Home | Community | Message Board


This site includes paid links. Please support our sponsors.


Welcome to the Shroomery Message Board! You are experiencing a small sample of what the site has to offer. Please login or register to post messages and view our exclusive members-only content. You'll gain access to additional forums, file attachments, board customizations, encrypted private messages, and much more!

Shop: Bridgetown Botanicals Bridgetown Botanicals   Kraken Kratom Red Vein Kratom   Unfolding Nature Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

Jump to first unread post Pages: 1
Offlineimachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Male User Gallery


Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,564
Loc: You get banned for saying that Flag
Last seen: 12 hours, 24 minutes
question about buying a sound card for a dell
    #14674063 - 06/26/11 09:27 AM (12 years, 10 months ago)

I was on amazon the other day trying to buy an external usb sound card, they are pretty cheap, between $7 and $30(i don't know what the difference is)

does anyone know which sound card I could buy from amazon would work for a dell dimension 4700? the motherboard is an m1379, or actually I might have gotten those numbers wrong, I know it's a m1 number or something or other


--------------------
:kingcrankey: I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!

:facepalm: I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
InvisibleShroomismM
Space Travellin
Male User Gallery

Folding@home Statistics
Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 66,015
Loc: 9th Dimension Flag
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: imachavel]
    #14675261 - 06/26/11 02:29 PM (12 years, 10 months ago)

According to This, your board has 1 PCi-e x16 slot, 1 PCI-e x1 slot and 2 PCI slots.

If you are talking about an internal sound card, you could get a PCI card or a PCI-e x1 card, provided you aren't using both of those PCI-e slots.

If it's just an external USB sound card.. then you just plug it into a free USB port and don't need to worry about that..


--------------------

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineimachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Male User Gallery


Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,564
Loc: You get banned for saying that Flag
Last seen: 12 hours, 24 minutes
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: Shroomism]
    #14675505 - 06/26/11 03:27 PM (12 years, 10 months ago)

yes man, that's the point, and you are very correct. I have 3 pci slots, one of them is pci-e x16, the other two pci slots are occupied, one with a network card, the other with a sound card. the pcix16 has a graphics card, that I'm trying to replace with an updated 4670, but when I try and pop it in, it won't fit, because the fan takes up too much space. if I remove the sound card (creative labs model number: sb0410) then I can install the new graphics card. but then I won't have sound. I was thinking of installing a sound processing unit, like a chipset, but it would be easier to install a usb sound card external, I just want to make sure before I order one from amazon, that it's compatible. any recommendations?


--------------------
:kingcrankey: I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!

:facepalm: I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
InvisibleShroomismM
Space Travellin
Male User Gallery

Folding@home Statistics
Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 66,015
Loc: 9th Dimension Flag
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: imachavel]
    #14675528 - 06/26/11 03:31 PM (12 years, 10 months ago)

Your motherboard doesn't have onboard audio? It should. IMO sound cards are pretty much a waste of money unless you are doing high end audio stuff. For games and such the onboard is usually more than sufficient IME. Although dell does suck...

I wouldn't be able to tell you if anything would be incompatible with that board, as I don't work for Dell.. but as far as external USB sound cards go.... they are just plug and play.. there shouldn't be any compatibility issues to worry about aside from installing the drivers. If your USB ports work and the PSU isn't failing, then it should work.

Also, you COULD just get a PCIe x1 sound card and just put it in that bottom x1 slot.


--------------------

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineimachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Male User Gallery


Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,564
Loc: You get banned for saying that Flag
Last seen: 12 hours, 24 minutes
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: Shroomism]
    #14675612 - 06/26/11 03:52 PM (12 years, 10 months ago)

you don't understand, the fan is taking up too much space. there will be no pci room, trust me. so if there is an onboard sound chip, how do I enable it when I pull out the sound card?

I've heard so many people say lately "your computer probably has this, and probably has that" and half the time it isn't true. I mean I know what you are talking about but does a dell dimension 4700 for sure have a sound chip set? then won't I have to rewire the motherboard so that the sound ports in the back are connected to the chip set? right now those ports are aligned to the sound card, in fact, putting in the usb sound card means I'm going to have to reconfigure that.

