Member Avatar for aVar++

My 5.1 surround sound will not work fully without soundMAX but it is not compatible with windows 8. I have creative inspire 5.1 5300, only the two front speakers work without the driver, what shall i do? It is fully configured with the windows sound manager.

Thanks mat

  • 2 Contributors
  • 2 Replies
  • 96 Views
  • 2 Hours Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by aVar++

Dani AI

Generated

A compact, practical checklist to get true 5.1 working when the OS is only driving the front pair. and already started the right thread — the next steps are to identify the audio codec, try a compatible driver, and fall back to a cheap hardware fix if necessary.

  1. Identify the audio chip: open Device Manager -> Sound, video and game controllers -> double-click the entry -> Details -> Hardware Ids. Copy the VEN and DEV strings (or post them here). Also note the motherboard model printed on the PCB; that lets you grab vendor drivers.
  2. Try vendor drivers first: go to the motherboard maker’s support page and download the audio driver for your OS. If there is no Windows 8 package, install the latest Windows 7 x64 driver in Compatibility Mode (right-click setup -> Properties -> Compatibility -> run as Windows 7) and run the installer as Administrator. Create a System Restore point before changing drivers. If the installer fails, extract the driver and install via Device Manager -> Update driver -> Browse my computer -> Let me pick -> Have Disk.
  3. Verify and test: Control Panel -> Sound -> Playback -> Speakers -> Configure -> select 5.1 and run the test tones. If 5.1 is not an option the driver is not providing channel mapping. Also double-check that the three speaker jacks are in the correct color-coded ports.

If driver attempts fail, practical alternatives are HDMI audio through a GPU/AV receiver that supports 5.1, or a low-cost PCIe/USB multichannel sound adapter with Win8 drivers (these restore proper center/sub/rear routing). If posts the Hardware Id string or motherboard model, a direct driver suggestion can be offered.

Recommended Answers

All 2 Replies

Member Avatar for caperjack

hi,what is the make and model of the computer /laptop or desktop

Member Avatar for aVar++

Arbico phenom 550, it's custom built. I can give you any spec if you need it, but it doesn't have a sound card.

Edited by aVar++
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.