The 24-bit version of the SB Live has official Creative drivers (it's got an Audigy chip anyway), but the older models don't ... so I've been using my AC'97 audio ... until today!

I'll post the updated files and instructions tommorow, should some other poor pitiful fool need their SB Live to work.

I've been using the XP KX drivers since I got Vista. Work like a charm.

Its funny, the only things really needed to be changed in the .inf should be the headers stating its for an X64 install.

I remember editing my motorola software installation to work with XP x64.

Dublin, the Kx's work in x64?

The headers were already set for an 'AMD64' install, since they were from XP x64. The (standalone) INF for my cell phone (which worked on XP x64) wouldn't work in Vista either at first, but that actually was an easy fix.

So did you just amend the headers to state it was for Vista x64, or how did you get it to work?


Even the 32bit install for my phone wont work in Vista, I was considering amending the header info to state it was for a Vista install (i'm on 32 bit) to see if it would work...

Son of a biotch! Looks like I was wasting my time lol ...
http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id...e.id=19194

Those drivers work even better (5.1, SPDIF, and driver bass/treble controls all work). Even has the sexy fade-on-mute that I was used to in XP x64.

I waited long enough though ... sheesh!

I'll download it and see if it works with my doggy Dell OEM SB Live 5.1! But honestly onboard ain't that much worse than a s**t sound card anyway.

How have I never spotted these???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol, not sure! They're even on Windows Update (since June!) but since I didn't have card installed, it didn't get picked up as an update for my machine.

When you're first installing those drivers, unplug your speakers! They have a huge distortion issue if you have it set to 2 speakers (which is its default) and it's horribly loud. The damned Windows shutdown sound nearly made me sh*t my pants ... set to output to 4 speakers or 5.1 and you're gold.

Here's a shocker:
http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/5347/updatemj9.jpg

but ... on Creative's product support pages ...

Please note that the product you have selected has been classified as "End of Service Life"
You have selected Live! 5.1 and Windows Vista 64-bit.
Sorry, no Creative updates are available for the selected query.

Hmm, they dont show up in update for me

Does the digital out work?

Well ... I don't have one of the SB Live's with the digital outputs onboard, but I do have an SB Digital I/O Bracket III:
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/3130/digiay5.jpg

Which worked wonderfully in XP (32-bit, never tried it on x64), and I can't try it out until I get my digital reciever back. The optical output does light up, but I suspect that's just because it's getting power. I did read on the Creative forums that people were getting it to work.

I was sure getting tired with the quality of the AC'97. Granted, the Karajan mod is higher quality than solutions integrated into the motherboard, but still ... not great. I've had this SB Live since the summer of aught 2, still works just great, so it will hold me over until I can get myself an X-Fi Prelude, and then the SB Live will go towards a SHOUTcast server.

McFly and his SB Live ... reunited at last ... ... throw in Vista and you've got a top shelf orgy.

OK ... here's a set I put together (don't bother with the driver from 2005, but I put it in anyway, in case anybody has trouble with the other one):

SBLive 05: Modified XP x64 drivers from 2005, Stereo only (no 5.1), bass/treble controls broken. Will fail driver signature checks, so if you've installed the new Performance, Compatibility and Reliability packs (KB938979, KB938194), your only option is to F8 at every boot. KB938979 specifically patches the bcdedit option. (I have to F8 now anyways )

SBLive 06: This is the driver that appeared in JUNE 2007 on Windows Updates, but the driver itself was signed in DEC 2006! Which means Creative was sitting on it for 6+ months ... ^&$%#! ... This driver supports quadraphonic, 5.1 and 7.1. Use anything but stereo with this one ... it sounds horribly distorted. All I did to get this one was copy the update out of my SoftwareDistribution folder after it was done downloading, and they have a valid signature.

All of the SB Live software is included, the EAX control panel, etc.
18.7MB downoad: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9V8BG2VL <--

I'll check it out and see if I can get the digital out on mine to work.

Interestingly, I also have the phono type digital out bracket, but a stereo type digital out on board.

Is the Dell model a POS? My Live isn't the best card in the world, but it's not s**t and certainly better than onboard ...

The other advantage now is that I can run TeamSpeak on the AC'97, so I only have to hear people talking in my headset and not through my speakers, and then have the game sounds and music go to my speakers through the SB Live.