DriverZone Forums

Sorry if this post is rather long, but i wanted to give as much information as i could to help you guys figure out what the problem is.
MULTIMEDIA AUDIO CONTROLLER BLUES/ISSUES
a friend gave me a Toshiba Tecra m2v-s310 laptop. Usually when i am given a used computer, i would usually erase the hard drive by re-formatting(format c: from DOS mode), so as to get rid of any unwanted files and start with a fresh re-install of win XP. I had been using this laptop in a few public libraries and had been experiencing a TON of pop up windows(Internet Explorer windows only, of course...I only use Firefox) and slower overall performance, assuming it was from their wireless connection. this is my first laptop, so i was unsure how to get into dos mode so i could 'format c:', so i just inserted the XP SP2 disc and chose the 'clean install' option, not the 'upgrade' option. Everything seemed okay at first: performance was much better and the pop up windows ceased to show up. THEN i realized that all of the drivers were either knocked out by the xp re-install, or just disappeared. I didnt bother doing any device driver backups or anything like that because in my years of using win XP, i have never had a single instant where xp didnt load or install all of the necessary drivers for my hardware when a fresh install OR an upgrade was done. Now I have no drivers for multiple devices(multimedia audio controller, VGA controller, PCI modem, ethernet controller, network adapter, and various 'unknown devices'. after two nights of searching online on a DIFFERENT computer, i was able to find a driver for the network adapter, allowing me to get online on the affected laptop. but most importantly, i need to get my audio working, as i have multiple musical projects that i need to finish asap. i dont even know if my sound card is built in, or if it is a separate card, but i believe it is a SoundMax card of some sort, because that is what is what listed as in Device Manager BEFORE i decided to re-install windows. After searchig the web for DAYS and NIGHTS now, and trying almost every 'free' program online, i have found no solution. all of these programs that i come across online claim to be free, but all they do is scan my system for free, once it is time to fix the errors or supply the correct drivers, they ask for me to register via means of a payment!(Driver Detective, Driver Agent, etc...) By no means am i cheap, but i am currently in no financial position to pay. And why should i have to pay in the first place? and why doesnt Windows xp supply the correct drivers to begin with?

Now the information i have regarding my system is as follows:

BIOS -Toshiba POrtable BIOS Version 1.30
MOdel - Toshiba Tecra m2v-s310
CHipset - Intel 3580 Version 2
OS - windows XP version 5.1.2600 service pack 2
Processor - Intel Pentium M @ 1500Mhz
Memory-496 MB

the remaining questions I have are as follows:
1-is it possible that my audio card was NOT a SoundMax? is it possible for an audio to show up as one thing and actually be something else, based on the drivers installed on the hardware?
2-is it possible that the computer slowdown was caused by using free wireless from a public library, especially when there was Norton Antivirus installed on the laptop?
3-since my chipset is from Intel, is it possible to download a driver from their site and use that?
How come i cannot find any pertinent driver information at the Toshiba website for this particular problem?
4-Can i try and download a generic audio driver to try and fix the problem?
5-i dont have the copy of windows xp disc. what else can i try?
6-should i be trying to install a TOshiba driver or a Windows xp driver?
once again, i apologize for the length of this posting, but as i have read from previous postings, most people dont include enough information about their computer problems, so i tried to leave no stone unturned. thanks in advance for any help or suggestions, as if i had the means, i would simply buy a new computer or go back to using desktops, which is what i have always used, but i dont have access to one right now.
P.S. I HAVE TRIED A FEW TIMES to delete the audio controller and reboot, only to have it show up again with no drivers installed. windows cant seem to find the right drivers.

sunbyrn

hust been trying to dig up some sort of info on this model which is proving a bit hard.
toshiba are playing silly games as they don't list the spec sheet so i am unable to double check what i just found out.

from what i have been reading its main chipset is the intel 855GM
and that chipset has built in gfx.
so please load up this set if drivers first.
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_D...l&lang=eng

restart the laptop and install this set.
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_D...l&lang=eng

that should sort out usb / pci / ide / video

your sound is not listed anywhere at tosh usa , i found one driver listed at tosh uk for the Tecra m2 range.
what you need to do is remove the sound card driver you have already installed and restart the laptop.
then give this one a try.
http://support1.toshiba-tro.de/tedd-file...143948.zip

its imporant that the chipset driver is loaded first so windows understands the pci devices.
sound card last.
see if that sloves the problem

thanks for your quick reply. I am on my way out now, but will try everything you mentioned when i return. i just wanted to make sure that i understood your directions

As far as i know, there are no drivers loaded for audio at this time, so there are no drivers to un-install first; the audio card doesnt even show up in 'audio & sound devices' in Control Panel, and under the 'system' part of Control Panel, the multimedia controller shows up with a yellow question mark, along with everything else i mentioned before that wasnt working. i look forward to giving your advice a shot!

okay i rebooted my system and began to install the drivers for the chipset you recommended(the first link posted in yoru reply), and about 60% of the way through installation, i got a message that read:
DEVICE INSTALLER ERROR
'Windows could not load the installer for hdc. Contact your hardware vendor for assistance."
As i then clicked on the 'OK' button, the application proceeded to install all the way through to completion. I do not know as of yet whether it installed correctly yet, as it has prompted me to restart the system. I will let you know what happens after i restart the system...

you may have got a bad download of the drivers.
try downloading them again.

when intel drivers fail to install like that they tend to shut down not carry on.
thats what makes me think you have a bad download.

