Do you have sound/audio on the motherboard?  If so, did you disable the motherboard audio in the BIOS?  It could be conflicting with external card (if this is the case).

can this help ?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310123

try booting into safe mode (hold f8 while booting), open devmgr, remove all problem devices, manually remove the .sys for the usb cam from c:w\windows\system32\drivers, reboot & see if xp will reinstall the correct drivers

I have tried diabling the on-board audio ... but still have the problem.

The MS support link advises troublshooting and ultimately re-installing, which I have done but to no avail.

I have tried booting in safe mode and removing devices as suggested, but I still end up with the code 39 error.  

:-(

does the error list the actual driver? it could be loading during startup check system.ini & win.ini in msconfig (start - run -msconfig)

- also i wanted you to boot in safe mode (if driver is in use) remove all entries to it in the devmgr (devmgmt.msc), then try finding & deleting the actual driver file which may be in c:\windows\system32\drivers

try this for collecting the drivers :

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3982

The error does not list the driver directly though it can be worked out with the Device Manager.  There is no error message pop-up ... the sound system just does not work ... and when you go to the Device Manager there is a yellow exclamation mark,  When I display properties, it tells me of the code 39 error.  

I did try safe mode .. and I have tried to identify drivers (I even looked a the CDs of previous sound cards and made sure I removed them).  

I have tried multiple installs from a couple of different locations.  I don't think the sound drivers are actually corrupt.  This latest attempt is a brand new card and it's unlikely that its drivers are corrupt just as the card before it and the onboard sound gear.  No, I think the Logitech webcam install damaged something.  So I have made sure that all Logitech drivers ahve been removed .. and I identified a shared dll on the Logitech install disk, msvcr71.dll, and I have re-installed that.

I have even downloaded and re-installed XP SP 2 !  

Last weekend I bought a registry tool in the hopes that that would fix it.  I am now considering buying something called "1 Click PC FIx".  

I have to say that I am pretty desperate!  I must be missing something but I can not imagine what.

download the knoppix cd, and boot from it
if the sound works here, your hard is ok. - if not vice versa
www.knoppix.org

I downloaded knoppix ... very interesting.  But I didn't get too far as there was a lot more German than English !  Can you tell me how I would do whatever testing ?  ... or point me to the info somewhere ?    

I am willing to buy software if there is a high propbability of it correcting my situation ... just spending way too much time on this !

thx, MF

just click on the american flag !

Okay, tried clciking the US flag ... and I did get a lot of English especially in comments but all menu items were still German.  So I was unable to have the pleasure of actually hearing the speakers.  But I did see my Creative Labs gear recognized and Linux indicated that all was well.  

I'm going to try defragging (again) while I try to think of something else!

>>   just click on the american flag !  <<  on the download page - that displays the english version
you downloaded the german version i take it ?

now, if you collect the drivers (see link) then look at those related to the sound card, and move them (or delete) to another location, then reinstall the sound card

Sorry ... I was not *quite* so lame as to not click the US flag for English ... but when I selected a US site I just selected the first image I saw, not noticing the .DE suffix !  

I have remedied that ... but after hours of download, it now seems that the disk will not actually boot.  It gets started but after detecting USB, nothing happens.

So, it looks as though I will be doing another download tomorrow (I will start early eanough to allow for at least two attempts).

BUT, when you say "(see link")  ... exactly what do you mean?  ... or will it be obvious once I get it to load?

thx, MF

>>    It gets started but after detecting USB, nothing happens.   <<  that can indicate hardware problems - can you try the cd on another PC? it does not write anything to the disk, and is completely harmless.

>>   when you say "(see link")  ... exactly what do you mean? <<   My post  Date: 05/12/2006 11:45PM PDT the link for the driver collector

Some progress.  I no longer have a code 39, I now have a code 19.  So you have certainly done something though I am not where I want to be yet !  Should I open another item for this variation of the issue or can we keep going here :-0   ?

look here :
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310123        look at error code 19

I have "Registry Toolkit" so I ran it to cleanup the registry.  Then I did the suggested uninstall / re-install of the drivers with the Symantec NAV auto-protect "off".  Same result --  code 19.  

:-(

>>    I no longer have a code 39, I now have a code 19.  << what did you do?
also look in that list for error 39

I did a lot of things.  I removed drivers as you suggested with Knoppix.  I defragged the C drive.  I went into BIOS and disabled all unnessentials .. e.g. I do not use my serial or parallel ports so I deisabled them.  I ran the registry "fix" software.  Then I did a "clean" install as per instructions from Cretive Labs (I have been trying to get them to help too).  The clean install had me installing in Safe Mode e.g.

I had earlier upgraded my BIOS nad VIA drivers to the latest release.

