Hi guys!

I'd like to know:
There is a registry key for the installed hardware. If you erase it, XP redetects all the installed hardware.
I'd like to do that for my sound card.

Q1: Which registry key is it? (think it's one in LOCAL MACHINE)

Q2: Can I erase one particular hardware reg-key (in this case sound) or just the whole configuration?

Thanks in advance! :ok:

Can't help you with the registry key, but there's another way for it, too. Go to Start - System Control - System. There go to Hardware-Tab, click on Device Manager. Find your card in the list, right-click on it and select "Search for changed Hardware".
Or if you mean you don't have the soundcard in the list yet, well, then Windows should start to detect it automatically upon after it starts.

Thanks, Scatty. :ok:
But if it was that easy i would have figured it out. ;)
I can't erase the wrong drivers from my device manager, there is some error. So I'm gonna fight with heavy ordnance! :titan:
My onboard sound screwed up, so I decided to put in a PCI sound-card. Now the srewed onboard sound somehow blocks the PCI sound, cause it's still resident, cause I can't delete it. <_<

I'm no expert about the registry but yes, HK_LOCAL_MACHINE is for the configuration of the computer itself --as opposed to the different user accounts whose keys are somewhat homologous but obviously don't include hardware. Within the HK_LOCAL_MACHINE folder there is a HARDWARE one but it's not obvious to recognize what's inside and I do not recommend you erasing things you don't know about, let alone the whole HARDWARE folder. That could end up badly.

If you really want to know how to do it via registry and nobody here can help you further, ask in some specific forum. AND every time you're making changes in the registry export it as a backup and set up a rollback point.

However as Scatty said, try first through the Device Manager. Do as he said or double click on your device --if it isn't properly configured it will show a yellow exclamation mark-- to access its Properties and tweak with the buttons there --update, troubleshooting, reconfigure, etc. I've done that several times some hardware wasn't properly configured at first, it can stay with the exclamation mark for as long as it's necessary and you can access and reconfigure each device at any time.

OK, I found it:

It is in LOCAL_MACHINE > System
Each registrated user "CurrentControl" has an own "Enum" folder with different hardware sets in it.

These have subordinated folders for different information. Unformtunately it just goes for ALL PCI, PnP or ISAPnP devices. <_<

Ah, what the hell, it's my home test system so I'll give it a try. Otherwise I'll have coffee and set it up anew.
Once more... *sigh* But these are the most valuable IT-experiences. In my opinion.

Make a registry backup first, Wolf...

And, did you try to reinstall your drivers after booting into Safe Mode?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(the_fifth_horseman @ Feb 2 2007, 02:10 PM) [snapback]277698[/snapback]</div>I guess the Windows recovery service will do the job? :huh:
Safe Mode!!! :w00t: Yes! Totally forgot about safe mode! Thanks! :ok:
I'll give it a try!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Icewolf @ Feb 2 2007, 02:27 PM) [snapback]277703[/snapback]</div>Wouldn't bet on it. Make sure you backup your registry (there is such option in Regedit, registry cleaners also usually have it).

If all else fails just re format and start afresh. It may be that the onboard sound has intergreted it's driver alot and has screwed up in such away that there is no non insanley complex way to remove it.

make sure you also disabled the onboard sound card in BIOS. Otherwise WinXP will keep finidng it.


anyway i heard about this kind of problems before. that's why when i got the new mobo first thing i did i turned the bugger off in bios and installed the good old PCI soundblaster. it maybe doens't have so many channels, but stereo is good enough for me. i have only 2 speakers anyway...