This sucks!

[RJARRRPCGP]

That's weird (as a lot of computer stuff is!)

The latest released version of the kXProject driver is supported on 98SE. The newer beta's are not, however.

So if you used the one on the official download page it should work. Maybe posting on the official forum for it at driverheaven would get someone who knows about this to help.

I might try uninstalling the driver from the start menu shortcut, rebooting, and uninstalling the software from the shortcut. That's their official uninstall method. Then perhaps either try again or use DriverCleaner before trying again. Perhaps you had other drivers/software for the card installed before and the different versions of the files are conflicting. DriverCleaner helps with that sort of thing.

Nope! This was with a fresh Windows 98 SE installation!

[RJARRRPCGP]

Is there any way to get those drivers without downloading a monstrous ISO?

[Eck]

Which drivers do you mean? The cd images posted by badboy on the Creative forum's?

For XP you don't need that, as the Creative download sections have the Unipack full setup downloadable, and then you just add the PlayCenter 3.02.52 and 3.02.70 to what you install. The other updates you can't use since you don't have an original version (minidisc, remote center, etc).

But for 9x, they just offer a driver for those who lost their install cd and that driver is not the updated (bug fixed) version. It is the older, crappy sounding and bug ridden WDM driver from the Liveware 3.0 cd offered with the 5.1 cards. You don't want to install that.

So badboy's iso would be one way. Another way is calling Creative who will sell you the modern cd with all the modern updated applications and drivers (252's, like the Uni-Pack) for 9x, XP, 2000. The same one that comes with the last versions of the SBLive 5.1 Creative released for retail (with the SB0224 cards in them).

I bought one once which is one version older than the Uni-Pack, with the 244 drivers. They just charge like $5.00 for it, not too bad. I hope that's not still what they're selling, as it is not the 252's but rather sort of the first (like, beta) version of the unified Audigy 1, SBLive drivers. I think you could experiment with manually updating that to the extracted Uni-Pack for XP download in device manager or (preferably, if it would work) using the CTZAPP exe program from the driver folder of that download. I think that as long as the cd ran it's setup you would then have all the necessary 9x files installed already so the Uni-Pack driver would have what it needs to work on 98SE.

I think you need some cd with the newer set on it for getting those drivers to work on 98SE.

Creative claims on their website that the original Liveware 3.0 (the 5.1 version on the cd that comes with the card) is still the best for 98SE. Today, I disagree with their assessment. I found that driver will cause Windows to eventurally give an IOS error on startup and the system will no longer boot. I tried with an SBLive Platinum 5.1 on 4 different installs on 2 computers. Eventually, as I updated Windows, that boot up IOS Real Mode memory allocation failure would make Windows inaccessable.

So, no cool vxd driver with the old SB16 emulation on 98SE anymore.

But, the 252 WDM's are better since they work flawlessly and include the cool Advanced parametric EQ settings for music! But yes, you do need a cd with at least the 244's on it.

Edit - Or, you can somehow get me your address and I could burn a cdr of the whole package and mail it to you. I don't know how we could do that though.

Edited February 12, 2006 by Eck

[davidef]

Have you try to change your power supply ?? I have the same trouble and i resolved with a new 400W power supply.

[Eck]

Do you mean my problem with the IOS error or RJARRRPCGP's problem with the kXProject install?

On my 2 boxes currently, I have an Antec Trublue 480 and a Thermaltake 480. So I think I have quality power coming through.

I think it's more a problem with the way newer processors and chipsets use memory. I'm sure if I fired up one of my older boards the SBLive's vxd's would have no problem. But I think is wants to use what is being used by these new motherboards and eventually causes a conflict. Note that this is a dos conflict as is happens before Windows loads the desktop.

I'm sure the newer WDM package would work fine though. But in that case I'd rather use my better soundcards. The cool Dos drivers were why I was fooling around with the SBLive. We don't need it these days though, with Dosbox around.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Have you try to change your power supply ?? I have the same trouble and i resolved with a new 400W power supply.

That's impossible! Because Prime95 and 3D Mark passed, even when OC'ed!

Prime95 can fail even with a PC that appears to be stable, thus that's out of the question!

Installing a sound card driver isn't gonna put the PC at full load!

If it was my power supply, I wouldn't be able to keep my OC.

[Spock]

As there seems to be some confusion over SoundBlaster Live and win98SE let me give some facts. I've been researching this for a new win98SE install on a new PC and have been in contact four times with Creative CS on this:

Assuming your mobo/PC itself supports win98SE, then:

1. SoundBlaster Live series cards work fine with win98SE. They really do. Make sure you use Creative drivers. Unfortunately this product is no longer marketed by Creative (in Europe at least.) This gives rise to a problem when building new systems with win98SE.

OK, what is/is not supported now?:

2. According to Creative CS (customer services), and i quote: "Audigy SE is NOT supported in Win98SE, [and] SB Live 24 bits is NOT supported in win98Se as well."

3. "Audigy2 and Audigy 2ZS are supported in win98SE." (no good for me, overkill)

:-) BTW, here's a tip if you happen to have a dual boot system with XP and a SB Live card. YOU CAN UPGRADE FREE to Audigy 24 bit for winXP. DON'T install drivers below on win98SE because it'll screw things up (won't do any lasting damage), but DO install on XP. You'll be getting the equivalent of an Audigy for free! It works. Creative files needed are:

EAX4DRV_AUDIGY2_1_84_50 drivers and

Ctcomp.exe (7.3.0)

[zeko]

have you ever tried third party drivers for your sb live? i've been using them for a few weeks now and their way better and more stable than the original crap. visit this site: http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/