Wall Mount PC SoundBlaster Z - Strangely freezes up all PC audio functions when not used

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jujuface

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Oct 16, 2015
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So I just finished building a wall mount PC a couple weeks ago, and everything is working great except for this damn sound card. I'm using a 1x PCIe Riser (30cm) to connect it to a 16x PCIe port. Moving the sound card or the riser to a different port isn't really an option here because of spacing. I've bent the riser at a pretty extreme angle to get it to reach the motherboard, but I'm thinking if the cable was the issue, I would simply have a non working sound card.

The sound card works perfectly...when in use. If I leave the PC alone for a while or use it without any audio playing, I lose sound. Anything with audio refuses to play. Youtube videos, iTunes music, movies, etc. all get stuck on pause, so I can't even stream video without sound. The windows volume bar also freezes up along with the soundblaster control panel. The only thing that fixes it is restarting.

I've tried disconnecting and reconnecting the card, reinstalling the audio drivers (manually and by allowing windows update to install), using optical out instead of the headphone amp, uninstalling the soundblaster control panel, pretty much everything I could think of besides buying a new PCIe riser or sound card.

Windows 10 x64
Motherboard - asus m5a99fx pro r2.0 (using 3rd PCIe slot)
CPU - AMD FX 8350
GPU - MSI R9 390 (also with PCIe riser in the 4th PCIe slot)
Picture of the PC in case anyone's interested - http://
 
Solution
nostall
"Put a hook on the back and hung it up like a picture frame...it's a stretch, but you could convince people it's a piece of abstract art. "

No, don't think that's a stretch at all. And after a lifetime of seeing "abstract art" I can tell you it is a lot better looking and easier to interpret then most 'abstract art'.

O.k., now it makes more sense. The Audio is in the PCIe x4/x1 slot. The rise is probably the least expensive approach if things need to be replaced Except --- drum roll or taps, take your pick --- what if the audio card is actually faulty. Trying the audio riser in the x1 slot is an excellent idea.
Might want to contact Creative and see what they have to say about this problem; if the card is having issues they may...
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nostall

nostall

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Nov 28, 2012
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1st: That is the coolest looking and cleanest PC I have ever seen. Nice job.
UPDATE: Just re-read your information and for clarification of my information thought I should list what I see and numbering of the slots.
From the BOTTOM of your picture: PCIe x16 #1 (blue slot next to heatpipe/sink); PCIx1 1 per the manual, the little red card is in this one; PCIe x16 #2 @ x1 or x4 (black); PCIe x16 #3 (blue, with the big riser in it); PCI slot (black) hidden by the riser and wires; and at the very top of the board the last PCIe x16 #4 @ x4 or x1.

Interrogatory: What is the small card in the PCIe X1 slot? Looks like a TV tuner. Yes? Or is that the riser card you are using for the sound card. If so it is plugged into the PCIe X1 slot.

If I am seeing this correctly, you have a riser in PCIe x16 slot 3 and that is connecting to your video card; but I do not see any riser on any other x16 slot. Am I correct? You have stated that your sound card is connected via an x1 riser to an x16 slot, but the only connection I see on this riser is going to your video card. If you have somehow added another flat-cable connection to this riser and run it to your audio card there is a good chance that is the problem.

Now, making the assumption that I am seeing properly (and yes, I know the usual interpretation of ASSUME) I will throw this out for consideration: ASUS recommends using the #1 x16 slot for a single video card - I am not certain that using the second blue slot (the one in use) would cause any problems but I have seen weird things happen when I put one of my vid. cards in the wrong place. It looks like a ah heck to have to move that riser to the #1 slot ( in your set up the blue slot at the bottom near the heat sink/heat pipe) but you might have to try that and see if it solves the issue.
Another thought while updating: If that little card in the x1 slot is NOT connecting your sound card, can you pull it out and see if that makes any difference?
Hope some of this helps
 
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jujuface

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Oct 16, 2015
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I should've clarified a bit better on the slots. The First slot next to the heat sink is unused as you can see. The next one with the red card is actually my network card. You can't really see behind it, but there is a black PCIe x16 slot which has the riser for the sound card in it. Next up is the blue slot which has the x16 riser for my graphics card, and the last one is empty.

