Many people have reported problems with their Creative Audigy. One can examine various forums and news groups and see a class of problems relating to corruption of the EEPROM. Many have speculated that the problem is related to motherboards with VIA chipsets and the use of ACPI. However, the latest Intel motherboards share the same problem with the Audigy.

One of the entries stored in the Audigy EEPROM is the Subsystem ID. The correct value for this entry is 00511102h. When the EEPROM becomes corrupt, the entry will read 00401102h. The symptoms are:

· No audio or no enhanced (EAX or 5.1) audio
· EAX Control Panel, Playcenter, and Mixer do not work
· In Sounds and Audio Devices, the card is listed as "Emu10KxAudio[D000]" or no card is listed
· In Device Manager, " ! " is shown next to 1394 Net Adapter
· In Device Manager, the sound card is listed as "Creative Audio Audigy Processor (WDM)"
· Creative Diagnostic reports wave and mixer failures
· Install CD Setup cannot find Audigy hardware

I believe that I have documented a repeatable, observable anomaly with the Audigy card with sufficient detail to assist others to recognize the problem. Any end user who experiences the following symptoms can use Windows SI, and optionally a PCI bus sniffer, to observe the PCI Subsystem ID of the Audigy.

Windows System Information (SI) and PCI bus sniffer utilities will report the corrupt PCI Subsystem ID from the Audigy card. The PCI bus sniffer used for my observations are from a DOS utility called PCI.Exe. The latest version can be found at http://members.hyperlink.net.au/~chart/. You can also download a floppy image here that was bundled by Xenoide, a regular contributer of the Creative European forum. After downloading, unzip the files to an empty folder. Install a blank disk in Drive A: and run install.bat. This will write an image of the program to the floppy. Then boot the computer from the floppy. The program will scan the PCI bus and write the results to the the floppy.

These reports can also be verified with WPCREDIT, a program I use to read PCI Registers and the Audigy EEPROM. The latest version of the program can be found at http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA002374/src/download.html. Unfortunately the documentation is in Japanese. A working Audigy with the correct PCI Subsystem ID highlighted will look like this:

A nonworking Audigy with a corrupt PCI Subsystem ID will look like this:

I have discovered that I can correct the PCI Subsystem ID by installing the card into a different computer. I have verified this through the Audigy Diagnostics, Windows SI, ScanPCI, and WPCREDIT. I can then move the Audigy into the original computer and it will work all day long through reboots and power cycles. Next day the Audigy will fail during bootup, and the PCI Subsystem ID entry will show an incorrect value. Something in my Intel computer disagrees with the Audigy causing the PCI Subsystem ID to become corrupt, but the problem is reversible at least in my case.

The Audigy used for my observations is installed in an Intel D845EPT2 motherboard (with latest BIOS), Intel P4 1.6A CPU, 512MB Crucial PC2100 DRR RAM, VisionTek Xtasy G3 Ti 200 video card, Yamaha CDRW, WinXP Home. The system is not tweaked in any way. There are no other PCI cards installed in the system other than the Audigy. The computer that corrects the Audigy Subsystem ID is a Compaq Deskpro, 600MHz Celeron, WinXP.

The Audigy failed after about a week of operation, and symptoms pointed to a corrupt PCI Subsystem ID on the card. The Audigy was returned to Creative for repair in August of 2002.

Model: SB0090
S/N: MSB0090140565053
Original Install CD: AUDP-CDS1D-W2-US, QS (540973), R10.

After the Audigy was returned, the card was reinstalled back into the computer 08/30/2002. The Audigy card that was returned had the same serial number. There were no visible signs of repair on the surface of the card. The card worked perfectly. I rebooted the computer several times and exercised the Audigy to ensure that the card was stable.

The Audigy failed the next day upon booting. After the Audigy failed, the PCI Subsystem ID on the card was shown to be corrupt again. Creative tech support requested that the card be tested in another computer (on a voluntary basis) before shipping the card back to them. I captured and exported the Windows SI results, and used a PCI bus sniffer to verify that the PCI bus register on the card was corrupt again.

I then installed the card into a Compaq computer for testing and noticed that the card worked. Upon closer examination, I noticed an anomaly with the PCI bus register on the Audigy card. The PCI Subsystem ID on the card had changed back to the correct value! Again I exported the Windows SI and PCI bus sniffer results from the Compaq to verify that the PCI bus register had changed.

