Unofficial solution for Audigy 2 and Vista

I take no credit for this as I found it in another forum. I doin't think this has been posted here on HWA and so here it is.

Unofficial SB Audigy Series Software CD (Rev 2) for - this is legit and not some weird hacked CD. It just has some files modded for better Vista compatibility.

OS Supported: Windows 2000 / XP / Server 2003 / Vista (32/64-bit)
by Daniel Kawakami

Fully integrated and automated install, supporting Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista (32-bit and 64-bit), installs proper drivers. Includes all latest software available.

It is MANDATORY to disable UAC (User Account Control) before installing the package on Windows Vista (specially the 64-bit version).

Revision 2 release notes:

- Removed "Diagnostics" from 64-bit systems.
- "Smart Recorder" for Windows XP now works with MP3 files and has a more friendly "My Recordings" interface.
- Includes "MP3 write" codec, the latest free version included in Audigy CDs, doesn't work with WaveStudio 7, though.
- Updated the Windows Vista driver to ver 2.15.0002.2 (build 6.0.01.1302), latest version for X-Fi which also works with Audigy cards.
- Removed old WHQL driver and non-WHQL multilanguage driver to save space.
- "Creative Engine" installer and modules updated. Installers of applications using this engine were updated as well.
- Do NOT use this new CD to uninstall or add components of a previous installation, remove the old version completely before using this new version (see note above).

Known "Windows Vista only" issues (so far):

- "Speaker Settings" crashes during uninstall; just close the "Windows encountered a problem" and uninstall will proceed.
- Environment presets acts as Karaoke presets (effects are applied to Microphone).
- Advanced EQ and Special FX presets are available through "EAX Settings" application. You can edit and save the presets, but you can't delete or edit them once saved.

Known issues:

- The Microphone controls may be disabled in Karaoke player. Just use the Windows Mixer and "EAX Settings" / "EAX Console" and to adjust the Microphone volume and effects, respectively.
- Do not install Entertainment Center unless you have one of the supported remote controls (RM-900, RM-1000, RM-1500, RM-1800), otherwise it is useless.

Hardware supported:

- Audigy series
- Audigy 2 series
- Audigy 2 Value
- Audigy 2 ZS series
- Audigy 2 ZS Notebook
- Audigy 4 series

Software for Windows Vista:

- AudioConsole
- EAX Settings
- SoundFont Bank Manager
- Speaker Settings
- Volume Panel
- Diagnostics (32-bit only)
- DVD Audio Player (32-bit only, Audigy1 is not supported)
- Karaoke Player
- SB Performance Utility (Audigy2 ZS Notebook)
- Smart Recorder
- Wavestudio 7
- Vienna SoundFont Studio
- Media Toolbox
- Entertainment Center
- ALchemy (Audigy Edition)
- MediaSource 5
- Online Manual (PDF / CHM)
- MIDI Guide
- Drivers (working Advanced EQ presets)

Software for Windows 2000 / XP / Server 2003:

- AudioConsole
- EAX Console
- SoundFont Bank Manager
- Speaker Settings
- THX Console
- Speaker Calibrator
- Surround Mixer
- Volume Panel
- Diagnostics
- DVD Audio Player (32-bit only, Audigy1 is not supported)
- Karaoke Player
- SB Performance Utility (Audigy2 ZS Notebook)
- Smart Recorder
- Wavestudio 7
- Vienna SoundFont Studio
- Media Toolbox
- Entertainment Center
- Sound Blaster Plug-in (Media Center only)
- MediaSource 5
- Online Manual (PDF / CHM)
- MIDI Guide
- Drivers

Download:

The ISO image is packed with WinRAR and split into 2 volumes of 213MB each, uncompressed size is 640MB.

- Part1: http://files.filefront.com/SBAXWXCD+R2part1rar/;8604885;/fileinfo.html
- Part2: http://files.filefront.com/SBAXWXCD+R2part2rar/;8606942;/fileinfo.html

Copyright info:

All files are property of Creative Labs, Inc.
Mirror by Crisao23:

I repacked the R2 iso using 7zip and splitted on 100MB files (actually 4 x 100MB files and one 9+MB).

Files are now ready at mihd.net, TO DOWNLOAD click "request download link" and then up there on the right hand side clck "download file" link.

http://mihd.net/n7ap1j
http://mihd.net/pb9ti1
http://mihd.net/birp7z
http://mihd.net/ltenj7
http://mihd.net/tay8mc

Use 7zip (http://www.7-zip.org/) or WinRAR (http://www.rarlabs.com) to unpack.

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My personal experience with this driver:

I got an Audigy 2 eX modded to Audigy 4 and this driver reverts it back to Audigy 2 but because it uses a newer driver based on X-Fi it sounds better than the original driver that Audigy 2 comes with. When you go to enable one of the EAX settings like "Pop" in Special FX, even if it's highlighted and enabled, there is absolutely no difference in sound quality. It's like it says "enabled" without actually turning it on. So, that doesn't work. There is no stereo surround option anymore so people like me, with a good enough speaker set, have to suffer the crappy emulation from CMSS and CMSS 2 which totally blows. Not a big deal for a lot of you folks out there but surely is for me is the fact that DVD-A player doesn't work. It plays the disc but no sound will be coming through. I think it actually worked once but I am not even sure of that. Only Media Source 5 works with Vista and I can't use Creative Recorder. I have to record through MS5. THX console isn't there and there is no speaker calibrator - this really blows. Audio Console lacks decoder settings. I don't even know if the built-in decoder works because I only use SPDIF out to my external decoder. You can't set this up in Audio Console but luckuly you can by setting SPDIF default in windows control panel.

I found another driver that actually allows you to configure decoder settings so you might wanna try it.

Just do a custom installation from the Audigy CD Rev2 (in the beginning of this thread) and uncheck driver installation. Install, restart, once it comes back up cancel "new device found" dialog.

Download and install these drivers. Restart and now you can setup your decoder settings in audio console. http://rapidshare.com/files/69609977/Audigy_Vista_Decoder_2150002.exe.html

P.S. Make sure you never install any of the drivers on top of installed ones. Don't be lazy to uninstall the driver, restart and then install the new ones. At least this way you won't mess your system up.

If you try everything that's in this post and you still have probs with your sound don't come here blaming me for your PC not working. Please post here only with specific questions which I might be able to answer and with your comments/suggestions or even solutions to some of the problems regarding Audigy and Vista. k thx ppl

I am out.