I did some pretty extensive research on using the second blue PCIe port for my GPU, and aside from a minor latency decrease, it shouldn't and hasn't given me any graphics issues. Also, moving that x16 riser cable to the first slot would cover up all other slots, which would be a total nightmare to deal with. I guess just to rule out PCIe slot issues, I could temporarily remove the network card and put the x1 riser for the sound card in its place. I'll be ordering another PCIe riser for the sound card just to rule out a bad riser too, so I'll update on that when it gets here in a couple days. Thanks for your input
 
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jujuface

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Oct 16, 2015
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Put a hook on the back and hung it up like a picture frame...it's a stretch, but you could convince people it's a piece of abstract art.
 
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nostall

nostall

Splendid
Nov 28, 2012
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"Put a hook on the back and hung it up like a picture frame...it's a stretch, but you could convince people it's a piece of abstract art. "

No, don't think that's a stretch at all. And after a lifetime of seeing "abstract art" I can tell you it is a lot better looking and easier to interpret then most 'abstract art'.

O.k., now it makes more sense. The Audio is in the PCIe x4/x1 slot. The rise is probably the least expensive approach if things need to be replaced Except --- drum roll or taps, take your pick --- what if the audio card is actually faulty. Trying the audio riser in the x1 slot is an excellent idea.
Might want to contact Creative and see what they have to say about this problem; if the card is having issues they may have already heard about them.

Quick update/addition: Getting late for me and I don't make good sense nor type/create good answers this late in the day so I am signing off for the night. I'll be back on late morning tomorrow. Have a good evening.
 
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jujuface

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Oct 16, 2015
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Funny you mention "least expensive approach", because the riser I'm using for the graphics card cost more than my sound card itself. About $100. I'm really hoping I didn't make a mistake by trusting the $10 chinese risers to run a sound card, because the alternative is worse than a faulty sound card. The one I'm about to order should be a lot heftier, and I'll run it on top to avoid kinking the cable. Fingers crossed.
 
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jujuface

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Oct 16, 2015
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Update - I purchased the best quality riser I could find
http://www.digikey.com/catalog/en/partgroup/pci-express/30025

Hooked it up, and it doesn't even power the card up. For some strange reason, it powers on the PC as soon as it's seated in the slot, and doesn't let the PC power off. Every time I press the power button it or shut down through the OS, it boots right back up immediately. The sound card isn't getting any power, and isn't recognized either.

Could this be because it is an x4 riser being used with an x1 card? I was assuming that since you can use PCIe x1 cards in x16 ports, the same would go for x4 risers in x16 ports. My best guess is that the x4 riser in an x16 port powering an x1 card is causing issues with the motherboard. I tried using the riser in multiple PCIe slots with the same result. It's a damn shame that 3M doesn't make any x1 risers.
 
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nostall

nostall

Splendid
Nov 28, 2012
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It's late and as I stated before I don't do well in the evening. I may have missed it in your post, but have your tried - is it possible - to un-mount your sound card and plug it directly into your motherboard and hook up your speakers that way: JUST to see if it works properly without the original sound problem occurring.
I am sure you have selected the sound card in the UEFI so there should be no conflict with the on-board sound, right?
If the problem does Not occur when the card is plugged directly into the MObo that should eliminate the mobo as the problem; if the problem Does occur, then the mobo probably needs to be replaced.
 
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jujuface

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Oct 16, 2015
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So I've tried a bunch of stuff since my last post, and the only way my audio would work reliably thus far was by using the onboard audio on the Mobo. I hooked up the mic and speaker outputs along with the headphone output on the sound card a few days ago, which made the audio glitchy in all sorts of ways. I figured I should revisit the software side of things when switching from headphones to speakers would make all media with audio crash.

I reinstalled the drivers from the Creative website, and instead used the older version of their software. I haven't had any issues for about 3 days now. Using these drivers never occurred to me because they offered no Windows 10 support..and I'm running Windows 10. Ironically enough, if you have this issue with the Soundblaster Z running Windows 10, use the SBZ_CD_L13_1_00_28.exe software from 2014 (before Windows 10 was officially supported). I'm not sure if I can say using a PCIe riser had nothing to do with this, but if it did, the sound card drivers were causing the incompatibility for sure.
 
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nostall

nostall

Splendid
Nov 28, 2012
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Wow, was I off base! I guess as we get older we forget some of the easier fixes such as yours, believing that the manufactures have actually made drivers etc. etc. that work properly when issued.
Congratulations on solving the problem. As Nukemaster asked, is it still working properly and everything in its original location and configuration on the "case"?
 
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jujuface

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Oct 16, 2015
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Yup. The original riser is being used right now, so nothing's changed hardware-wise. I'm convinced there's nothing wrong with the cable, and the one I first bought is the best looking/cheapest solution, so I'm returning the replacements I ordered tomorrow.
 
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