BleepingComputer.com: Problems With Creative Soundcards 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.

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.

Maybe someone else is familiar with that Dell PC - I am not.

Howerver, I would like to ask a question:

can you go into the system BIOS and disable the on-board sound?

I've had issues installing Creative Drivers for the Audigy on Dell systems - my solution was to install the SoundBlaster Live drivers on a disk that I found laying around. BUT, my only concerns were that it made "sound" and that it didn't show as disabled in Device Manager (don't have a clue about the "What U Hear" software)

"what you hear" is part of the sound drivers , It allows you to record from a alternative source ie, a record or cassete deck. I had similar problems with a x-fi on my system i downloaded the newest drives from the creative website and it has work fine ever since. Only disapointment is the digital output are not full supported.

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.

just go into the screen where the microphone, line in etc are listed. Right click on line in or any other device that is listed as currently unavailable. Then click set as default. The device should almost immediately be detected and become available and start working.

Does this mean you CAN use "what u hear" on VISTA for broadcasting purposes?