Hey all,
So I recently rebooted cold Windows XP Home Edition on my (I know its a little old) Gateway M325X notebook using the system disk. Most everything seems to have gone well. The few drivers that were missing I was able to find on Gateway's website or through Gateway's website rather as they've contracted out service for their older models. Unfortunately two of the key drivers didn't install the ones for sound and ethernet. Since the wireless driver works I'm not really worrying myself about ethernet at least I can access the internet.
The irksome problem is this sound driver. The hardware I'm working with is a Conetexant Cx20468 Intel 8280 the description keeps GOING on but generally its an AC'97 Audio device (help me out if I haven't described it sufficiently, I used Everest, Sys Info to get to that point)
The sound driver that Gateway suggests is Conexant AC-Link Audio Driver version: 6.14.10.0575. This seems to install but then comes up with a failure message. Looking in the device manager the missing component is a "media control player". (I made sure I FOUND digitally signed drivers for all the other drivers just in case they were causing a problem). Error messages that follow from windows media player and the windows sound control confirmed this. I have been able to DOWNLOAD a number of media control players that would seem to work, INCLUDING an older version of Contexant's driver, some Intel versions and VIA Audio Deck. RealTek did not work as an error message popped up that it "couldn't start" and in the driver manager it was labeled with a yellow exclamation point. Needless to say with all of those drivers that appear to work in the Driver Manager still don't produce sound.
Other information that might be of interest:
BIOS will still beep at me if I hit a wrong key, indicating that I have speakers but its more of a tease as there are no other system sounds that seem to work. (I'm running PheonixBIOS which is frustrating because I cannot tell where one would enable or disable sound)
I have installed Windows updates 1,2 and 3.
Anything else I should add.
Thanks for your attention in advance!1. What do you mean you "rebooted cold using the system disc"? Do you mean you formatted and reinstalled XP from scratch?
2. You need to download and install the chipset driver, then install the other drivers.yes rebooting cold means that I formatted and reinstalled windows from scratch. And to the BEST of my knowledge I have not updated chip set. Looking at Intel's website there seems to be one basic chipset download, do I have to go through an identification process before using it? ie how specific are they?ALL drivers for your laptop should be obtained from the Gateway website.So there were two "chipset" drivers on the website specific to my computer, I went through and installed each. (One was Intel(r) Express Chipset Family Video Driver Version and the other being Intel Software Installation Utilty) Even after installing these and restarting after each the Gateway recommended driver installation fails. Using other avenues I can find the same driver just an earlier version but this doesn't work in that it appears to be compatible but no sound comes from my speakers. Should I (re)branch out from the gateway website at this point since there is exactly one option that is a dead end?
   I should add that the ethernet has finally worked, so things are improving