Creative Soundcard problems in VISTA

I just bought a Dell Dimension E520 PC running VISTA Business, with an Integrated Audigy soundcard. The audio drivers are listed as "SigmaTel High Definition"

Because the Integrated Audigy doesn't support "What U Hear", which I use a lot, I bought a Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio card.
I installed it following the instructions from Creative - i.e. uninstalling the existing drivers, not letting windows do the installation but installing instead from the Creative setup disk.
All of its recording functions except S/PDIF-In were listed as "currently unavailable". Listed as unavailable were Microphone, Line In, Auxiliary and "What U Hear".

I uninstalled it, reinstalled the Integrated Audigy/SigmaTel HD drivers, and then tried installing the X-Fi Xtreme over the top of them, thinking that the setup program might recognise the existing card and remove the drivers itself. It installed OK again, but this time the only working device was Microphone; everything else was listed as "currently unavailable". I tried downloading the latest drivers from the Creative website and installed them. This made it worse - the "What U Hear" option didn't even appear in the list and everything else other than Microphone was listed as "currently unavailable".

Finally, I removed the card and uninstalled all its drivers and software, and reinstalled the drivers and software for the Integrated Audigy/SigmaTel, using the Dell drivers disk and the Audigy Advanced MB disk. Line In and Rear Mic are still listed as "currently unavailable" and the only working device is Microphone. :cry

I need to do some line-in recording as a matter of some urgency (This Saturday deadline), so I need a solution to this problem asap.

Thanks for any help.
PS. I've also emailed Dell about this.

 

the current state of vista and x-fi drivers leave much to be desired, just do a little reading on the internet, or some of the creative/vista forums. vista basically screwed a lot of people over, you can't even use your microphone through your soundcard- it would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

good luck.

 

It's all working now.

The way around the Wave Studio 7 / X-Fi Xtreme Audio incompatibility (in may case) is to uninstall the Integrated Audigy & SigmaTel software EXCEPT Wave Studio 7, and then do a full install of X-Fi Xtreme. Wave Studio 7 remains on the PC, and it works with X-Fi Xtreme Audio. I've tried it with What U Hear & Line In - both OK.

I haven't tried the mic yet, but I tend not to use it anyway.