No Sound Since Driver Update.

Hi all.
I stupidly used Driver 'Easy' to update several drivers for Windows 7 Ultimate.
After installing the latest sound card driver for my Creative SB X-Fi card no sound was heard.
I've tried uninstalling etc, no joy.
When I go in to 'Manage audio devices' I can click on any tab except the 'recording' tab.
It then 'hangs'.
I use task manager to shut it down and get the message
"Windows Shell Common DLL is not responding"

The problem details are thus

Description: A problem caused this program to stop interacting with Windows.

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: AppHangB1
Application Name: shell32.dll
Application Version: 6.1.7601.23806
Application Timestamp: 591331f3
Hang Signature: 8701
Hang Type: 22528
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1 Locale ID: 2057 Additional Hang Signature 1: 8701579a6fb10e5d0065e1f36c8dcf91 Additional Hang Signature 2: 6c5e Additional Hang Signature 3: 6c5ef7fd43455b1ace2cb9fa4a881a13 Additional Hang Signature 4: ce77 Additional Hang Signature 5: ce7782e0cbece0b7628085844adf733a Additional Hang Signature 6: 889e Additional Hang Signature 7: 889e90eb54959abf32db3058009f1681

Any clues?

Ta

 

Your best option is to download the latest Windows 7 driver for your sound card from Creative.
https://support.creative.com/Produc...odName=Sound+Blaster+X-Fi+XtremeMusic&page=24

 

Thanks for the reply Eldon.
The page the link sends me to doesn't list my card.
It is the bog standard XF-i. No Elite pro etc.
The only one I see for mine is on this page
https://support.creative.com/Downloads/welcome.aspx#
But that is from 2010, mine is currently 2014.
I used Creatives own updater to search and it says the driver I have is the latest.
I've ininstalled and reinstalled again but still nowt!
Something strange is going on.
I don't get why the sound box locks up when I click on the recording tab? (See first post).

 

Download and run this.
https://m.majorgeeks.com/files/details/sfc_utility.html
The log file will be saved to the Desktop. Upload it.

 

Ran the Bat as Administrator.
My log file is a blank notepad page?
I've checked for Malware and registry issues while in safe mode.

 

Even if there are no system file corruption, the log file shouldn't be blank.
I don't want to know how you checked for "registry issues"...
Do you have the Windows 7 DVD?

 

Well, I'll tell you any way. CCleaner, as recommended by Major Geeks!
No DVD. Bought this rig second hand some years ago.
Would the DVD have a repair option on it?

 

BTW, this all started because I was attempting to upgrade to windows 10.
Downloaded the files to a USB drive from MS.
Had a go but I got a error to do with FIRST_BOOT phase.
Apparently drivers can cause this error hence the updates.
Tried again.
Got an error during SAFE_OS phase.
Then had all piles of grief and used system restore to put me back on track.
I'm there all but my sound.
Once I get that back I will be asking how to get past the upgrade errors.
Like a challenge do ya?

 

CCleaner has a registry cleaner. It can't repair the registry.

With the Windows7 DVD you can repair Windows and your files and programs will be intact.

 

Did you check if your system is Windos 10 compliant?

 

Ah, got ya, so I need to source a disk to actually repair it.
Yes, I checked for compatability.
I've read so many threads with the exact same errors.
That's when I came across the drivers issue and started the task of updating them.
I think Driver Easy has a flaw.
It is supposed to source the drivers and install them but with the sound card, it found the driver but then the creative installer popped up as well as though both were trying to install at the same time.
This didn't happen with any other driver.
Driver Easy found the drivers and automatically installed them.
I tried the SFC bat again and noticed a cmd window flash up.
I recorded it happening on my phone so I could see what was happening.
It says..............Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service
INDSTR: Cannot open C\:Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

 

Download the Windows 7 Ultimate iso file and burn it to a DVD using ImgBurn.

SFC Utility has been tested by members on Windows 7, 8, 8.1 & 10.

 

Get the iso file from this tool, as Eldon said. https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/microsoft_windows_iso_download_tool.html

 

Not available for my OS.
Mine has OEM in the serial.
When I select my OS there are no available downloads highlighted in green.
However, I have found my DVD (didn't know I had one as I've never used it and it was years ago).
I ran the repair feature, said it was repairing files etc but nothing appears to have changed.
I will attempt another go.

 

Scrap that last bit.
It looks like it didn't do anything because it's not a compatible version.
I have a similar Dell system in my workshop (some difference) so it's likely the disk for that.
Note to self: Must get organised.
So I still need a repair disk.

 

Possibilty-Windows fixit tool----https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/microsoft_fix_it_center_portable.html
Or,
Retrieve you coa, first https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/license_crawler.html
Just use it as an upgrade to keep other programs etc:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

 

It says on the Major Geeks download page that Fix it is no longer supported, see comments.
My key doesn't work in the software download section.
It says.
The most common issue is the use of a product key for a product not currently supported by the site such as an Upgrade key, an MSDN key, product keys for pre-installed media or an Enterprise edition key. For access to MSDN products or Enterprise edition visit the MSDN Portal or the Volume Licensing Service Center. Upgrades and pre-installed media are not currently supported by the tools on the site.

