Removing Creative soundblaster from Dell XPS710 [Dell]

From: Andrew Hodgson on 25 Oct 2009 06:30

On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:27:25 +0000, Andrew Hodgson
<andrew(a)hodgsonfamily.org> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I have a Dell XPS410 which I got with a Creative sound blaster (this
>will be the last time I ever buy Creative).

Should have said 710 sorry.

Andrew.
>
>When upgrading to Vista, I had issues with the Creative/Dell specific
>drivers (as this is an OEM card). On Windows 7, I believe I will have
>just as much trouble, so I want to ditch the card and use the on-board
>audio (which I believe already works with Windows 7).
>
>I opened the case, but I am visually impaired, and not sure how to
>open the part of the case to get the cards out - do I need to unscrew
>anything to do this? Also, there is a cable that goes from the
>Soundblaster to the front of the computer - presumably for the front
>audio ports, which I do use. If I remove this plug from the card,
>where does it need to plug into on the motherboard in order to provide
>the onboard sound connection for these jacks?
>
>Thanks.
>Andrew.

From: Pen on 25 Oct 2009 07:57

From: Ben Myers on 25 Oct 2009 09:14

Andrew Hodgson wrote:
> On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:27:25 +0000, Andrew Hodgson
> <andrew(a)hodgsonfamily.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have a Dell XPS410 which I got with a Creative sound blaster (this
>> will be the last time I ever buy Creative).
>
> Should have said 710 sorry.
>
> Andrew.
>> When upgrading to Vista, I had issues with the Creative/Dell specific
>> drivers (as this is an OEM card). On Windows 7, I believe I will have
>> just as much trouble, so I want to ditch the card and use the on-board
>> audio (which I believe already works with Windows 7).
>>
>> I opened the case, but I am visually impaired, and not sure how to
>> open the part of the case to get the cards out - do I need to unscrew
>> anything to do this? Also, there is a cable that goes from the
>> Soundblaster to the front of the computer - presumably for the front
>> audio ports, which I do use. If I remove this plug from the card,
>> where does it need to plug into on the motherboard in order to provide
>> the onboard sound connection for these jacks?
>>
>> Thanks.
>> Andrew.
>

The Creative Labs Sound Blaster cards used by Dell in its desktops are
not so customized that they are vastly different from the ones sold in
the stores. The only difference is that the Dell OEM cards have the
long skinny white connector to accept the cable from the front panel of
the chassis. In all other respects, they are the same as the retail
cards and they use the same drivers which can be downloaded from the
Creative web site. I do not know what issues you have with these cards
and Vista, but I would give the Creative card a try with Windows 7. The
Creative sound cards generally have better audio quality than the
built-in chips on the Dell motherboards, altho the Dell built-in audio
is not bad either.

Any Dell chassis with an audio cable to the front panel has a
motherboard with a skinny connector to attach the cable. It is white.
It has the same shape as the connector on the Creative card. It is
sometimes located between PCI slots, other times somewhere near the back
(the side with board slots) of the motherboard.

The repair info for the XPS710 on the Dell web site may have a good
diagram showing the location of this connector on the motherboard.

.... Ben Myers

From: Andrew Hodgson on 25 Oct 2009 10:37

On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:14:51 -0400, Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net>
wrote:

