Creative Sound Blaster Z problems

dazeRR · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:13

Hi all,

I seem to be having issues with my Soundblaster Z card, It was working fine until i booted up my PC today.
I started getting random BSOD and then got to the stage of my pc not even getting to the bios screen, The monitors where just blinking and there was no lights showing on the keyboard / Mouse, So i decided to unplug each piece of hardware until it did boot, And it was my soundcard, I removed it and it now boots to windows fine. I tried multiple times putting it back in and it would not work.

I guess its dead? Maybe driver related? Just want some advice before i purchase another.

rids57 · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:25

Sounds more likely to be a hardware failure. Have you tried it in different slots? At least that will show that it's not the PCIe slot. Only other thing I can suggest is removing the drivers completely , take the card out, boot up, shut down, put it back in and install the PAX drivers...
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/community/forums/pax-download-z-zx-zxr.193/

Midlife Crisis · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:27

Uninstall all creative drivers/software then reinstall the card, if still no joy have you another PCIE slot to try the card in? PAX Drivers are best http://www.hardwareheaven.com/community/forums/pax-drivers.174/
dam beaten like a ginger stepchild

dazeRR · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:45

Yeh tried the other slot on my motherboard still no luck. My PC will startup but literally show nothing on the screen.

rids57 · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:46

If the PC works normally without it then it looks like a dead un - time to RMA

dazeRR · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:48

Also for the last few days while playing CS;GO sometimes the sound would bug out and make weird screeching noises, I assume the card is finished.

Any advice for a new one? Would like a different brand now.

dazeRR · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:49

rids57 said:
If the PC works normally without it then it looks like a dead un - time to RMA

Its over a year old now

jh30uk · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:53

WARRANTY
2-year limited hardware warranty

http://uk.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-z

dazeRR · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:54

jh30uk said:
WARRANTY
2-year limited hardware warranty

http://uk.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-z

ta would that include the OEM version? Ill ave a look.

jh30uk · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:57

I was going to ask you if it was retail or OEM but figured you would work it out.

dazeRR · 8 Jul 2014 at 19:59

jh30uk said:
I was going to ask you if it was retail or OEM but figured you would work it out.

Seems to be 1 year, I guess that red shield on the retail version might of saved me! lol