[andydude00]

System Info: Windows XP Professional SP2

DELL DIMENSION 4400
Soundcard: Creative Soundblaster Live! Value Digital 1024

Problem: My computer would not get past login in Windows XP Home SP2, so I tried repairing XP Home sp2 through boot-up Windows Repair option. I also tried to sign in through Safe mode, with no solution. I ended up clean installing XP PRO SP2 which my roommate has for his XP Pro machine. I loaded it up and everything seemed to run perfect, and faster than before (no junk or adware is the reason). Then I realized that the computer no longer recognized the sound card. (It never recognized it since the XP Pro installation). Also in the NOD32 (anti-virus program) when I run a virus check it says that it can't read some files (ntuser.dat, ntuser.dat.log, usrclass.log, usrclass.dat.log, edb.log, tmp.edb, default.LOG, SAM, as well as some others.) error opening (File locked) [4]) for example: "C:/pagefile.cys error opening file (4)File Locked" then in the bottom it says:

"[4] File cannot be opened. It may be in use by another application or operating system."

Then I remembered when my computer reboots it asks me which OS I want to use XP PRO, or XP Home. I actually edited the boot.ini earlier so it would boot directly to XP PRO. I just thought that this was weird since I formatted my disks before I installed XP PRO. Could it be possible that my old OS is using my soundcard?

Also I tried installing Creative soundcard drivers, but it says that there is no sound device installed on this computer.

SUMMARY: My computer won't recognize my soundcard since my clean install of WINDOWS XP PRO SP2 from a messed up WINDOWS XP HOME SP2 machine.

WINDOWS ISSUE AS IDENTIFIED BY PIP 22 OF GEEKS TO GO FORUM:

So you've installed XP using the same CD that belongs to your room-mate's computer? I assume you also used the same CD-key to install it as your room-mate used? If so, that's illegal unless it's covered by a multi-user licence. If it's a single-user licence you are legally bound to install it on only one PC. As such, we cannot help you.



MY RESPONSE TO PIP 22:

I spoke to my roomate about the windows disc he gave me he said it was an office version. I did not know I was doing anything illegal, I did not even have to type a key for the installation. Once I registered I even used my name. Is there a way where I can fix this issue, and return my computer to working condition without doing illegal stuff? Thanks.



Please help. Thank you in advance.

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Hi andydude00...

Have you been able to Activate and Validate the XP Pro installation? How about Windows Update...are you able to install updates from the Microsoft website?

Open My Computer and double click on Local Disk C:. How many folders so you see that have "Windows" in the name?

wannabe1

[wannabe1]

Hi andydude00...

Have you been able to Activate and Validate the XP Pro installation? How about Windows Update...are you able to install updates from the Microsoft website?

Open My Computer and double click on Local Disk C:. How many folders so you see that have "Windows" in the name?

wannabe1

[andydude00]

Yes I was able to activate the xp pro installation I am in trouble since I put in all of my information and PIP said this was illegal. How do I validate this?

In the local disk C: there is only one folder with Windows in the name.

[wannabe1]

Are you able to use Windows Update? Try the link to Windows Update in the start menu...if you are able to update the computer, it is likely that the installation is legal in Microsoft's eyes.

[andydude00]

Yeah it updates. So that means everything is ok right? Can I go back to my old version of windows so I don't have any problems? (i don't have the disc, but I do have the license key) Also is there anything that I could do about my sound card? Thanks for your help so far, I really appreciate it.

[wannabe1]

Ok...it appears that you have a legal installation so long as Microsoft recognizes it as such. Here's where we run into problems. When you did the full, clean installation, you lost the original operating system (XP Home). That's what I was checking when I had you see how many Windows folders you had. One Windows folder...one installation. The Dimension 4400 does have a recovery partition, but without the original installation of Windows on there, there is no way to get to it.

Your options are these:

• We can see about repairing the current installation and get your sound device working.
• You can order the Recovery CD for your machine from Dell and do a full recovery

The choice is yours. I see no reason we can't get the new installation working correctly with a little effort.

[andydude00]

The new installation is much faster than my old setup, and it came with less DELL junk. So what could we do about the sound device? Thanks again.

[wannabe1]

Right click on My Computer and choose "Properties". Click on the "Hardware" tab and then the "Device Manager" button.

In Device Manager, do you see any yellow ! or ? icons displayed next to any devices?

[andydude00]

I went into the device manager, and found quite a few yellow question marks. Here they are:

(?)Other Devices
-(?)Ethernet Controller
-(?)Multimedia Audio Controller
-(?)PCI Simple Communications Controller
-(?)Video Controller


Not sure if this matter but the "Sound Video and Game Controllers" don't have any purple or yellow marks.

[wannabe1]

Well...there's the problem...

Go HERE, download, and install the chipset drivers for a start. Once you have installed them, if the sound doesn't work, we'll look into some others. At the moment, it's the board controllers that are missing.

Then we'll get moving on some of the other issues you're having.

[andydude00]

Ok so I downloaded the chipset from DELL and tried to install it. It extracted some files, and then went on to install a seperate file which said:

"The Intel® Chipset Software Installation Utility installs to the target system the Windows* INF files that outline to the operating system how the chipset components will be configured. This is needed for the proper functioning of the following features:
- Core PCI and ISAPNP Services

- AGP Support

- IDE/ATA33/ATA66/ATA100 Storage Support

- USB Support

- Identification of Intel Chipset Components in Device Manager

IMPORTANT NOTE: When you select 'Install Now', you may be given the choice of running this program from its current location, or saving this program to disk. You MUST select 'run this program from its current location' for the installation to work."

But then once this started, and I followed the instructions a window popped up that said:

"The current operating system supports the Intel chipset devices on your system. No INF update is needed."

I then went back to my computer to look at the devices to see if the yellow question marks are still there, and they are.

[wannabe1]

With the XP installation cd in the drive, go to Device Manager, right click on each of the marked devices, and choose "Update Driver". Have the wizard look for the best driver and see if it will install them.

[andydude00]

Hi I have tried using the installation disc to update the drivers, but the wizard says that it cannot find the installation files.

[andydude00]

Hey after looking for more solutions I was able to install some chipset drivers from dell turns out i have the 5550 dimension with a 4400 case..... Don't know how that happened. Anyways I still have no sound are there any more things we can try? Please help, and thanks for your time.

[wannabe1]

Click Start, then Run, and type services.msc...click "Ok".

Scroll down the list to "Windows Audio". Under "Status", is it Started?