I'm not blaming you that these things can be such a hassle some times, I'm just saying right now I can't buy anything else, not even something just costing me $20, if I for sure can't use it. I just have a budget. it's amazing to me you can't get a job as an intern fixing pc's or as a network admin, just without an education or certification or anything. I mean, there are so many computers, and millions of networks, in fact you use one on a big data farm every time you use the internet, you use the shroomeries network every time you log in and post in a thread.

but when I go to best buy to ask a question about my motherboard, they can't look it up for me. and they are supposed to be the leading competitor, I feel like shooting myself :foreheadslap:
(by the way I didn't mean literally rewire my motherboard, I meant reconfigure it)


--------------------
:kingcrankey: I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!

:facepalm: I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlinecokane
Stranger
I'm a teapot User Gallery


Registered: 09/16/08
Posts: 945
Last seen: 2 years, 6 months
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: imachavel]
    #14675924 - 06/26/11 05:06 PM (12 years, 10 months ago)

so if there is an onboard sound chip, how do I enable it when I pull out the sound card?

I would check the  device manager first. Make sure the drivers are good and you might have to disable and enable it to make it work, and you have to plug in the 3.5mm jack, my 3.5mm is connected to a to 2 Y adapter RCA cables, I am running 2 amps. If you have a digital input on your amp you could try some a USB Analog Digital Audio Adapter.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036VO4X4/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0023BYDHK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=18HXFT7F2EDZSEAX096V

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineimachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Male User Gallery


Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,564
Loc: You get banned for saying that Flag
Last seen: 12 hours, 24 minutes
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: cokane]
    #14679842 - 06/27/11 12:46 PM (12 years, 10 months ago)

Quote:

cokane said:
so if there is an onboard sound chip, how do I enable it when I pull out the sound card?

I would check the  device manager first. Make sure the drivers are good and you might have to disable and enable it to make it work, and you have to plug in the 3.5mm jack, my 3.5mm is connected to a to 2 Y adapter RCA cables, I am running 2 amps. If you have a digital input on your amp you could try some a USB Analog Digital Audio Adapter.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036VO4X4/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0023BYDHK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=18HXFT7F2EDZSEAX096V




you kind of flew that one by me, in the device manager it says that the drivers for sb live! 24-bit and unimodem half duplex audio device aren't installed. if I install those drivers, then the next time I pull out the sound card, the audio should work?

now if I want to just buy an external usb sound card, how difficult will it be to plug in the speakers? that i/o slot is currently screwed in over the back of the computer next to one of the pci slots, where the sound card is. If I want to plug in a usb sound card, I will probably need to connect something from the mainboard to the back of those i/o ports. I don't believe I can unscrew the panel, and move them anywhere, because obviously the usb ports on the back of the pc are already occupied with the main back panel. When I order the usb sound card, will it give me something to connect those i/o ports to something on the mainboard connecting to a usb? or will I buy it seperately

what I'm talking about is two chords, one should be called m1379 or something like that, you need one to plug into a usb port on the motherboard, then another one that leads away from it to the back panel of the i/o switch.


--------------------
:kingcrankey: I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!

:facepalm: I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlinecokane
Stranger
I'm a teapot User Gallery


Registered: 09/16/08
Posts: 945
Last seen: 2 years, 6 months
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: imachavel]
    #14681755 - 06/27/11 06:57 PM (12 years, 10 months ago)

Sorry I guess over estimated your technical knowledge imachavel. What operating system are you running?

Can you find the device manager? You can try right clicking on my computer, then properties, there should be a section or tab named device manager. Once you find the device manager look to see if you have any yellow question marks or other symbols. Look at sound video and game controllers, then you can right click on items and check and reinstall drivers., if you see a problem with a driver you will need to download a newer one. 