 

The fixit may not be supported but should still run.......
To get the iso, I will send a pm to you -Once you have the iso, and made your disc,
You need to Go off-line, and make sure you turn off Windows update - as you are repairing- just use it as a repair disc, -just a means to get you working- with luck ,if it just repairs, you may be o.k

 

baklogic, sounds good ta, but mine's 64 bit. Will that ISO still work?

 

Got this error requesting the ISO file using the one ending in 4D
Error
We encountered a problem with your request. Please visit Microsoft Support Contact Us page for assistance. Refer to Message Code 715-123130 and Transaction ID 925ae2ab-0d60-448a-921e-4d78aab8983e.

And a similar error trying the first one.

 

There is now a download tool iso available.
Only a certain amount of each language available at any one time.
I shall burn it, give it a try and let you know.
Cheers thus far all.

 

Error
We encountered a problem with the product key. Please try again or visit Microsoft Support for assistance.

Got that with the latest one.
Can you enter the code and see if you get an error?

 

The ISO image I downloaded was recognised as compatible, however, it took less than 15 seconds to tell me no problems were found.
Tried it twice.
Baklogik, perhaps as 7 support has ended ms aren't providing images from their site any more?
One other thing.
I manually ran FSC in safe mode and screen shot the CMD result.

 

This is doing my nut in.
I have disabled the option to let windows install drivers automatically so I can try a different driver than the one being forced.
It takes no notice.
When I uninstall the card and search for new devices it starts installing the driver.
I've used device manager to stop it in it's tracks yet it still installs the damn driver?

 

There must be a forward slash beforew scannow.

 

If you do not use Eldons tool ,which is very good then
If you run sfc
1/ in administrator mode
2/ sfc /scannow with the space between the sfc and the / as Eldon explained

It shoud give you a scan and repair files.

 

Oh boy, what a plug I am!!
This is the result I get in normal start up mode, and safe mode, same as when i use the bat file.

 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...t/3dabeaa4-269d-4c65-ab42-a3cf5ef1092d?page=1
From there Read through all the replies,as they offer other possible fixes, if that does not do the job ,
In Command prompt as administrator.....
You could try again, typing sc config trustedinstaller start= auto
Then if success shows type in net start trustedinstaller - press enter,
Then type sfc /scannow again

 

Scroll down and run DISM.
Copy and paste the command.
https://www.howtogeek.com/222532/ho...-system-files-with-the-sfc-and-dism-commands/

 

Nothing running as it should.
With DISM I get error 87. I've read DISM isn't available as standard in windows 7?
Searching for solutions now.
Thinking of clean install but intrigued as to what has gone on.

 

I've been reading stuff regarding Windows Modules Installer in services, such as checking how it's set.
I don't have that listed in my services.
Relevant?

 

Have you tried using the disc, and selecting 'UPDATE'- This should reinstall, and keep other stuff for you, and fix the basics.
Repair can often be hit and miss.......

 

baklogic, I'm assuming you meant UPGRADE?
If so that is eaxactly what I have been doing for the past nnnntthhhh hours.
It did go through the upgrade process using the downloaded ISO (my disk wouldn't work as it was old, it told me the version installed was later, I assume due to updates).
After all those hours I still get the exact same message regarding sound.
ARgghhh!!

 

So my next plan is to stop the automatic installation of the driver.
Like I wrote earlier, I turned off automatic updates and the option to stop windows from installing drivers but it still went ahead and did it anyway.
I also ununstalled Creatives auto update app, restarted my computer and the same app reinstalled itself.
I'm thinking I need to get rid of all things 'Creative' and try and start afresh.

 

Since the upgrade I have been able to run sfc, no issues found.

 

Well done
Might well be worth running CHKDSK IN ADMIN COMMAND , to make sure you have'nt got a dicky sector

 

I have sound!!!!
Eventually I managed to stop the automatic installation of the driver windows insisted on installing.
Installed a different version, Bingo!
Microsoft really need to put a simple option to allow users to install the driver of their choice.
I have retried to install 10 but to no avail.
It looks like either a clean install of 10 or stick with 7 for now.
Any other comments/advice, let me know, otherwise, thanks for all the help, replies etc, I have learned many new things.
I'll Be Back!
Cheers.

 

We are pleased you have got it back - possibly getting sfc to work, although you had problems could have helped
I did wonder if you had tried the driver roll back, or, uninstalling the driver, and then installing another driver before restarting...
Could help others caught with a similar problem.

 

I had no option to roll back.
I'd tried several times uninstalling but always got the same driver.
I think what is crucial is to tick the box that deletes the driver software, which I hadn't done before.
Obviously Driver 'Easy' installed the wrong driver.
Another learning curve!