Windows XP SP3 UAA

[Bigfella237]

I'm hoping there's some computing gurus here that can help me out, I've been on this problem for over a week and I'm getting nowhere?

I have loaded up two Dell PowerEdge 2850 servers with Windows XP, I'm planning on using them for 24/7 GRN logging, online streaming, PDW & weather (and hopefully some aircraft monitoring once I get everything else sorted out) and each has two pci-e ASUS SupremeFX II HD audio cards, but I can't load the drivers for these cards, the reason I can't load the drivers is because I can't load the HDA Audio pci bus driver and the reason I can't load that is because the Windows CD didn't load Microsoft's UAA (Universal Audio Architecture).

I've tried just about every patch I can find on Google including multiple versions of Microsoft's KB888111 (even a user-modified version for SP3), Realtek's versions of the same, half a dozen HP patches, I've loaded pretty much everything on the Dell site, I've updated the BIOS, BMC firmware, backplane drivers, PERC 4e/Di etc.etc. I've even done a re-format and reload of Windows from scratch and tried to apply the patches all over again under SP2 before installing any Windows updates but still no go!

Like I said, I've been on this problem for over a week and I'm just about ready to try the big hammer approach! Unfortunately, soundcards are pretty much a 'must have' item for my application (without them I have no recording, streaming or PDW) and I've already wasted far too much time on what should be a ten-second job!

Any helpful suggestions would be very appreciated!

Andrew

[Sigint]

Any helpful suggestions would be very appreciated!

Maybe the big hammer approach is the most appropriate, considering the notorious reputation Dell computers has for SoundCard associated problems.

--
Sigint

[cokebottle]

I am a IT Manager & I have found that Dell is quite notorious with hardware not working unless it is theirs

Keep Googling, somebody else is sure to have had the same issue

Michael

[citabria]

First up, XP isn't a supported operating system for a 2850. Load up Server 2008 or 2003 first would be my reccomendation.

I used to look after 400 or so Dell 2850s in a datacentre - and we used all sorts of peripheral cards in them from NICs, to HBAs, to TOE offloading engines and fax cards. Never had an issue Dell make great servers.

[citabria]

What happens when you try to load up KB888111?

[Bigfella237]

What happens when you try to load up KB888111?

Absolutely nothing! It runs through the install wizard, it says it has successfully installed the patch, I click "finish" and that's it, still no UAA? I've tried restarting before and after the patch and it says it's successful every time but still UAA doesn't appear in Device Manager?

I know XP isn't technically supported on servers but Windows 2000 is (normal and server versions) and all the drivers I've needed for everything else have been downloaded for Win2K and have gone into WinXP without a problem. I initially had a problem with the fans running flat out (like standing behind an F-16 at startup) but that was because I installed the SCSI B-channel daughter cards (I'm running 5xHDDs in each in a RAID5 config.) and the BMC firmware update fixed that as soon as it loaded.

I know it's not a hardware problem, UAA is a Windows component and I know I'm not alone with this problem, a quick search on Google shows hundreds of other people asking the same question on various forums but I still haven't found an answer that works for me?

I have WinXP loaded on another PC (the one I'm typing on now) and it has UAA loaded and working so I can see where it should be on the servers... it just isn't? I've spent hours comparing registry values between the two in case there's some dicky little setting somewhere that has a 0 instead of a 1 but no luck there either?

The last option I have is moving to USB soundcards but I would rather use the internal ones?

Andrew

[cokebottle]

I used to look after 400 or so Dell 2850s in a datacentre

That definitely makes you far far more qualified to comment , I have only played around with maybe 6 Dell workstations & had some issues with a network card in one & one I could not get a non genuine power supply to replace.

Dell make great servers.

Yes, our 2850 terminal server (win2003 64bit) is working well (apart from some older 32bit proggies not run, not Dells fault but)..... we have a couple of IBM's too & they all do their jobs well.

Michael

[citabria]

We went to Dell because like everyone else, we found they're far far cheaper.. Originally my previous employer was a Compaq shop, then they went to HP DL380 G3 and G4 before we switched to 2850's, then 2950's S1, S2 and S3.

I left that job, and started a new one, where I built our Hong Kong environment purely from Dell R710 rackmount servers (EMC Clariion storage) Those machines havent had a single issue in 12 months. Back in Jan of this year, We ordered about 30 M610 blade servers in chassis's for our Sydney datacentre (EMC Symmetrix DMX storage)

Having worked in the Enterprise Infrastructure area for 8 years now, I really believe that all servers are pretty much the same in terms of quality.. In any case, when you buy a new one it comes with 3 years support and maintenance, and most parts (apart from CPUs) are hot pluggable, so outages due to hardware failures are very rare nowadays.

[Bigfella237]

The PE2850's are an impressive piece of gear alright, the design just doesn't even compare to your average PC, everything with a redundancy and as you said, most components hot swappable (including power supplies)!

And I guess you've just explained why the two I bought were updated as they're about three and a half years old now... but still more than adequate for my purpose... if I could just get the damn sound to work that is?

Andrew