Member Avatar for ghostofunder

I just installed SBS 2003 on a Dell PowerEdge SC440. This is a home server. I need sound. I tried an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 but couldn't get the driver to install. I tried some work-arounds that were suggested to no avail.

So, anyone know of a sound card that will work and not give me tons of install problems? I'm not really a techie so the simpler the better.

  • 2 Contributors
  • 3 Replies
  • 132 Views
  • 5 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by TheNNS

Dani AI

Generated

raised a practical problem and was right to flag driver support for the server OS. A few targeted, low-risk options and a short troubleshooting checklist will help avoid buying another card that won't install cleanly.

A compact selection strategy:

  • Prefer simple, consumer-oriented devices (onboard/PCI or USB) that use common Windows audio class drivers rather than pro audio cards with custom installers.
  • Confirm the server OS bitness (32 vs 64-bit) and choose drivers that match it.
  • Check the vendor site for explicit Windows Server 2003 (or Windows Server) drivers; if none are listed, look for a plain Windows XP driver as a secondary option.

Quick installation/troubleshooting checklist:

  • In Services (run services.msc) ensure the Windows Audio service is running and set to Automatic.
  • Use Device Manager to identify any unknown audio device. If the installer fails, open the device Properties, find the hardware IDs, and search those strings to locate compatible drivers.
  • Install drivers as an administrator; if the vendor provides a packaged installer, try extracting the package and use Device Manager -> Update Driver -> Have Disk to point directly at the INF files.
  • Watch Device Manager error codes and the System event log; they give precise clues (missing dependencies, architecture mismatch, or driver signing issues).

Fallbacks and precautions:

  • A cheap class‑compliant USB audio adapter is often the easiest plug-and-play workaround on server OSes if PCI installs are problematic.
  • Avoid pro audio cards that rely on ASIO-only drivers unless the vendor explicitly supports Server 2003.
  • Keep a recovery plan (alternate boot or spare drive with desktop Windows) when testing drivers on a machine doing other server tasks.

This approach reduces guesswork: choose simple hardware, verify driver/architecture compatibility, and use Device Manager + hardware IDs to find or force a working driver.

Recommended Answers

All 3 Replies

Member Avatar for TheNNS

any mainstream video card should work fine. But you might want to check the manufacturer's website to see if they have drivers for server 2003

Member Avatar for ghostofunder

any mainstream video card should work fine. But you might want to check the manufacturer's website to see if they have drivers for server 2003

I haven't yet found a manufacturer who has drivers for SBS 2003 though I have to admit that I haven't specifically checked EVERY manufacturer. Google searches haven't turned up anything. I contacted the retailer who sold me the M-Audio card to ask him if he knew of any cards that were supported for SBS 2003 and he knew of none. I sent a message to Creative asking if they do and they said no. I know people have done it so I'd like some advice before I go buy another card only to find there is no work-around for that one either.

I installed XP on the second drive and my M-Audio card/drivers work fine. I have other problems with that configuration however. See 'Using same ethernet card for SBS 2003 and XP' under Networking>Networking Hardware.

Member Avatar for TheNNS

small buisness server 2003 and windows server 2003 are pratically the same, so ask around for a card that has drivers for windwos server 2003 instead.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.