Soundblaster Z Issue

oxygene

oxygene

oxygene

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Ok I will add to the tons of threads regarding Soundblaster card issues since windows updates...

So I recently changed motherboard, and updated windows from 17xx to 18xx. Since I did both at once I'm not certain the culprit.

As it stands on windows bootup after a period of time being switched off my sound wont work. My sound card will show as SB Recon3d instead of Soundblaster Z, and the control panel for it wont work.

Solution: I repair the drivers, or uninstall and reinstall, then restart twice and it all works fine.

Problem: I go back to the computer the next day and have the same problem. Its happened a good 6 or 7 times now. And I cant find anyone with the exact same issue or anyone who updating drivers didnt help (I am on the latest drivers).
 
See if you can check update history - maybe Windows 10 is installing the wrong drivers every few days or so. Otherwise sounds like something has become corrupted somewhere and might necessitate some kind of driver cleaner or OS reinstall :|
 
18xx has been causing problems also for Asus cards.

Try stopping Windows from automatically updating drivers.
https://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to-prevent-windows-10-from-automatically-downloading-updates/
Though regedit would be lot simpler:
https://www.howtogeek.com/302595/ho...from-automatically-updating-hardware-drivers/
Unless Microsoft has "updated" also that to broken state in patches...

Wintoys10 is constantly becoming more and more like this:
https://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/top10.html
 
Ahh cheers for the replies, I will try that tonight. The funny thing is I tried completely uninstalling the drivers last night then installed the soundblaster Z drivers from the website, and even at that stage it said Recon3d as the card. So not sure its windows fault at this point.

Someone mentioned on another forum that there might be an issue with Soundblaster cards in pcie 1x slots. I have mine in a 1x but I have a spare 16x. However the case screw for that slot might as well be welded in and no amount of torque from me gets it loose :(
 
Apologies for the late reply. I've now tried creatives own advice as well which was a clean boot of windows with all startup items disabled, and to remove the drivers then reinstall them. Same issue.

I've also moved the card from PCIE x1 to PCIE x16 and no difference. I've also disabled windows driver updating.

It should be noted, I can completely remove the drivers and remove / uninstall the sound card and when I windows boot it will find it and show it as Soundblaster Z. But same as before, on restart its fine but on power off and startup it again comes back as recon3d.

This is driving me a touch nuts now as every time I want to use the computer I need to reinstall the drivers and restart twice, then change the sound settings to what I like :(

I would just give up and use the onboard sound but I've gotten very used to the luxury of toggling a switch in a control panel to change from headphones to speakers!

Plus I paid for this so it should work hehe.
 
oxygene said:
Apologies for the late reply. I've now tried creatives own advice as well which was a clean boot of windows with all startup items disabled, and to remove the drivers then reinstall them. Same issue.

I've also moved the card from PCIE x1 to PCIE x16 and no difference. I've also disabled windows driver updating.

It should be noted, I can completely remove the drivers and remove / uninstall the sound card and when I windows boot it will find it and show it as Soundblaster Z. But same as before, on restart its fine but on power off and startup it again comes back as recon3d.

This is driving me a touch nuts now as every time I want to use the computer I need to reinstall the drivers and restart twice, then change the sound settings to what I like :(

I would just give up and use the onboard sound but I've gotten very used to the luxury of toggling a switch in a control panel to change from headphones to speakers!

Plus I paid for this so it should work hehe.
Click to expand...

If it's a Gigabyte First Gen Ryzen Motherboard then that's the Reason, Hardware Defect of the motherboard
My Gigabyte AX370 Gaming 5 the following day after turning on PC would lose the Sound of the Soundblaster Z, the only way to get the sound back was to turn off the PSU switch for around 10 secs
Now got an Asus Prime x470, Solid With sound blaster Z Card
http://support.creative.com/scripts/getProd.aspx?id=21402
Drivers Release date : 3 Mar 17
 
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Oh crap dont say that!

My Motherboard:

GA-AB350M-GAMING 3 AMD B350

What does this hardware defect do? Anything in those slots doesnt work right, or something related specifically to soundcards?

*edit
Some chap on some other forums described this issue too and said it was fixed by disabling UEFI in bios. Would this cause other issues?
 
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The Hardware Defect only applies to most but not all the Gigabyte Ryzen 1st gen of Motherboards x370 ,350, The Issue seems to be fixed on the new Gigabyte X470 Line
gaming 3 as the defect, Nothing to do with the soundcard
Many 1000s of Posts about it around the www
 
motherboard hardware defect makes part of the soundcard hardware lose its connectivity in "Device Manager"
That's what it should look like when working Correctly
BCYe3xR.jpg.png


When not working the Sound blaster Z Part of the driver will show unknown or something & opening the Soundblaster Z Control panel with say sound not detected
 
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Ahh yes thats what I have. Soundblaster Z and Soundblaster Audio Controller.

So theres nothing that can be done about it?

Currently the quickest way I have found is to not reinstall the drivers, but to uninstall them, then let windows install it again. This cuts it down to 1 restart :/
 
Turn off the PC & then turn off the PSU by the switch for 10 or so secs then back on again then turn on PC
that should get it working again tell the next time you shut the PC down again.
 
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