I then reinstalled the card back into the Intel computer and noticed that the PCI Subsystem ID on the card was indeed correct. The card was working again. I rebooted the computer several times to ensure stability, and captured the Windows SI and PCI bus sniffer results.

The next day, the Audigy failed again. After capturing the SI and bus sniffer results, I was able to correct the PCI register by installing the card into the Compaq. I then put the card back into the Intel computer and it work for several more hours, through several reboots. This time, I powered off the computer several times to ensure stability.

I then turned the computer off for several hours. When I turned the computer back on, the Audigy failed again. I repeated the above steps to get the card working again. Further testing has revealed that the necessary interval to cause failure is about 15 seconds. This is probably the voltage decay time of the power supply after shutdown.

My conclusion is that my problem with the Audigy is repeatable, and with predictable results. The Audigy card will work in the Intel computer until it is powered off for several hours. This will corrupt the PCI Subsystem ID register on the card. I can then install the Audigy in the Compaq computer to correct the register. Something in my Intel computer disagrees with the Audigy causing the PCI Subsystem ID to become corrupt, but the problem is reversible at least in my case.

However, this may explain why Creative is unable to verify the elusive problem and correct it. Creative may not be able to observe the anomaly. When I sent the card to them for repair, they probably were not able to observe anything wrong with the card. Imagine how many times this must have happened, and then imagine what their conclusion must be. A large volume of people are requesting an RMA for cards that are reported to be broke, and the repair department reports that a high volume of cards are arriving for repair that do not appear to be broke.

Below are the details of my observations and the results from Windows SI and the PCI bus sniffer.

After I installed the Audigy, the audio and Creative applications worked fine. The next day the Audigy failed and the following was observed:

· No enhanced audio
· EAX Control Panel, Playcenter, and Mixer do not work
· In Sounds and Audio Devices, the card is listed as "Emu10KxAudio[D000]"
· In Device Manager, " ! " is shown next to 1394 Net Adapter
· In Device Manager, the sound card is listed as "Creative Audio Audigy Processor (WDM)"
· Creative Diagnostic reports wave and mixer failures

Tried to reinstall the original Audigy software from the Install CD but Setup was unable to find Augigy hardware and halted the installation. Performed a COMPLETE uninstall then ran CTZAPXX.exe file, and selected uninstall. Started all over again with install CD but setup could not find any Audigy hardware. Error message:

Setup could not detect any Sound Blaster card on your system. Please ensure that your Sound Blaster hardware is properly installed before running this Setup program.

I tried a clean installation of Windows XP (reformatted the hard drive) but Audigy install CD still could not find Audigy hardware.

Called tech support and support specialist walked me through his TS procedures. We repeated above steps plus a few more but nothing worked. The basic audio was working but not the Creative applications. Support Specialist provided an RMA (OKRMA 2Aug53592) and I shipped the card.

See attachment SI_intel_0803.txt

The card that arrived from Creative was the original board. I installed it using the following CDROM from Creative, which has the .244 drivers:

SBMA-CDS1D-W1-LB, QS: 581253, R4

The Audigy board worked perfectly for several hours that evening. The computer was rebooted several times and the Audigy applications were extensively exercised.

On 8/31/2002 the computer found new hardware upon booting and installed audio drivers. The Audigy had worked for only one day. The following symptoms were observed:

· No enhanced audio
· EAX Control Panel, Playcenter, and Mixer do not work
· In Sounds and Audio Devices, the card is listed as "Emu10KxAudio[D000]"
· In Device Manager, " ! " is shown next to 1394 Net Adapter
· In Device Manager, the sound card is listed as "Creative Audio Audigy Processor (WDM)"

I tried to run the repair program from the install CD. The apps and drivers seemed to reinstall without any problems. I rebooted the computer and the symptoms remained. I tried to uninstall the Audigy apps from the install CD but I was unable to reinstall due to the following error:

Setup could not detect any Sound Blaster card on your system. Please ensure that your Sound Blaster hardware is properly installed before running this Setup program.

