Audigy 2 ZS with Windows 7 64-Bit and more than 4GB of RAM

[Krisoijn]

I'm using Windows 7 Pro 64-Bit and I have installed 8GB RAM. I installed the latest Beta driver and I'm not able to use my microphone. It doesn't recognize any input at all. As soon as I remove 4GB RAM so only 4 GB RAM remain everything works as expected. The microphone problem is only there when you have more than 4GB RAM installed. Is there any driver or workaround to make the microphone work again?

I don't want to

• use another version of Windows 7
• reduce my RAM
• use onboard sound

I hope you can help me or at least tell me if (and when) Creative wants to fix this.

[Rozamond]

No help from my side, but I experienced the exact same issue. Mic doesn't work at all, however it is recognized by Windows, just doesn't record anything! I temporarily switched to onboard sound for recording (which has really some bad noise). My computer specs are the same: Windows 7 64-bit, 8GB memory and Audigy 2 ZS. When I used Vista 64-bit (and the same driver v2.18.0011) I had no problems to get a working microphone. I just noticed some heavy distortion after my computer was running for a while (and had used more than 4GB of memory).

[Van Aken]

No solution from me, but I just wanted to chime in because I have the same problem and I'd like to explain it in detail. I've actually had this problem with Vista 64-bit (6GB of RAM) for the past 2 years. It's a very flaky/random problem, where about 40% of the time the microphone worked fine, 20% where I would get minor crackling (turns my voice into a robot voice), 20% with MAJOR crackling, and 20% where the microphone didn't work at all. When it would either crackle or stop working, I would usually restart the computer. After the computer booted up again, it would work fine 95% of the time (I very rarely had to reboot it twice in a row). However, it would randomly change states (between the four listed above) throughout the duration of the computer staying on. And, it would usually progress in the direction of "being more and more broken". For example:
1.) Wake up, turn on my computer. Everything works fine.
2.) Go to class, come back. Now the microphone crackles.
3.) Do some homework, eat dinner. Now the microphone doesn't work at all.
I was excited when the SBAX_PCDRV_LB_2_18_0011.exe update came out in July so I can finally get a consistent working microphone in a 64-bit version of Windows. Then everything came together last week, when I got a copy of Windows 7 64-bit Professional from my school. I tried the drivers and FAIL. Pretty much the same thing, but different percentages/tendencies than listed above for Vista.

[Operatorr]

Same problem here. Got Win7 Pro 64 w/ 6GB ram. Mic works bugged with latest drivers. With other drivers it doesn't work at all. Now Creative can't say its beta anymore, final has been released. Time to open a trouble ticket and see what they will say about it in their auto-answer-machine. I'm not in the mood to open my pc just to check serial codes. I'll just wait for a solution and use onboard soundcard until Creative fixes it (or not). May just as well get some other soundcard from other brand to save time.

[HatRix]

This is absolutely ridiculous. I've resorted to using my Sennheiser USB adapter in the meantime. Any word on when we will have proper driver support? There are a tons of people using Windows 7 64 along with Audigy 2 sound cards. Sound is fine but I sound like a robot when I use my mic. Using my USB adapter instead of the sound card, my mic is fine.

[Eru]

This does not fix the driver problem but it will allow you to keep more than 8 gig of ram installed in your computer and use the mic or line-in to record when you need it.

• go to start and in the search bar type run, then click on the run option you will see come up at the top of the search list.
• now type msconfig and ok
• now click on the boot tab at the top
• now click ont he advanced options button
• now on the top right of the advanced options box you will see an option called maximum memory, make sure to to check the box next to maximum memory to select the option and then enter a value of 4096.
• now click ok and it will tell you you need to restart the computer to take effect
• once you restart the computer the mic and any recording functions will work properly.

So basically if you need to use recording functions use this trick and if you do not need to record and want to use the full 8 gig or whatever ram you have installed for heavy duty apps, like photoshop simply turn off the maximum memory option the same way you activated it and youll be good to go.

[arjun rantu]

I figured out a method to get the mic to work "sometimes" if anyone is helping me try to reproduce it.
Being a Beta tester for the last 2 years in online games mean when I get bored i try to break things. I was able to sort of fool Win7 and noticed that my mic started picking up. Here what I did not sure if it’s the exact order but I have been able to reproduce it a couple of times and get the mic to work. Sort of breaking it then fixing it.
First thing I did is I went into "Sound" in the control panel.
I right clicked on the speaking and went to "Configure Speakers".
I set it to 5.1 surround, and clicked test.
Low and behold, I noticed in my SRS 3d (altec 502is) that it was not actually 5.1, but only playing the sounds "Left & Right". Sometimes the right speaker wouldn’t work. So, the next thing I did was I loaded up the Creative Audio Console. I checked me speaker settings there. I made sure they were also set to 5.1.
Then I went to the Speaker Configuration again. After that loaded, i went to configure speakers again and it was at 5.1. With both windows side by side, I click "Test" in the "Sound" manager. Wait about 10 seconds (after the visual animations complete). You will notice the sound is still screwed if you have 3d headphones and only playing out of the Left and Right speakers. After those 10 seconds (when the animation is done) go to the Creative Audio Console window and select 2/2.1 Speakers. Give it a second or 2, and then click "Test" again in the "Sound" window. You should hear the difference if you’re on a 5.1 sound system or have 3d headphones. Click Next and until Finish. After that I immediately clicked the "Recording" Tab in the "Sound" manager. It was fixed. Please try and test this, see if anyone else can reproduce it.

[webtax]

Hi

I'm sorry to revive this post, but it may be worthwhile. Just tried arjun suggestion, and at the time i opened the cretive console and changed the speaker setting, the mic started working



only way i had it work before was limiting ram in msconfig

might be valuable as all the google searchs i made had no solution (other than limitng ram and having to restart).