Soundcard problems

From N-Track Wiki

Changing soundcard PCI slot solves system freezing/crashing

Soundcard: Creative Audigy 4

Problem: Whenever I change any settings either within File/Preferences/Settings/Recording Settings/Audio Devices or any of the other options available - even when I Exit from n-track Studio 4, the system just completely locks up and I have to reset / restart the PC. It seems to happen no matter what device drivers I select within the Audio Devices.

Solution:

1. I uninstalled n-Track Studio and cleared the Win XP Registry entries and the hidden files in C:\Documents and Settings\...\Application Data, so that when I reinstalled n-Track it would look like a brand new install of the software to the Win XP OS.
2. I moved the Creative SB Audigy 4 soundcard from PCI slot 1 to PCI slot 3 (this was a suggestion from the User Forum by someone who had had similar problems with his Audigy soundcard).
3. I reinstalled the Audigy drivers.
4. I reinstalled n-Track Studio 4.2.0.2087, and initially set up the following File/Settings/Preferences/Recording settings: Audio Devices: Recording and Playback = MME: Wave Mapper. This seems to always be the default that n-Track selects for my Audigy soundcard when first installed.
5. I then changed File/Settings/Preferences/Recording settings/Audio Devices from MME: SB Audigy 4 [C400] to WDM: SB Audigy 4 [C400], and then repeated Steps 5 and 6 again successfully, without any problems.

So far, since then, I've had no further problems.

I can only assume that moving the soundcard from PCI slot 1 to 3 and re-installing the device drivers for the Audigy soundcard must be what has fixed the problem. This makes me think that it must have been an IRQ related bug, even though Win XP kept showing there was no resource conflict, and therefore must be somehow to do with how XP prioritises resource requests.