At this point I am willing to do just about anything to get this working.  If I have to re-install everything (and I have lots!) I will do that if it will work.  I would expect that there would be some sure way.  

ok - did the sound work in knoppix?
if it worked, the hard is ok. you can try a system restore to a previous date - maybe the quickest fix.

Yes, the sound worked with Knoppix.  It was awsome to hear the speakers work again !  

I don't think a system restore will do anything for me since this sound card has never worked with XP on this system before.  Do you think I should try anyway?

>>   since this sound card has never worked with XP on this system before   <<   i do not understand now, in your first post you said  :    " I plugged in the USB before I was supposed to.  Not sure what events that triggerred but my C-Media on-board sound card stopped working. "
What is it now? Anyway, you can restore to a date before you plugged in the webcam, and check if your sound works.

Sorry for any confusion.  My original problem started with an install of a web cam ... that's where I messed up with the USB.  As a result of that mess up, my on-board sound (C-media) stopped working.  I tried to fix it ... then tried another sound card I had but finally gave up on that too since it was also C-media (I thought it must be something C-media specific).  So I went out and bought this expensive Sound BlasterAudigy 2ZS Platinum ... but it has never worked with XP.

Hope that's better !  Sorry.

did you try the restore?

No.  For some reason, I only have 3 restore point available are none are before the web cam.  In fact none are before any of the sound card stuff.   It looks like I may have another problem here .. but in the mean time no restore opportunity that I can find.

"I have even downloaded and re-installed XP SP 2 ! "

try this again, but this time leave out the extra devices (the added sound crd, the usb stuff, the prtr, etc)

a) if onbd sound is working, try adding the new ext sound card (first disable onbd snd in bios)
b) if it's not working download new drivers for the onbd sound only (specific to cmedia not via)

if sound is still working after either a or b then start adding external dev's, like prtr, & then usb

Ok, removed the SoundBlaster, removed the firewire and usb .. so just the Radeon AGP card.  Enabled the C-media onboard ... re-installed SP2.

C-media now reporting COde 19.  So, probably not a SoundBlaster problem after all but something more fundamental (?)  

I have earlier upgrade the SOYO BIOS ... and the VIA chipset drivers  ... so I think everything is current.  

Any ideas?  

I do think it fair if you decide to bale .. code 39 was the original prblem and I am through that ...

did you collect the drivers?
then delete or move all drivers relating to sound cards, and webcams.
Then try to install again

I have stripped down the hardware ... only the video card in a PCI slot.  I have tried to uninstall all drivers ... I'm not sure which drivers are which.  But I am thinking that this long weekend coming up must be rebuild time.  I'm thinking of deleting all drivers and seeing where that leaves me (I just hope the video works)

The on-board c-media still has code 19 despite re-install attempts of it -- this all makes me think that something is corrupt somewwhere.  But I would have thought that the SP2 install would have overwritten all ... and I have tried drivers from multiple sources.

I'm just not clear on how to get it back to any working state!  I am up for anything .. almost ... just not sure what to do next.

it could still be the bios upgrade that is the problem, i would contact soyo & find the exact revision that should be on your mobo & have them email to you all drivers: via, cmedia, video, lan, etc.

This may be all academic now ... this morning before going into work, I had this sudden surge of bravery ... I tried to delete all of my drivers, thinking that I would re-install on an as and when need basis.  XP has not been able to boot since!

My theory was that I could use KNoppox to copy things back until I got it right ... but I have copied everything back now and I still end up at a blue screen.

I think you are nonetheless right about contacting SOYO and getting the latest that really applies to me .. but I can't help thinking that somewhere along the process, once of my devices (and I am personally blaiming the Logitech webcam) corrupted a key Windows driver that ensured my sound would never work again.  Logitech has the microphone component, which I never wanted, that encroaches on the audio capability.

I have a few Logitech devices now but I will never buy again ...

Meanwhile, how to rebuild the o/s without killing the data in my partitions ... I guess I wil find out.

There really ought to be a way to buy out of this !

fun, fun, fun ... I will be teeing this up for this weekend.

cheers, MF

>>   I tried to delete all of my drivers   <<  why not move them to another folder? that way, you can put them back.
i would try a repair install :

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm      

I guess I am done.

I thank you both for your help.  I could not even do a repair !  I have reformatted and reinstalled ... testing everything and all is well.  It has taken forever, and I am still not all the way there ... but I am on the mend.

I'm not sure how best to split the points, though nobus certainly provided more (the knoppix was great .. the drivers site was great ...) especially since he/she was with me all the way ...

Many thanks for the help!  MF

In that case ... nobus 400 and FriarTuk 100

Thanks for all the help!  cheers, MF

thx, now just need to click Split Points to close this

https://www.experts-exchange.com/help.jsp#hi69