Information about audio device drivers that are known to cause problems when you install Windows Vista service packs

Windows Vista service packs update several system files and device drivers. When Windows Vista service packs are installed, some older drivers are reinstalled. When these drivers are reinstalled, audio problems may occur. This article lists the device drivers that are known to cause problems when you install Windows Vista service packs. It also provides information about how to update your drivers.

This article is intended for intermediate-to-advanced users. If you are a beginner-level user who is trying to troubleshoot an audio problem that was triggered by the installation of a Windows Vista service pack, or for more information generally, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

The following table lists device drivers that are known to cause problems when you install Windows Vista service packs.

Note This is not intended to be a complete list of problematic audio device drivers.

How to determine the audio driver and version

You can use the DirectX Diagnostic tool to identify an audio driver and version. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
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   , type dxdiag in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
2. Click the Sound tab.
3. Under Drivers, locate the Name and Version items.
4. Click Exit.

How to contact the hardware manufacture to obtain updated drivers

For information about how to contact hardware and software vendors, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

How to update drivers by using Windows Update

You can visit Windows Update at any time to see whether it has found new drivers for your hardware.

To update drivers by using Windows Update, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
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   , click ALL Programs, and then click Windows Update.
2. In the navigation pane, click Check for updates.
3. To see whether updated drivers are available, click View available updates. Windows Update will list any updated drivers that are available for devices that are installed on the computer.
4. If updates are available, click the driver that you want to install, and then click Install.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.