Problems installing Realtek AC 97 audio driver.

[odysseus]

I have been pulling my hair out trying to get sound back on my system after completing a clean install of Windows xp pro.

In device manager it says there is a problem with the multimedia audio device, that is, no driver is installed. However everytime i try to install a driver which i have tried from different sources including Foxconn the makers of the motherboard the driver installs to about 95% and then my system reboots. When it then boots up a message says that the system has recovered from a serious error.But still there is no sound

I have tried to install this driver in safe mode and it does install but then when i try to start up the PC it will not boot up but just keeps rebooting.
I have then got to use last good config to get the PC to start normally, but alas no sound.

I cannot understand what this problem can be because i have not as yet installed anything else onto this operating system.

I have had this exact same problem on other PC's that i have built or done clean installs on and it always seems to be this type of audio device.

One last thing, is it possible to save the AC97 driver from the old operating system and install it on the new operating system so that one does not get this problem occuring again, if so where would that driver be.

I hope someone can help me because this is driving me nuts. Pardon the pun!

Thanks a lot.

Odysseus

[tunered]

Let me take a guess, the xp pro disc that you are using is a burnt copy and not a ms disc, either that is the case or you have a bad disc, if this happens alot, i personally have never had that problem. ed

[jadejazzkayla]

i'm having the same problem as the original poster. i downloaded the driver from REALTEK website (they updated this driver 8/4/2006) when i try to run wdm_a391.exe i get the blue screen of death.

i'm wondering if anyone has had luck installing this driver AFTER the update of 8/4/2006.

thanks

[tunered]

Please disregard my above post, read another post and put the wrong answer here, there are different ac 97 drivers, one is for the via chipset, one is for the reg ac97, im thinking you have the wrong drivers. Please give the model of your pc. ed

[DavidGP]

As tunered mentions above we would need to know your exact hardware specifications, for both the senarios below,

If an OEM PC ( ie. DELL, HP etc ) then what is the model version?

If Home/Custom Build then what is the motherboard make and version?

Also if a new clean install, did yo ualso install the motherboard chipset drivers before installing the sound drivers?

[Deepee]

I also have had a massive amount of trouble with this driver. I recently did a complete format and reinstallation of Windows XP Pro, and I'm having a ton of trouble with drivers (this is a homemade computer, with an ASUS mobo, and I had it working perfectly, with all drivers, when I first built it. However, I am missing the driver CD, and have been franticly finding all the info/data on the Net, which has casued problems.)

First off, the actual setup program refused to launch. I had to find a differnt executable to run the setup. Once I got it going, it would reach between 50% and 80 %, and then a small window would come up, with what I believe is called the "Sound Manager" icon (sound manager must be Realteks sound software), which says Begin install/update Realtek Sound drivers... I was almost sure the setup WAS to install the drivers.

I've searched everywhere for the correct sound drivers, including my mobos manufactures website, ASUS, but all I get is this damn setup program and the error/message at 80%. In device manager, it appears I have the driver, but there is a yellow exclimation mark, and it says the driver is not installed. I'm immensily confused, and I hope this is not to far off from the OPs problem, because our problems could be similar or at least tied. Thanks for the help or ideas in advnace.

[tunered]

This will give you some info on your pc, also some direct links to oem websites, if this dont help post back with mother board model. ed

http://www.majorgeeks.com/EVEREST_Fr...ion_d4181.html