I guess you can't place the card on the FIRST logical PCI slot? I know Creative really doesn't like when it's not located as the first PCI device in the system... because you know they can't do anything right.

DracoNihil wrote:

I guess you can't place the card on the FIRST logical PCI slot? I know Creative really doesn't like when it's not located as the first PCI device in the system... because you know they can't do anything right.

I cannot. Radeon HD 7770 is a dual-slot GPU, so it blocks the first PCI slot. 😵

I don't recall problems with the Audigy 2 ZS in other PCI slots. I don't run it in my first slot either.

Is the card even detected at all in the device manager? Even without installing the driver, it should at least be visible, as "unknown device" or "multimedia device".

dr_st wrote:

I don't recall problems with the Audigy 2 ZS in other PCI slots. I don't run it in my first slot either.

Is the card even detected at all in the device manager? Even without installing the driver, it should at least be visible, as "unknown device" or "multimedia device".

At first, I installed the Realtek driver first. Then the Audigy 2 ZS was somehow recognized as "Audio Device on high-speed PCI bus" (or something like that). First, I thought THAT was the cause. So then I reformatted the whole damn thing and performed a fresh install of Windows XP SP2. Now the Audigy 2 ZS is recognized as "Unknown PCI device", and Creative Installer still cannot recognize the Audigy 2.

Is there any chance my card is a Dell OEM version? But the connectors are all gold and black.

Is the Audigy 2 ZS card verified working in another system?

It really should not have to be in the first PCI slot. I have a couple systems with them and they are not in the first PCI slot and they work just fine.

Have you tried with the onboard video, remove the video card and see if it will even detect in the first slot?

Not detecting sounds like either a bad card or a bad PCI slot.. or the wrong drivers.

What is the exact SB model number on the card?

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

Is there any chance my card is a Dell OEM version? But the connectors are all gold and black.

Check the PCI hardware IDs in the device manager.

cyclone3d wrote:

Is the Audigy 2 ZS card verified working in another system?

Haven't got the chance. My other systems are all office computers, and the workload is high. It's not one of those times where I could tell my employee to step aside because I, the boss, want to tinker with his PC! 🤣

cyclone3d wrote:

It really should not have to be in the first PCI slot. I have a couple systems with them and they are not in the first PCI slot and they work just fine.

Have you tried with the onboard video, remove the video card and see if it will even detect in the first slot?

Will try once I got the chance.

cyclone3d wrote:

Not detecting sounds like either a bad card or a bad PCI slot.. or the wrong drivers.

What is the exact SB model number on the card?

dr_st wrote:

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

Is there any chance my card is a Dell OEM version? But the connectors are all gold and black.

Check the PCI hardware IDs in the device manager.

Will check it out and go back with the result. Thanks!

My Dell variant Audigy 2 ZS behaved this way. At one point, I worked out a way to install it with the official Sound Blaster OEM install disc, but I can't find my notes on that now. If you find that your card is a Dell variant, let me know and I'll search out my notes. Or, you could just use the Daniel K. drivers. They just work without having to play any silly games.

http://danielkawakami.blogspot.com/2017/01/sb … rt-pack-62.html

The Dell variants have the same model number as the real Audigy 2 ZS cards. Mine also has the gold connectors, just like a real Audigy 2 ZS card. The best way to identify the Dell variant is by looking at the serial number, not the model number. For example, here's the serial number on my card:

M1SB0358XXXXXXXXXX

A real Audigy 2 ZS card will have a serial number like this:

M1SB0350XXXXXXXXXX

Also, Dell variants usually have three stickers on the back of the card. Real Audigy 2 ZS cards only have one sticker on the back. However, you should still use the serial number to make a positive identification.

From what I've read, the only difference between the Dell variant and the official Audigy 2 ZS is that the Dell version lacks an onboard Dolby decoder. If you want the onboard decoder, then get an official Audigy 2 ZS.

I recently found that the onboard decoder is important to have when I started playing the original Deus Ex. It makes a big difference if you play the game using headphones.

KT7AGuy wrote:

My Dell variant Audigy 2 ZS behaved this way. At one point, I worked out a way to install it with the official Sound Blaster OE […]
Show full quote

My Dell variant Audigy 2 ZS behaved this way. At one point, I worked out a way to install it with the official Sound Blaster OEM install disc, but I can't find my notes on that now. If you find that your card is a Dell variant, let me know and I'll search out my notes. Or, you could just use the Daniel K. drivers. They just work without having to play any silly games.

http://danielkawakami.blogspot.com/2017/01/sb … rt-pack-62.html

The Dell variants have the same model number as the real Audigy 2 ZS cards. Mine also has the gold connectors, just like a real Audigy 2 ZS card. The best way to identify the Dell variant is by looking at the serial number, not the model number. For example, here's the serial number on my card:

M1SB0358XXXXXXXXXX

A real Audigy 2 ZS card will have a serial number like this:

M1SB0350XXXXXXXXXX

Also, Dell variants usually have three stickers on the back of the card. Real Audigy 2 ZS cards only have one sticker on the back. However, you should still use the serial number to make a positive identification.

From what I've read, the only difference between the Dell variant and the official Audigy 2 ZS is that the Dell version lacks an onboard Dolby decoder. If you want the onboard decoder, then get an official Audigy 2 ZS.

I recently found that the onboard decoder is important to have when I started playing the original Deus Ex. It makes a big difference if you play the game using headphones.

Hold on.

My Audigy 2 ZS serial number is M1SB0350462013388N. I repeat: M1SB0350462013388N. So it is M1SB0350xxxxxxxxxx, which is a real Audigy 2 ZS card.

