When i try to install my soundcard my computer shuts down

I recently installed windows xp. I had no sound playing so installed a driver for my sound card (realtek AC 97) and it worked, no problem.

A month later, My hard disks got wiped and I am reinstalling windows xp.
This time, when I try to reinstall the driver for my sound card, the computer shuts down half way through the process. this is what happens:

I have downloaded the realtek driver from their site, (and some other sources)
I double click on the driver
it asks me if i want to install I say yes,
It unpacks some things and runs windows installer, it spends about 20 seconds installing, file names flash across the screen
It comes up with a warning "This driver has not been verified by windows...do you want to continue"
I click yes, it does some more installing, but 5 seconds later, before the install is complete the computer crashes - it automatically restarts (as in it suddenly shuts down, like there is an error, not like the driver has finished installing and is restarting in a healthy way - actually, i would not say my computer shuts down, it is more like it suddenly restarts like someone pulled the power plug out the back), and then after the restart i still have no sound driver installed.

I have tried deleting all the sound drivers in device manager and reinstalling, but the same thing happens. I have tried different sources for the driver.

Help!
I have no sound! (and can't install the driver!)

Forget the sound for a minute and disable auto reboot.

How To Disable Automatic Restarts When Windows Crashes - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/74644/how-to-disable-automatic-restarts-when-windows-crashes/

This should result in a readable error message, rather than a reboot.

Post the error message contents.

System manufacturer and model...or motherboard manufacturer and model (if custom-built)?

Louis

Yeah do what hamluis says, i had a similar issue with sound drivers. it was a faulty mobo

Forget the sound for a minute and disable auto reboot.

How To Disable Automatic Restarts When Windows Crashes - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/74644/how-to-disable-automatic-restarts-when-windows-crashes/

This should result in a readable error message, rather than a reboot.

Post the error message contents.

System manufacturer and model...or motherboard manufacturer and model (if custom-built)?

Louis

Thanks Hamluis. i turned off auto reboot, got the blue screen of death and the following error:

stop: 0x0000007e (0xc0000005, 0xf81a046d, 0xf898ca74, 0xf898c770)
portcls.sys - address f81a046d base at f81a0000, datestamp 41107f13

---------------

Any idea what to do now?

The official explanation of the error:

0x0000007E: SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
A system thread generated an exception which the error handler did not catch. There are numerous individual causes for this problem, including hardware incompatibility, a faulty device driver or system service, or some software issues. Check Event Viewer (EventVwr.msc) for additional information.

You might try this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950616

I suggest removing the driver currently installed...and downloading the appropriate driver from the manufacturer of your system or motherboard.

I would also remove all unnecessary drivers (prior to attempting to install the correct driver), Remove Unused Drivers and Devices - http://www.windowsnetworking.com/kbase/Win...andDevices.html

Louis

The official explanation of the error:

0x0000007E: SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
A system thread generated an exception which the error handler did not catch. There are numerous individual causes for this problem, including hardware incompatibility, a faulty device driver or system service, or some software issues. Check Event Viewer (EventVwr.msc) for additional information.

You might try this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950616

I suggest removing the driver currently installed...and downloading the appropriate driver from the manufacturer of your system or motherboard.

I would also remove all unnecessary drivers (prior to attempting to install the correct driver), Remove Unused Drivers and Devices - http://www.windowsnetworking.com/kbase/Win...andDevices.html

Louis

Thanks Louis
It has not worked
I did all of that - downloaded the hotfix, removed old drivers and downloaded the driver from realtek.

The first time I installed the driver it did not have any effect - when I restarted I still had no sound. The second time I installed it, it crashed and I got the Blue Screen of Death.

Any ideas? Will it help if you know my motherboard manufacturer and model? How do I find this information?

thanks.

System manufacturer (e.g. eMachines, Gateway, Dell, HP, etc.) and model (e.g. Dimension 500, T2535, Presario 123, etc.)?

Louis

System manufacturer (e.g. eMachines, Gateway, Dell, HP, etc.) and model (e.g. Dimension 500, T2535, Presario 123, etc.)?

Louis

thanks for thee xtra help.



The program "everest home edition" said
Motherboard - Acer S88m
Motherboard ID 09/20/2002-i845G-SMC192-6A69VAWIC-00
Motherboard Name Acer S88M

Front Side Bus Properties
Bus Type Intel NetBurst
Bus Width 64-bit
Real Clock 100 MHz (QDR)
Effective Clock 400 MHz
Bandwidth 3200 MB/s

Memory Bus Properties
Bus Type DDR SDRAM
Bus Width 64-bit
Real Clock 133 MHz (DDR)
Effective Clock 267 MHz
Bandwidth 2133 MB/s

Chipset Bus Properties
Bus Type Intel Hub Interface
Bus Width 8-bit
Real Clock 67 MHz (QDR)
Effective Clock 267 MHz
Bandwidth 267 MB/s

Motherboard Manufacturer
Company Name Acer Inc.
Product Information http://global.acer.com/products/index.asp
BIOS Download http://global.acer.com/support/index.htm


the program "Belarc" said
System Model - no details available
Main Circuit Board b - BIOS: Award Software 6.00PG 09/20/02
processor - 2.40 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
8 kilobyte primary memory cache
512 kilobyte secondary memory cache
Not hyper-threaded

"my computer", properties said, Intel pentium 4 cpu 2.4ghz 2.4 ghz, 504mb of RAM

quick update

i was just searching for something (ctrl f) on a web page, and it was not on there, so my computer "beeped". so i am getting some sound.

i still have no picture of a little speaker next to my clock.
when i start "sound recorder" from the accessory menu, it still said error: no sound device installed.

The model should be plainly visible on the exterior of the case. No need to do anything but use the eyes.

An example: T2244 for an eMachines system.

Louis

veriton 3500

Drivers at http://us.acer.com/acer/service.do?Languag...;CRC=2054404012

Go into Device Manager, click on Sound, Video, Game Controllers.

Uninstall anything that has "audio" in the description.

Then...Start/Run...type chkdsk /r (with space between k and /) and hit Enter. Type Y in response to onscreen query and hit Enter. Reboot, the chkdsk /r will run to completion and it will boot into XP once the command has done its work.

Then try to install the audio driver at the link above.

Louis

Hi Louis
I uninstalled in device manager
I ran the chkdsk /r
and installed the driver you recommended

nothing has changed.

what do you suggest now?

Run the XP Sound Troubleshooter.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307918

Louis

Louis
You are such a champion for seeing me through this process.
Unfortunatly I still have no sound, even after running the XP sound trouble shooter