Sound card problems.

Mkilbride

New member
So, a few months ago, I got a A/V Receiver, and started using my GPU for HDMI Audio. It was simpler, and on the whole, sounded better. But my A/V Receiver doesn't have a headphone / mic jack I can use, plus, Virtual is nothing on the CSSM3D or whatever.

I want to use my Headset for some MP games where a Mic is better suited and Headphones as well, because, well, my actual surround speakers are pretty loud...if I had a Desktop Mic, it just would be hard to understand me. Plus, I might stream at some point.

So I decided to install my trusty, dusty sound card!

Of course, I now have GTX670 SLI...alas, little room for my poor Creative X-Fi Titanium Professional. My CPU cooler, a NH-D14 is covering the one PCI-E x4 slot I could possibly use.

So I did what I can imagine, alot of you other techies are cringing at, I pushed my CPU cooler up slightly, allowing my sound card to slink in and make a incredibly tight fit. I believe the CPU cooler may even be pushing against the card and this may be the issue.

For starters, the little "X-FI" light that usually lights up is incredibly dim. If I move my comp around enough it even goes out. Hmm. But it was on, so I was happy, installed the driver software, Windows recognizes it, detects no problems.

Everything appears A-OK.

The first time, I plugged my headset in the Front Panel, I got some odd popping noise, so I fiddled with the card abit until it seemed more secure. Turned it back on, yadda yadda yadda...no popping noise.

However, my computer detects plugging in the headset, and detects plugging in the microphone, I checked, multiple times.

But I get no audio, nor does the bar go up for mic. So I decided I might've plugged the FP Connector in wrong, so I tried the rear panel. Same issue. If I fiddle with the volume control on my headset(PC350), I hear some noise, but only while moving the button up and down.

Curious to me, to make sure I disabled my NVIDIA HD Audio, didn't seem to do anything.

As for power, I believe I'm fine, 850w PSU. My power meter is guaging I'm drawing a little less than 600w.

I can't figure the issue here, unless it's just simple impossible with my CPU's cooler pushing against it. I realize it's stupid to even do as I've done, but it was the only spot I could put it. I have the mobo located here:

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?model=fatal1ty p67 professional

I am going to try to play with the card some more. It was working when I took it out months ago, and hasn't received any damage as far as I can tell.

Also, I think if someone was truly wrong with the way I have it in the slot, it might not even boot...but who knows.

Thanks for any help offered.
 
Dude maybe buy a pcie 1 card and do what I have done and put it in a video card slot at the bottom of the board all issues solved.
 
Firstly welcome to the forums, secondly your second post is shooting someone down who's trying to help you, not a great first impression is it?

Can you show us a photo of what it looks like?

it sounds daft, but have you actually chosen the soundcard output in the 'output' part of the windows sound panel etc?

What Excalabur said is perfectly valid, before you try and flame the guy. You CAN put the card into any of your pci-express slots if it's an ex-1 card (which i'm sure it is) and it will work fine.

It feels like you're asking a question you may already know the answer to. Allowing your cpu cooler to touch it, much less have to move it out the way to get it in sounds like it spells disaster from the get-go here. You could be shorting the back of the sound card, or worse yet, you could be lifting the cooler OFF the cpu or otherwise straining it in some way. None of which is really clever.

That top slot looks to me like it's meant for very small wi-fi/bt cards as supplied with some mobos, not for a full x-fi sound card being that close to the socket.

With the SLi'd cards I assume ALL other slots are covered?

Is there any way to physically TURN the cpu cooler to give yourself more room?

photos (and a better attitude) would really help here.
 
Exacibur it is a pciex 1 card, to my knowledge, all sound cards are that run on pci-express
 
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