>Andrew Hodgson wrote:
>> On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:27:25 +0000, Andrew Hodgson
>> <andrew(a)hodgsonfamily.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I have a Dell XPS410 which I got with a Creative sound blaster (this
>>> will be the last time I ever buy Creative).
>>
>> Should have said 710 sorry.
>>
>> Andrew.
>>> When upgrading to Vista, I had issues with the Creative/Dell specific
>>> drivers (as this is an OEM card). On Windows 7, I believe I will have
>>> just as much trouble, so I want to ditch the card and use the on-board
>>> audio (which I believe already works with Windows 7).
>>>
>>> I opened the case, but I am visually impaired, and not sure how to
>>> open the part of the case to get the cards out - do I need to unscrew
>>> anything to do this? Also, there is a cable that goes from the
>>> Soundblaster to the front of the computer - presumably for the front
>>> audio ports, which I do use. If I remove this plug from the card,
>>> where does it need to plug into on the motherboard in order to provide
>>> the onboard sound connection for these jacks?
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>> Andrew.
>>
>
>The Creative Labs Sound Blaster cards used by Dell in its desktops are
>not so customized that they are vastly different from the ones sold in
>the stores. The only difference is that the Dell OEM cards have the
>long skinny white connector to accept the cable from the front panel of
>the chassis. In all other respects, they are the same as the retail
>cards and they use the same drivers which can be downloaded from the
>Creative web site. I do not know what issues you have with these cards
>and Vista, but I would give the Creative card a try with Windows 7. The
>Creative sound cards generally have better audio quality than the
>built-in chips on the Dell motherboards, altho the Dell built-in audio
>is not bad either.

Ok, I did some research on this and tried a Windows 7 install and got
the same issues as others were saying - i.e, very crackly sound, and a
few other issues. The Creative drivers just caused the sound to go
silent, so I don't believe they will work either.

I have currently just did a clean install of Win 7, and disabled the
card, and am using the Dell onboard card which is fine for my needs;
at some point I may get round to move the Creative card from the
system.

Thanks.
Andrew.

From: "RnR" "RnR" on 25 Oct 2009 13:47

Andrew Hodgson wrote:

> On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:14:51 -0400, Ben Myers <ben_myers(a)charter.net>
> wrote:
>
> > Andrew Hodgson wrote:
> >> On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:27:25 +0000, Andrew Hodgson
> >> <andrew(a)hodgsonfamily.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hi,
> > > >
> >>> I have a Dell XPS410 which I got with a Creative sound blaster
> (this >>> will be the last time I ever buy Creative).
> >>
> >> Should have said 710 sorry.
> >>
> >> Andrew.
> >>> When upgrading to Vista, I had issues with the Creative/Dell
> specific >>> drivers (as this is an OEM card). On Windows 7, I
> believe I will have >>> just as much trouble, so I want to ditch the
> card and use the on-board >>> audio (which I believe already works
> with Windows 7).
> > > >
> >>> I opened the case, but I am visually impaired, and not sure how to
> >>> open the part of the case to get the cards out - do I need to
> unscrew >>> anything to do this? Also, there is a cable that goes
> from the >>> Soundblaster to the front of the computer - presumably
> for the front >>> audio ports, which I do use. If I remove this plug
> from the card, >>> where does it need to plug into on the motherboard
> in order to provide >>> the onboard sound connection for these jacks?
> > > >
> >>> Thanks.
> >>> Andrew.
> >>
> >
> > The Creative Labs Sound Blaster cards used by Dell in its desktops
> > are not so customized that they are vastly different from the ones
> > sold in the stores. The only difference is that the Dell OEM cards
> > have the long skinny white connector to accept the cable from the
> > front panel of the chassis. In all other respects, they are the
> > same as the retail cards and they use the same drivers which can be
> > downloaded from the Creative web site. I do not know what issues
> > you have with these cards and Vista, but I would give the Creative
> > card a try with Windows 7. The Creative sound cards generally have
> > better audio quality than the built-in chips on the Dell
> > motherboards, altho the Dell built-in audio is not bad either.
>
> Ok, I did some research on this and tried a Windows 7 install and got
> the same issues as others were saying - i.e, very crackly sound, and a
> few other issues. The Creative drivers just caused the sound to go
> silent, so I don't believe they will work either.
>
> I have currently just did a clean install of Win 7, and disabled the
> card, and am using the Dell onboard card which is fine for my needs;
> at some point I may get round to move the Creative card from the
> system.
>
> Thanks.
> Andrew..

Andrew I think you are doing fine. Windows 7 drivers are right now
supposed to be similar to Vista but this may not be true for all like
your sound card. And you should not need to remove your sound card to
disable it and just use the internal one. You sound like you already
found this out.

--

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