Creative Diagnostics:

Hardware Test Result
09/01/2002 01:49:31AM Hardware Detection Test Pass

Software Test Result
09/01/2002 01:49:31AM Wave Driver Test       Fail
09/01/2002 01:49:31AM MIDI Driver Test       Pass
09/01/2002 01:49:31AM Mixer Driver Test      Fail
09/01/2002 01:49:32AM DirectSound Test       Fail
09/01/2002 01:49:32AM DirectSound3D Test     Fail
09/01/2002 01:49:33AM SoundFont Setting Test Pass
09/01/2002 01:49:33AM Mixer Settings Check   Fail

Note that the hardware, MIDI and SoundFont tests passed but all others failed. Upon closer examination, the Audigy PCI Subsystem ID was corrupted again. Windows SI reported the following (attachment SI_intel_0901.txt):

System Information report written at: 9/1/2002 3:21:33 AM
System Name: JULIE

[Sound Device]

Item Value
Name Creative Audigy Audio Processor (WDM)
Manufacturer Creative Technology, Ltd.
Status OK
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_00401102&REV_03\4&2AF9ED5&0&10F0
I/O Port 0x0000D880-0x0000D89F
IRQ Channel IRQ 18
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\ctaud2k.sys (5.12.01.0244-1.31.0040, 816.05 KB (835,636 bytes), 9/1/2002 1:20 AM)

PCI bus sniffer (Safe Mode - command prompt) indicated (attachment PCIDUMP_intel_0901.TXT):

Vendor 1102h Creative Labs
Device 0004h EMU10K2 Audio Chipset (SB Audigy)
Command 0105h (I/O Access, BusMaster, System Errors)
Status 0290h (Has Capabilities List, Supports Back-To-Back Trans., Medium Timing)
Revision 03h, Header Type 80h, Bus Latency 20h
Self test 00h (Self test not supported)
PCI Class Multimedia, type Audio
Subsystem ID 00401102h Audigy Series (Guess Only!)
Subsystem Vendor 1102h Creative Labs
Address 0 is an I/O Port : 0000D880h
System IRQ 9, INT# A
New Capabilities List Information :
Power Management Capabilities
Supports power state D2
Supports power state D1
Current Power State : D0 (Device fully-operational, no power saving)

I installed the Audigy card in a Compaq Deskpro (600MHz Celeron, Windows XP Home) for testing and noticed that the Audigy sound and applications were fully functional. Upon closer examination, the PCI Subsystem ID changed from a few minutes ago when installed in the Intel D845EPT2 computer

Windows SI reported the following (SI_compaq_0901.txt):

System Information report written at: 9/1/2002 6:30:41 PM
System Name: TEST-RB7HUYHW4X

[Sound Device]

Item Value
Name Creative Audigy Audio Processor (WDM)
Manufacturer Creative Technology, Ltd.
Status OK
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_00511102&REV_03\4&24AB0D93&0&50F0
I/O Port 0x00001400-0x0000141F
IRQ Channel IRQ 18
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\ctaud2k.sys (5.12.01.0244-1.31.0040, 816.05 KB (835,636 bytes), 9/1/2002 5:30 PM)

PCI bus sniffer (Safe Mode - command prompt) indicated (PCIDUMP_compaq_0901.TXT):

Vendor 1102h Creative Labs
Device 0004h EMU10K2 Audio Chipset (SB Audigy)
Command 0105h (I/O Access, BusMaster, System Errors)
Status 0290h (Has Capabilities List, Supports Back-To-Back Trans., Medium Timing)
Revision 03h, Header Type 80h, Bus Latency 40h
Self test 00h (Self test not supported)
PCI Class Multimedia, type Audio
Subsystem ID 00511102h SB0090 Audigy Platinum
Subsystem Vendor 1102h Creative Labs
Address 0 is an I/O Port : 00001400h
System IRQ 9, INT# A
New Capabilities List Information :
Power Management Capabilities
Supports power state D2
Supports power state D1
Current Power State : D0 (Device fully-operational, no power saving)

I installed the Audigy card into the original Intel D845EPT2 computer and successfully reinstalled the Audigy software. The Audigy sound and applications were fully functional. The Audigy PCI Subsystem ID remained correct. I rebooted several times to ensure stability.

