  • Verify that you are not encountering a hardware issue with the speakers you have by trying another pair of computer speakers.
     

  • Poor audio quality or low volumes may occur if you are using passive (non-amplified) speakers.
     

  • Are your speakers too close to your monitor? The speakers can pick up electrical noise from your monitor so move them farther away. Subwoofers should never be placed near the monitor because their powerful magnets can interfere with the picture. They should be on the floor to maximize low-frequency transmission.
     

  • Are you experiencing sound problems only with particular games or programs? If you notice sound problems such as stuttering voices and static on some games or programs but not others, check with the software vendor for a software patch.
     

Microphone Does Not Work
If you are experiencing problems when recording audio from a microphone plugged into the rear microphone port:

1. Update to the latest audio driver for your desktop board from Intel’s Download Center.

2. Ensure you’ve selected the rear panel microphone jack as the default record device:

a. Click Start > Control Panel > Sound and Audio Devices.
b. Go to the Audio tab.
c. Set the Sound Recording Default Device to the rear input.
d. Click OK.

 

Hopefully this article has cleared some things up for you and enabled you to better understand your sound issues.

I could have covered so much more. But suffice it for now to break the ice with just the basics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   
   

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