SBlive 5.1 Digital, Drivers wont install. I've tried everything

Question

Hey,
Guess I'll try my luck here
I have a SoundBlaster Li've 5. Digital card. Model # SB0220. I lost the install CD, but I was able to download a copy of the install CD. I recently wiped my dri've because I was getting hit up with adware and stuff (It was that time anyway). And now I can't my SBLi've drivers installed. When I try and run setup from the CD, it just says I don't have an SBLi've sound card. However, Windows does detect it. I've tried everything and it's just not working. No drivers from the web work. Creatives auto update doesn't work (Cant find the card). Is there anything else I can do? I'm going crazy...
Thanks

Answer 1

I have what I believe is the cure for the card detection problem. Anytime I post it, the post is usually ignored and the responses to the problem continue to be to move the card to another slot, make sure your card is a retail version otherwise contact your OEM distributer for a replacement cd, etc. Nobody seems to want to try my solution, although it has worked for me everytime I've encountered the problem. I hope this helps you.
Okay. So, the Creative installer tells you to install a SoundBlaster audio hardware or go away. What to do?
If you've got the install cd, locate CTZAPP.EXE in the Audio\English\Drivers folder. If you've got the Uni-Pack download, extract the file with WinZip or WinRar and locate the CTZAPP.EXE file in the drivers folder. Run it. If it's one of the newer ones that have the check box for "replace, overwrite any previously installed Creative drivers and software," then check that box and answer yes to confirm when asked. Reboot when prompted by the CTZAPP program.
Upon reboot and Windows is loading, you may get an error message about regrun not found. If you don't, great, but it hasn't negati'vely effected my installations either way. Once Windows is completely loaded, restart the computer again. This is important!
You may now run either the cd or the Uni-Pack setup program and it will magically not have the detection problem. If you're running the cd setup, uncheck Windows Drivers but install the rest. After the reboot, locate the 4MB Soundfont file in the Audio\Common folder on the cd and copy it to your Windows\System32 folder. You'll then be able to load it into both Soundfont Banks with the Soundfont Manager. If you're running the Uni-Pack download, then install all of it including the Windows Drivers. This way you'll get the 4MB Soundfont to install from its hidden compressed cab within the Uni-Pack. Upon reboot, however, you'll find that Windows Device Manager will only show three of the many driver files that should be there. Simply either run CTZAPP.EXE to reinstall the WDM driver over itself or use the Device Manager's Update Driver button and choose the Have Disk button to point Windows to the previously extracted Uni-Pack driver file. Cd users won't have this problem since they are choosing not to install Windows Drivers during the setup process.
This has worked for me with several different Li've! cards and on 98, Me, XP. The only problem might be if you get the error when using the older driver series for Li'veware 3.0 (98 users who want the VXD's for the dos support). I couldn't locate a CTZAPP for those drivers, and simply installing the drivers using Windows hardware detection works, but the Li'veware installer still thinks you don't have a SoundBlaster hardware installed. So, you get the drivers but no software. That's a rare problem though. It's mostly the newer installers that have this bug.
And, it is a bug. This happens whether you have a boxed retail card that the software is designed for or an OEM. It doesn't matter. Usually, a fresh install of Windows on a formatted hard dri've will solve it, but I think you'll agree that my way is nicer! The problem has happened almost every time if I've ever uninstalled the Li've! software or drivers. Run the installer, and it won't detect the card properly. Weird.