Windows SI reported the following (SI_intel_0901_post.txt):

System Information report written at: 9/1/2002 10:03:28 PM
System Name: JULIE

[Sound Device]

Item Value
Name Creative Audigy Audio Processor (WDM)
Manufacturer Creative Technology, Ltd.
Status OK
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_00511102&REV_03\4&2AF9ED5&0&10F0
I/O Port 0x0000D880-0x0000D89F
IRQ Channel IRQ 18
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\ctaud2k.sys (5.12.01.0244-1.31.0040, 816.05 KB (835,636 bytes), 9/1/2002 8:42 PM)

PCI bus sniffer (Safe Mode - command prompt) indicated (PCIDUMP_intel_0901_post.TXT):

Vendor 1102h Creative Labs
Device 0004h EMU10K2 Audio Chipset (SB Audigy)
Command 0105h (I/O Access, BusMaster, System Errors)
Status 0290h (Has Capabilities List, Supports Back-To-Back Trans., Medium Timing)
Revision 03h, Header Type 80h, Bus Latency 20h
Self test 00h (Self test not supported)
PCI Class Multimedia, type Audio
Subsystem ID 00511102h SB0090 Audigy Platinum
Subsystem Vendor 1102h Creative Labs
Address 0 is an I/O Port : 0000D880h
System IRQ 9, INT# A
New Capabilities List Information :
Power Management Capabilities
Supports power state D2
Supports power state D1
Current Power State : D0 (Device fully-operational, no power saving)

On Monday 9/2/2002 the Audigy failed again upon booting but did not install new audio drivers. The Audigy worked for one day before failing. This is a repeat of the events noted on 8/31/2002. The following symptoms were observed:

· No audio
· EAX Control Panel, Playcenter, and Mixer do not work
· In Sounds and Audio Devices, no card is listed
· In Device Manager, " ! " is shown next to 1394 Net Adapter
· In Device Manager, the sound card is listed as "Creative Audio Audigy Processor (WDM)"

Creative Diagnostics results:

Hardware Test Result
09/02/2002 02:34:41PM Hardware Detection Test Pass

Software Test Result
09/02/2002 02:34:45PM Wave Driver Test Fail
09/02/2002 02:34:45PM MIDI Driver Test Pass
09/02/2002 02:34:46PM Mixer Driver Test Fail
09/02/2002 02:34:46PM DirectSound Test Fail
09/02/2002 02:34:47PM DirectSound3D Test Fail
09/02/2002 02:34:47PM SoundFont Setting Test Pass
09/02/2002 02:34:48PM Mixer Settings Check Fail

Windows SI results (SI_intel_0902.txt):

System Information report written at: 9/2/2002 2:28:17 PM
System Name: JULIE

[Sound Device]

Item Value
Name Creative Audigy Audio Processor (WDM)
Manufacturer Creative Technology, Ltd.
Status OK
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_00401102&REV_03\4&2AF9ED5&0&10F0
I/O Port 0x0000D880-0x0000D89F
IRQ Channel IRQ 18
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\ctaud2k.sys (5.12.01.0244-1.31.0040, 816.05 KB (835,636 bytes), 9/1/2002 8:42 PM)

PCI bus sniffer results (PCIDUMP_intel_0902.TXT):

Vendor 1102h Creative Labs
Device 0004h EMU10K2 Audio Chipset (SB Audigy)
Command 0105h (I/O Access, BusMaster, System Errors)
Status 0290h (Has Capabilities List, Supports Back-To-Back Trans., Medium Timing)
Revision 03h, Header Type 80h, Bus Latency 20h
Self test 00h (Self test not supported)
PCI Class Multimedia, type Audio
Subsystem ID 00401102h Audigy Series (Guess Only!)
Subsystem Vendor 1102h Creative Labs
Address 0 is an I/O Port : 0000D880h
System IRQ 9, INT# A
New Capabilities List Information :
Power Management Capabilities
Supports power state D2
Supports power state D1
Current Power State : D0 (Device fully-operational, no power saving)

I then successfully installed the Audigy into the Compaq again (SI_compaq_0902.txt and PCIDUMP_compaq_0902.TXT), and then moved the card back to the Intel D845EPT2 computer without installing any software. The Audigy worked. Both Windows SI and the PCI bus sniffer indicated that the Audigy PCI Subsystem ID had changed back to the correct value (SI_intel_0902_post.txt and PCIDUMP_intel_0902_post.TXT).

Further testing has revealed that once the working Audigy is installed in the Intel computer, the Audigy will fail if the computer is shut down for more than 15 seconds.

The conclusion is that the Audigy PCI Subsystem ID will become corrupt in the Intel D845EPT2 computer but can be corrected by installing the card into the Compaq computer. Once corrected, the Audigy PCI Subsystem ID can be moved to another computer and successfully installed. The Audigy PCI Subsystem ID will remain correct while installed in the Intel D845EPT2 computer until the computer is shutdown.