Weird problem with sound card-worried,need help :(

[quicky008]

I've been using a SB live! 24 Bit sound card since 2006-it worked fine for the last few years and i seldom faced any issues with it.However,a problem cropped up a couple of months earlier-my computer would not detect this sound card for no apparent reason.The only way to fix this was to remove the card from the pci slot and re-insert it back again.This problem occurred several times and each time i had to follow this procedure to get it working.Also i noticed that sometimes while playing audio or video files,strange popping and crackling sounds could be heard which were accompanied by an unusual hissing noise occasionally-that seemed very odd to me as those noises weren't heard earlier.I could not resolve this issue even by installing the latest drivers for the card.


Something unexpected happened last month-my PC stopped detecting this card completely.Even after following the aforementioned procedure,i could not manage to get it working.I even installed the card in a different pci slot but my pc would still not detect it.


So i concluded that the sound card was malfunctioning and decided to replace it.A few weeks later,i bought a SB Audigy value card and installed it in my pc-it was detected without a hitch.Strangely however,i still heard those popping and crackling noises occasionally while playing audio and video files.I thought this problem would go away after changing the sound card but quite inexplicably,it didn't.

Just like it happened earlier,my pc has stopped detecting this new card now.I don't understand why it could be happening and so i am really scared and worried.I have followed the procedure i mentioned earlier but it is still not being detected This card is barely a few weeks old and so its very unusual for it to start malfunctioning so soon.Is something wrong with my motherboard?Is it somehow damaging the sound cards?

As the card is still under warranty,I intend to RMA it.However,its quite possible that if i install another sound card,it will also begin malfunctioning soon.What can i do to resolve this issue?I'm very worried-please help!!

[topgear]

Post what cpu+mobo+psu you have ( manufacturer and model name/no )

IF your mobo has more than one pci slot then test the card with other pci slots and if possible install a fresh copy of the os.

[quicky008]

@topgear:Thanks for your advice buddy.To my surprise,when i booted my pc today in the morning,the sound card began working normally again and I have not faced any problems with it so far-it seems things are getting increasingly bizarre by the minute!

FYI i have a Pentium D CPU with an Intel 945GNT motherboard.My psu is a corsair VX 450W.Last night when my sound card was malfunctioning,it wasn't being detected in Win XP as well as Win 7(i have a dual booting system) and therefore i think the problem doesn't lie with the OS.As i had faced a similar issue with my older sound card as well,the possibility that the sound card itself is faulty can be ruled out,especially because my new card is only a couple of weeks old.

What can be the actual cause of my problem?

I'll keep u guys posted in case i face any problems with it again.

update:although everything is apparently ok,i have removed the card from its previous slot and have installed it to a different slot.Things have been going steady so far but the sound still pops and crackles occasionally and that is very annoying to say the least.

(p.s.-i forgot to mention earlier that i am also using a pci lan card in my computer-can this issue have anything to do with it?)

[topgear]

Install the LAN card on 2nd PCI slot and The Sound card on the Last PCI slot - do you have any gfx card installed ??

though the chance of LAN card Interfering with the Sound Card is remote you can try removing the lan card and see if this solves the issue.