Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I am having an ongoing problem with the audio on my Inspiron 8200.
 
Some time ago, I noticed lack of sound upon reboot. After searching around I  
found that the there was a problem installing the audio driver. I found some  
references to this issue and that it might be solved by uninstalling the  
Crystal WDM Audio Codec driver and then re-scanning for hardware changes.  
Although inconvenient (since it needed to be repeated after each reboot)  
this worked for me for awhile.
 
More recently, I began experiencing intermittent complete system lockup  
(system unresponsive to mouse movement or keyboard interaction, display not  
updating, no disk activity) which required powering the system down and  
bringing it back up to make it usable again. Sometimes, however, the system  
would lock up while booting windows (XP service pack 2). After many days of  
struggling with this problem, I found that the only way to boot my system  
and keep it running was to boot into safe mode, disable the audio driver,  
and then boot normally. If I try to enable the audio driver, the system will  
eventually lock up (usually within a few minutes after enabling it).
 
The driver I am using is 6.13.10.4159 dated 8/5/2002. When installed  
properly (and when the system isn't locked up), the sound seems to work  
perfectly fine. Can this be a hardware  problem? If so, do I have to replace  
the whole system board?
 
Is it worth trying the Intel driver? If so, how do I get back to it now that  
the Crystal driver is installed? XP doesn't seem to find it on my system  
even though it was originally used when I re-installed the OS upon getting a  
new disk drive.

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Sister Gerdes" <mart1914@bellsouth.net> wrote in message  
news:YAMEe.21894$Wt3.14107@bignews3.bellsouth.net...
>I am having an ongoing problem with the audio on my Inspiron 8200.
>
> Some time ago, I noticed lack of sound upon reboot. After searching around  
> I found that the there was a problem installing the audio driver. I found  
> some references to this issue and that it might be solved by uninstalling  
> the Crystal WDM Audio Codec driver and then re-scanning for hardware  
> changes. Although inconvenient (since it needed to be repeated after each  
> reboot) this worked for me for awhile.
>
> More recently, I began experiencing intermittent complete system lockup  
> (system unresponsive to mouse movement or keyboard interaction, display  
> not updating, no disk activity) which required powering the system down  
> and bringing it back up to make it usable again. Sometimes, however, the  
> system would lock up while booting windows (XP service pack 2). After many  
> days of struggling with this problem, I found that the only way to boot my  
> system and keep it running was to boot into safe mode, disable the audio  
> driver, and then boot normally. If I try to enable the audio driver, the  
> system will eventually lock up (usually within a few minutes after  
> enabling it).
>
> The driver I am using is 6.13.10.4159 dated 8/5/2002. When installed  
> properly (and when the system isn't locked up), the sound seems to work  
> perfectly fine. Can this be a hardware  problem? If so, do I have to  
> replace the whole system board?
>
> Is it worth trying the Intel driver? If so, how do I get back to it now  
> that the Crystal driver is installed? XP doesn't seem to find it on my  
> system even though it was originally used when I re-installed the OS upon  
> getting a new disk drive.
>
>
>
 
It could be either a software or hardware problem.  I'm not sure about your  
reference to the "Intel driver".  While your system may indeed have need of  
an Intel chipset driver, that shouldn't be responsible for ultimately either  
installing the Crystal audio driver from Dell or from Windows Update. (I'd  
recommend that you use and stay with the Dell version of that driver.)
 
Since this began occuring "some time ago", it's probably hard to remember  
what (if any) software changes may have been made to the system that could  
be directly or indirectly causing the lockup. (Hardware changes as well  
PCMCIA cards or externals).
 
Additionally, yes, it *could* be that the onboard sound is going bad, which  
would mean a system board replacement.
 
BUT - before I reached that conclusion, I'd want to back up all of my data  
and try a fresh Windows install , Intel chipset driver install (if needed)  
and then the (Dell) Crystal drivers to see if the symptom persists *before*  
any number of applications are added.
 
The idea being that if the symptom(s) persist on a clean install of Windows,  
then the problem is almost surely hardware in nature.....
 
Not sure that helps....
 
 
Stew