How to Update a Sound Card Driver (166774)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 98
  • Microsoft Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q166774
If this article does not describe your hardware-related issue, please see the following Microsoft Web site to view more articles about hardware:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/w98?sid=460

SUMMARY

This article describes how to update a sound card driver in Windows.

NOTE: This article is for informational use only. It does not contain any troubleshooting information. If you are searching for troubleshooting information that is not mentioned in this article, search the Microsoft Knowledge Base again by using keywords that are listed in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

242450 How to Query the Microsoft Knowledge Base Using Keywords

MORE INFORMATION

To update the sound card driver, disable the current driver, and then install a new or updated driver:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
  2. Click the Device Manager tab.
  3. Double-click the Sound, Video, And Game Controllers branch to expand it.
  4. Double-click your sound card, and then click the General tab.
  5. Click the Original Configuration check box to clear it.

    NOTE: If you do not have an Original Configuration check box, click the Disable In This Hardware Profile check box to select it.
  6. Click OK. You should see a red X by the sound card.
  7. After you have successfully added the updated driver, you can remove the sound card driver with the red X.
  8. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add New Hardware.
  9. If you are using Windows 95, click Next, click No, and then click Next.

    If you are using Windows 98, click Next to check for Plug-and-Play devices. If the sound card you disabled earlier is detected, click No, the device isn't in the list, and then click Next.
  10. Double-click Sound, Video And Game Controllers.
  11. Click Have Disk.
  12. In the Install From Disk dialog box, type the full path to the driver. For example, the path to the sound drivers on the Microsoft Neverhood CD-ROM is:

    <cd-rom>:\setup\directx\drivers\audio folder

  13. Click OK.
  14. Select the sound card manufacturer and model that matches your hardware. For example, in the Manufacturers box, click Creative Labs, and in the Models box, click Creative Labs Sound Blaster Pro.
  15. Click OK, click Next, and then click Finish.
It may be useful to use the preceding procedure to help to troubleshoot the following error message:
Error Initializing DirectSound
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/8/2006
Keywords:kbhowto kbmm kbsound KB166774
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