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hello there,
i have just upgraded from xp to windows 7 ultimate 32-bit.
i am facing a problem, my creative 5.1 speakers are not working. only two ports are working and rest 3 ports as well as subboofer are not working. i have installed all new drivers just downloaded from net.
i have asus p5kpl-am in chipset. i have installed drivers recently downloaded from asus website. all drivers are up to date. i have tried at least 10 different downloaded drivers but problem persist.
i have tried several solution already available on net, like 'enable speakers fill option in enhancement and many others'.
windows 7 is listing the '5.1 surround sound' just fine, but when i run 'test' on speakers only two of them respond. my speakers are perfectly fine, they work in another pc running xp.
please help, without subboofer , sount is so so bad. waiting impatiently for replies.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by nrsh.kmr2006

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Short expert summary for (and others with the same symptoms)

Because the speakers work on an XP machine the hardware is almost certainly fine. Windows showing a 5.1 device but only sending two channels almost always comes down to one of three things: driver/installer mismatch, Windows or the audio control panel routing audio to a digital/stereo output, or the speaker/amplifier jack-mode being set to a stereo/2.1 configuration.

Practical checklist (perform in order, make a System Restore point first)

  1. Verify Windows is using the analog multichannel device: Control Panel → Sound → Playback. Select the listed “Speakers”, Configure → 5.1 → Test. If test still only hits two channels, open Properties → Advanced and set a common sample rate (e.g. 16 bit, 48000 Hz) and disable all enhancements (some enhancements force stereo).
  2. Confirm default device is the analog “Speakers” and not S/PDIF/Digital Output. Many motherboards expose both—if the digital output is default multichannel will be lost.
  3. Check the speaker hardware: confirm the amplifier/subwoofer mode switch (many PC 5.1 sets have a 2.1/5.1 selector), and that the orange/black/green jacks are in the correct PC outputs. Swap cables temporarily (plug a rear speaker into the front jack) to see whether the missing channels are silent or just mis-routed.
  4. Clean driver reinstall: in Device Manager uninstall the audio device and choose “delete driver software” where shown, reboot, let Windows install the generic HD Audio driver as a test. If the generic driver gives full 5.1, reinstall the vendor package. If the vendor installer fails (common on older Sound Blaster kits), run the installer in Windows Vista compatibility and “Run as administrator.”
  5. Use the motherboard/codec control panel (Realtek / Creative) to retask connectors if available — jack retasking or disabling front-panel detection often fixes channels that are present but not mapped.

Extra checks and cautions

  • Check BIOS audio mode (HD Audio vs AC'97) and ensure onboard audio is enabled.
  • If the Creative installer still errors, install the generic driver to confirm multichannel works; if it does, the Creative control software is the culprit.
  • Create a restore point before driver changes and document exact Creative model and driver file names when seeking further help.

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Member Avatar for nrsh.kmr2006

for me also same situation.. upgraded from xp to windows 7 ultimate.. i have 5.1 creative (sound blaster 5.1 vx) when i installed sound blaser software.. i got the error and i can't install completely.. so decided to download the driver from site... installed many driver but still i can't run my speaker.. so pls help me..

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