I'm trying to fix up an older pc for a friend. The motherboard is an Asus MEW-AM, v.2.01, (an Asus\HP hybrid), the OS is XP Pro SP2.

The motherboard has no onboard sound, so I added an un-branded sound card which had been working OK in a Win98 pc. Its chipset is Fortemedia, labelled FM801-AU. The only labelling on the card itself are the words 'VER:2.3' but it also bears a paper sticker that says 'SP 8.01'.

The installation software (for which I've got several sets of XP drivers) inserts audio and joystick drivers. After the drivers are installed the card tests OK, either by using the 'ForteMedia Control Panel' which has been added to the system tray, (and which can speak the words 'LEFT' and 'RIGHT' when you click TEST), or by using any of the standard Windows control panel sound bytes. Everything seems normal.

The weirdness kicks in after the first boot. Instead of the familiar and melodious Windows startup music, all that can be heard is a sound that might be generated by a weasel who's been half strangled and hung up by his testicles.

All other sound tests produce similar results, that is, every sound that worked before the boot, now won't.

Maybe it's the drivers, though I've tried all the ones I have without any change. Perhaps it's because Windows moans during the install about them not having been approved by Microsoft, though that's a common enough message that rarely seems to mean a lot.

One thing I did note is that when I use the ForteMedia Control Panel after the boot (which had worked pre-boot), and try to run a test, it crashes and a Windows Error report pops up.

But even if I use msconfig to prevent the ForteMedia Control Panel from further starts, it doesn't help. Neither does disabling Windows Audio in services, disabling the FM joystick controls in System, or shifting PCI slots.

Any suggestions will be gratefully received :-)

a program called Everest will show all hardware on you computer ,it may give you the proper name of the sound card .
http://www.filehippo.com/download_everest_home/

Thanks, but Everest just shows that Fortemedia Audio and Fortemedia Joystick are installed. There's no mention of a card manufacturer.

there must be some numbers on a chip on the sound card ,you could post them here i will check around for drivers or search google with them

As I said in my first post, the sound card has a Fortemedia chipset, labelled FM801-AU. The only labelling on the card itself are the words 'VER:2.3' but it also bears a paper sticker that says 'SP 8.01'.

I've tried about eight lots of drivers, all reputedly for Fortemedia cards or chipsets and all for WinXP.

All have had exactly the same result - the install works perfectly and the card tests out without problems. Until the first boot, that is. After that, all that the card will produce are strangled squeals.

Weird or what?

weird indeed,also needs replacement !! i would say i have a box of 12 soundblaster audigys cards, care to buy one !lol .