Well all seemed to go well, thanks to your help. I installed the chipset drivers, then rebooted, then installed the soundmax drivers, then my sound returned. Much thanks for your help! I did visit the toshiba europe website at one point in my search, but never did i think to go to the UK site. At first glance, the driver seemed to be identical to theone i had tried a few days prior, but your driver worked without a hitch. I cant tell you how good it feels to be back working on music again. i will post again in a few days to keep you updated, as i am not at home right now.
In the future, if i find myself having to re-install windows for any reason, should i keep these drivers stored in a safe place, like a folder, in case i find myself having to re-install the drivers, or is there a better way to avoid all of these issues down the line? again, thanks for your help.

Can anyone help me please? I read that u have to know the motherboard name to help giving the correct driver name. I downloaded Everest and got this:
--------[ Motherboard ]-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Motherboard Properties:
Motherboard ID P4P800-VM$1012.002$03/22/2004-14:00:18$I865G
Motherboard ID (Asus AMI) P4P800-VM$1012.002$03/22/2004-14:00:18$I865G
Motherboard Name Asus P4P800-VM

Front Side Bus Properties:
Bus Type Intel GTL+
Bus Width 64-bit
Real Clock 200 MHz (QDR)
Effective Clock 800 MHz
Bandwidth 6400 MB/s

Memory Bus Properties:
Bus Type Dual DDR SDRAM
Bus Width 128-bit
DRAM:FSB Ratio 1:1
Real Clock 200 MHz (DDR)
Effective Clock 400 MHz
Bandwidth [ TRIAL VERSION ] MB/s

Chipset Bus Properties:
Bus Type Intel Hub Interface
Bus Width 8-bit
Real Clock 67 MHz (QDR)
Effective Clock 267 MHz
Bandwidth 267 MB/s

Motherboard Physical Info:
CPU Sockets/Slots 1 Socket 478
Expansion Slots [ TRIAL VERSION ]
RAM Slots 4 DDR DIMM
Integrated Devices Audio, Video, LAN
Form Factor Micro ATX
Motherboard Size 240 mm x 240 mm
Motherboard Chipset i865G
Extra Features [ TRIAL VERSION ]

Motherboard Manufacturer:
Company Name ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
Product Information http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3
BIOS Download http://support.asus.com/download/downloa...uage=en-us

--------[ Chipset ]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ North Bridge: Intel Springdale-G i865G ]

North Bridge Properties:
North Bridge Intel Springdale-G i865G
Supported FSB Speeds FSB400, FSB533, FSB800
Supported Memory Types DDR-266 SDRAM, DDR-333 SDRAM, DDR-400 SDRAM
Maximum Memory Amount 4 GB
Revision / Stepping 02 / A2
Package Type 932 Pin FC-BGA
Package Size 3.75 cm x 3.75 cm
Core Voltage 1.5 V
In-Order Queue Depth 12

Memory Controller:
Type Dual Channel (128-bit)
Active Mode Dual Channel (128-bit)
PAT Disabled

Memory Timings:
CAS Latency (CL) 3T
RAS To CAS Delay (tRCD) 3T
RAS Precharge (tRP) 3T
RAS Active Time (tRAS) 8T
Refresh Period (tREF) 7.8 us

Error Correction:
ECC Not Supported
ChipKill ECC Not Supported
RAID Not Supported
ECC Scrubbing Not Supported

Memory Slots:
DRAM Slot #1 512 MB (PC3200 DDR SDRAM)
DRAM Slot #2 512 MB (PC3200 DDR SDRAM)

Integrated Graphics Controller:
Graphics Controller Type Intel Extreme Graphics 2
Graphics Controller Status Disabled

AGP Controller:
AGP Version 3.00
AGP Status Enabled
AGP Device nVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
AGP Aperture Size 128 MB
Supported AGP Speeds 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x
Current AGP Speed 8x
Fast-Write Supported, Enabled
Side Band Addressing Supported, Enabled

Chipset Manufacturer:
Company Name Intel Corporation
Product Information http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets
Driver Download http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets
Driver Update http://driveragent.com?ref=59

[ South Bridge: [ TRIAL VERSION ] ]

South Bridge Properties:
South Bridge [ TRIAL VERSION ]
Revision / Stepping C2 / A2/A3
Package Type 460 Pin mBGA
Package Size 3.1 cm x 3.1 cm
Core Voltage 1.5 V

AC'97 Audio Controller:
Audio Controller Type Intel ICH5
Codec Name Analog Devices AD1980
Codec ID 41445370h
S/PDIF Output Supported

Chipset Manufacturer:
Company Name Intel Corporation
Product Information http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets
Driver Download http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets
Driver Update http://driveragent.com?ref=59


--------[ BIOS ]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BIOS Properties:
BIOS Type Asus AMI
BIOS Version 1012.002
System BIOS Date 03/22/04
Video BIOS Date 10/20/03

BIOS Manufacturer:
Company Name American Megatrends Inc.
Product Information http://www.ami.com/amibios
BIOS Upgrades http://www.esupport.com/biosagent/index....fererid=40

Any other information needed? Please reply me. I really want to get my sounds back. It feels like i`m deaf now.