However, my card also has three round stickers on the back; one blue and two green. So what kind of Audigy 2 ZS do I have? Also, It seems I have to try Dell driver anyway. Where could I download it?

What OS?
Did you try manually install the drivers? did you try the drivers creative web site? Try removing the video card and using the onboard with the card in the first slot.

Jade Falcon wrote:

What OS?
Did you try manually install the drivers? did you try the drivers creative web site? Try removing the video card and using the onboard with the card in the first slot.

Windows XP Service Pack 2, and I used the Audigy 2 ZS installation CD from Vogons Drivers.

Also, even if I could use the Audigy 2 in the first slot, it's still useless for my purpose, because this system is a test system where I'm going to test both the Radeon and the Audigy. The Radeon is for old games, while the Audigy is to test whether Virtual Audio Cable (or similar solution) could channel the Audigy 5.1 analog signal into the Radeon's HDMI. I'd like to try something like this, but to HDMI out instead of SPDIF out.

Kreshna,

You have a real Audigy 2 ZS. That is not a Dell variant.

When I said "three stickers", I meant that the Dell version has three large white stickers. Your real Audigy 2 ZS only has one large white sticker.

I don't understand why the original installer disc isn't working for you. That's real odd.

Nowadays, I don't even bother with the disc. It is entirely outdated. Get the Daniel K. drivers. They just work, and they work well. The best part is that you don't have to go back and update when you're done.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

Also, even if I could use the Audigy 2 in the first slot, it's still useless for my purpose, because this system is a test system where I'm going to test both the Radeon and the Audigy. The Radeon is for old games, while the Audigy is to test whether Virtual Audio Cable (or similar solution) could channel the Audigy 5.1 analog signal into the Radeon's HDMI. I'd like to try something like this, but to HDMI out instead of SPDIF out.

Not if the drivers install. Move it to a lower slot and the system any auto install the drivers for the card.

Downloading Daniel K. drivers now. I don't care if it's not official Creative drivers; as long as it works, and EAX works, then it's absolutely fine for me.

One thing I hate about Creative official drivers: it insists to install the intrusive, spammy Creative Product Registration, despite the installation fails to detect a Creative Card. Those corporate bastards....

UPDATE: Daniel K drivers work! Many thanks. 😀

There are still two minor problems though:

(1) the Audigy 2 ZS still appears at Device Manager as "Unknown PCI Device".

(2) Windows shutdown now lags so badly.

But otherwise it works. The card does output sound indeed. I have to admit I have only tried 2.0 mode, but the card works nonetheless.

I've had my ZS not picked up by creative drivers, Sometimes installing the drivers Then the card, sometimes different slot, and sometimes just changing my shirt seems to work.
Admittedly this is mostly on WIn98 but at least one XP machine. The ZS is my favourite card, have 3 of them, but drivers do lack a lot to be desired.
For XP you can also try the basic drivers still on the creative web site

Like I said, I have successfully installed my Audigy 2 ZS using Daniel Kawami drivers, thanks to KT7AGuy. The Audigy 2 works, it does emit sound. I have only tested it in 2 channel mode, but I cannot see why wouldn't it work in 5.1 mode.

However, the Audigy 2 ZS is still detected as unknown 'PCI Device' in Device Manager, as shown on the pic below.

There are two unknown PCI devices; one is the SB Audigy 2 ZS (despite it's been recognized by Daniel K driver), and the other is Realtek ALC 662, whose driver hasn't been installed.

Out of curiosity, I decided to install the Realtek ALC 662 driver as well. It is said that Creative sound cards and Realtek on-board sound card cannot get along with each other. Then I installed the Realtek WDM driver. Guess what, it works!

Both Creative Audigy 2 and Realtek on-board sound are selectable options on Windows Sound and Audio properties.

I have tested the output of both cards, switching back and forth between sound cards, and they both work!

However, after installing the Realtek WDM driver, now the Audigy 2 sound card is recognized as 'Audio Device on High Definition Bus', as shown below.

Now the Audigy 2 has 'mutated' from unknown 'PCI Device' into 'Audio Device on High Definition Bus'.

Out of curiosity, I tried disabling the 'Audio Device on High Definition Bus' from device manager, and the Audigy 2 still works nonetheless.

I'm not sure what the heck is going on, but at least I managed to install both Audigy 2 ZS sound card and Realtek ALC 662 on-board sound on my PC. It would make nice configuration for DJ'ing purpose; the Realtek is for headphones, while the Audigy for main audio output.

Anyway, shut down process still lags considerably. Yes, shutdown (both shutdown and restart) always takes very looong time after installing Daniel K driver. I don't know if it's general Creative driver problem, or if it's exclusively Daniel K driver problem. However, it's small potato. I can live with that. The important thing is the Audigy 2 works.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

Out of curiosity, I tried disabling the 'Audio Device on High Definition Bus' from device manager, and the Audigy 2 still works nonetheless.

How do you know it's the Audigy 2 ZS that's detected as this unknown device?

This may be the digital (S/PDIF) portion of the Audigy 2 ZS.

What appears under "Sound, video and game controllers"?

Wow, WinXP and with Luna theme. Yuck. Sorry, couldn't resist. For some reason this is strongly associated for me with computers so badly infected with malware that the only remedy is to freshly install Windows and burn the house down. 🤣

I think that "device" is FireWire port on the back (it's seen as Audio device, because it's on sound card).
Try installing Fire Wire or IEEE 1394 driver from driver CD, and see what shows up.
You can always disable it if it causes problems.
Also, Audigy 2 ZS should be seen under "Sound, video and Game controllers" section of Device Manager.