NVIDIA audio driver problems

Hi...

Firstly, apologies if some of this is covered in other posts...
I've very recently put together a new PC based on an an 'XC-Cube EZ18' by AOpen, but there seems to be a major problem with the NVIDIA nForce audio driver that came on the driver cd-rom supplied with it.
Simply, my Win-XP Pro' version 2000 (32-bit) instalation did not recognise it when I first installed the driver from the cd. I got the error message saying that it didn't pass Windows logo testing, etc, etc - ending with 'error code 39'. Of course I installed it anyway (what else could I do - I need a driver, right...) - and sure enough, if I right click on its entry in Device Manager, which displays a yellow '!' sign over it, and select Properties, it gives the same message '..... error code 39'.
So I contacted my dealer and they told me to go to nvidia.com to download the latest update for Win-XP, which I did, and then attemptd to install it; that is, after uninstalling the original one.
Windows had a fit! It gave me the same warning as before, only this time the system completely stopped (powered down; screen went blank, etc), but luckily restored and re-booted itself.
To cut a long story short, the new driver did install as such, but when I checked it in Device Manager, nothing had changed! I still have the yellow '!' sign over it, and the same '....error 39' message if I go to Properties.
Which ever, the speakers on my TFT monitor do not work, just as with the original driver.
I have the correct lead going into the audio L/R ports on the monitor and into the m/media port on the back of the EZ18, so the problem's not with the lead. I've also checked the speakers with an ordinary audio playback device (portable cd player) and they work ok, so it's not a fault with the speakers either.
This leaves only two other possibilities. That I still have to find the right driver, what ever that is, or reign myself to the possibility that there is a problem with the sound card built into the EZ18's m'board.
I don't know, any ideas on what I should do? I've just spent the last three months putting it all together, so I'll be more than fed up if I have to take it back and effectively have to start from square-one again - the refund, as it's still way within it's warranty, will be little consolation.
All help appreciated. AOpen & Nvidia should be s..t!

Regards

 

Many thanks for your reply... The O.S is Windows-XP Profesional version 2002, (you were right, NOT 2000) i.e. 32.bit version and not the later x64 or 64.bit version.
AOpen quotes in it's FAQ list for the EZ18, that the NVIDIA nForce audio driver is not compatible with 64.bit versions, so I submitted a post asking if Win-XP Pro' version 2002 (this is how it's quoted within System, within Control Pannel) was the same thing under a different description (as I didn't know), and I was told that they are not the same; that mine is 32.bit.
About service packs. Yes, I've heard alot about these - and I've started to suspect that this might solve the problem.
For some reason, the Windows XP Pro that I purchased from my dealer, did not come with either sp1 or sp2; anyway, you're saying I need at least sp1 but ideally sp2 - many thanks for that. Are S'packs free to download?
I assume the chipset drivers are installed as I installed all NFORCE drivers that came on the supplied utillities cd-rom, that came with the XCcube. This also included video drivers, not just audio, which work ok - it's only the audio driver that's the problem. As mentioned in the last post, I have also since downloaded an updated version of the NVIDIA audio driver, but this caused the system to shut down as described, although it did install as such - but again, same problem...
So, anyway - shall I now still download SP2 and then go to the url you mention, or is this a lost cause..?

 

Many thanks; I see what you mean...

In other words (and as usual), where Windows drivers is concerned, for every possible cure or benefit, there's a possible defecit.

If I don't make sure my PC is spyware and virus free, what would happen?

I have some experience of dealing with both, and somehow always managed to find their location, but this didn't mean I knew what I was doing...
I have Grisoft AVG and Spyware Nuker, so I'll run these to check first.

Re' installing updated nForce chipset drivers, would that be in addition to downloading another audio driver update, seeing as the last update didn't work any better than the original one; or..? And what would new chipset drivers actually do that the existing one's arn't doing (sorry to drag this out).

 

Right - cheers. So it's the whole lot then. I'll get right on it and seee what happens.