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Update sound card driver (PC only)

Knowledge Base Article ID: 52 ( Try another search )

A faulty or incompatible sound card or sound card driver can cause the sound to cut off or, in some cases, cause your computer to freeze up.

Note: Your sound card can either be a physical card that occupies a PCI slot on your computer or it may be integrated with your motherboard. To find out which type of card card you have and why it's important to know, see KB article 61.

You can find the manufacturer of your sound card/driver many different ways. The most common methods are listed below:

Method 1: Via the System Properties menu

Click on START->SETTINGS->CONTROL PANEL->SYSTEM
From the System Properties window:
1. click on the "Device Manager" tab if you are using Windows 95/98,ME,NT, or 2000
2. click on the "Hardware" tab and then select "Device Manager" if you are using Windows XP
Click on the "+" next to "Sound, video, and game controllers" to expand the list
You will see several devices listed. For every audio device listed (such as Creative SBLive!) , perform the following steps:
1. Write down the device name (this is the name of your sound card)
2. Right click on the device and select "Properties"
3. Select the "General" tab and write down the manufacturer (such as "Creative Technology, Ltd")
4. Select the "Driver" tab and write down the Driver Provider (such as "Microsoft" or "Creative") as well as the Driver Date and version

Method 2: Via the DXDIAG utility
Use this method if you could not find the manufacturer using method 1 above. For example, some computers do not have a physically separate sound card. Instead, they have a sound chip embedded in the motherboard. In this case a sound card manufacturer will not appear in the System Properties (it may just say "Generic Sound card".)

Click on START->RUN
Type "dxdiag" (minus the quotes) in the 'Open:' dialog box and the press "OK"
The DirectX Diagnostic Tool window will appear
Click on the "Sound" tab
In the 'Device' section, write down the name, and manufacturer
In the 'Drivers' section, write down the name and version

Method 3: Physically inspecting your computer
If you still can not determine the manufacturer of your sound card/driver, you need to open up your computer and look inside.

NOTE: Only perform this step if you are experienced in servicing electrical equipment. Please contact your computer's manufacturer regarding warranties, etc.

Look for a sound card, if one is present, try to find the company name and/or model number on the sound card
If a sound card is not present, your sound is most likely embedded on the computer's motherboard. Again try to find the company name and/or model number on the motherboard

When you have completed the steps in any method above, you should have written something down similar to the following:

Name of your sound card: Creative SB Live! Value
Manufacturer: Creative Technology, Ltd.
Driver provider: Creative
Driver Date: 7/24/2002
Driver Version: 5.12.2.252

As mentioned previously, you need to determine if your sound card is a physical card that occupies a PCI slot on your computer or if it is integrated with your motherboard. To find out which type of card card you have and why it's important to know, see KB article 61.

Use the Internet to search for an updated sound card driver. Download and install the new sound card driver and try using Headsprout again.

(Instructions for installation of the drivers are normally included in the driver download package, or the may be available at the card manufacturers website).

Note: Please see KB article 59 for a list of sound card manufacturer websites.

Note: Some embedded sound chips/controllers (for example VIA) do not work well with the Macromedia Flash player. If all else fails, purchase and install a sound card (such as a Soundblaster Pro sound card) instead of using your embedded sound chip/controller.

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Update sound card driver (PC only)

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