How to update a sound card driver in Windows Vista and in Windows XP

Support for Windows Vista without any service packs installed ended on April 13, 2010. To continue receiving security updates for Windows, make sure you're running Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 (SP2). For more information, refer to this Microsoft web page: Support is ending for some versions of Windows

INTRODUCTION

This article describes how to update a sound card driver in Windows Vista and in Windows XP.

This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.

You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.

Windows Vista

To update the sound card driver, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
   

2. Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

3. Click Sound, video, and game controllers to expand.

4. Under Sound, video, and game controllers, double-click the entry for your sound card, and then click the Driver tab.
   
   Note If a Driver tab is not present, the entry that you clicked under Sound, video, and game controllers may not be the correct entry for your sound card. Try clicking any additional entries listed under Sound, video, and game controllers.

5. Click Update Driver Software.

6. Follow the Update Driver Software Wizard to update the sound card driver.

Windows XP

To update the sound card driver, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.

2. Click the Hardware tab.

3. Expand Sound, video, and game controllers.

4. Double-click the sound card, and then click the Driver tab.

5. Click Update Driver.

6. Follow the Hardware Update Wizard to update the sound card driver.

More Information

If you receive a message that the device is not working correctly, the sound card is not listed, or you must obtain driver software, contact your sound card manufacturer for more help. You may also have to contact the computer manufacturer if you find that the steps to update the sound card driver do not work.

For information about your hardware manufacturer, visit the following Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/vendors/en-usMicrosoft 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.


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