Driver magician is good program that you can use to backup and search for driver updates.

http://baltagy.blogspot.com/2011/06/driver-magician-v361-portable.html

Edited by cokane (06/27/11 07:03 PM)

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineimachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Male User Gallery


Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,564
Loc: You get banned for saying that Flag
Last seen: 12 hours, 24 minutes
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: cokane]
    #14682146 - 06/27/11 07:52 PM (12 years, 10 months ago)

i don't use driver dog or driver magician, I guess I should, but I'd rather just know what drivers to download, and download and install them personally, then check device manager to see their status. I didn't know you felt you "underestimated my pc knowledge"

yes, some drivers weren't up and running, I listed them in my previous thread, you missed that. I tried reinstalling them, and that didn't work. but how does that tell me if I have a sound chip installed? if I had one installed, why would dell put a sound card in my computer? This is an oem, has the windows install key sticker on the side, etc. etc.

this isn't a custom built pc. if an oem has a sound card already installed, why will it also have a sound chip? I thought it was backwards. I have no problem with ordering an external usb sound card, but remember, the current sound card is installed in a pci slot, not the pcix16 slot, the one next to it. I want to pull that out so I can use both those pci slots, leaving only the 3rd pci slot with the network card unavailable. But if I buy an external sound card for a usb port, then the panel with the i/o for the speakers, is currently screwed in on the back of the tower, next to the pci slot. How will I be able to plug speakers in there by adding a different sound chip/card? I won't, so I'll have to reposition that panel with the i/o ports. Did I not say all this in the last post I made? No offense at all, I just thought I did.

I need to get my hands on a copy of windows xp professional oem, so I can install my new 500 gb sata drive as well, but don't worry about that, I have a friend who should be able to help me out. Right now I'm just trying to figure out how I can pull out this sound card and free up this pci slot, and still have sound. I tried to talk to those morons at best buy, but they said they weren't allowed to look up my motherboard specs, which is great. I love best buy. they are total assho.. err, really smart people.

if it helps, here is my motherboard:

http://www.txcesssurplus.com/catalog/391-dell-M3918-motherboard.jpg

it's a dell m3918 motherboard. socket 775, but that probably won't help I'm not trying to replace the cpu. in the picture the i/o sound ports are sort of blocking the view of what is behind them, but I can tell you from looking personally there is no immediate chip set behind them. if there is a chip set for a sound chip, it's not behind the i/o ports. any good advice?


--------------------
:kingcrankey: I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!

:facepalm: I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisiblemagicbastard
I'm a teapot

Registered: 03/18/05
Posts: 791
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: imachavel]
    #14683557 - 06/28/11 12:14 AM (12 years, 10 months ago)

Try unplugging the Audio Card from the PCI slot and see if you have audio. Check the BIOS to make sure the Audio is not disabled.

If you get a New Hardware Wizard Window to popup when you turn on your computer after removing the Audio card, click on the option to have Microsoft install the diver for you.

If you don't, check device manager to see if the driver is installed.

If its not, you can ether go to Dell's website and download the Audio Driver from there, the website will ask you for your service tag, which should be located on the back of your computer and it will display all the drivers that are available for you computer.

OR you can run Microsoft Updates and check out the Optional Updates, or maybe its Hardware Updates, its been awhile since I've updated XP, but your computer is old enough that they should Digitally signed drivers available for your Audio.

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisiblemycomyst
Alchemist
Male
Registered: 12/30/10
Posts: 167
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: imachavel]
    #14684607 - 06/28/11 05:23 AM (12 years, 10 months ago)

A quick look on Dell's website lists a ADI 1980 AC97 onboard audio. It may be disabled in bios ( and won't show up in the device manager if it is disabled). If I wanted to free up the pci slot, I would uninstall the sound card in the device manager, remove the sound card from the box, and enable the onboard sound in bios. Windows may or may not have and install drivers automatically. One other step I have run into on older machines is UAA (unified audio architect). Sometimes this has to be installed before the device drivers will install/work. Its a MS bit, but I most recently downloaded it from HP.

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineimachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Male User Gallery


Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,564
Loc: You get banned for saying that Flag
Last seen: 12 hours, 24 minutes
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: mycomyst]
    #14690020 - 06/29/11 02:44 AM (12 years, 10 months ago)

if I unplug the audio card from the pci slot, there is definitely no audio. so you think I should uninstall the drivers for the audio card, then pull out the card, then restart and boot with f2 or whatever, and look for a sound chip in the bios? well if it's much easier I'll go for it.

I wouldn't know what drivers to look for on dell.com anyway. sorry I just hate to admit my lack of knowledge, but I really don't. thanks, but before I uninstall the drivers, I'll just check the bios and see what is there, you are probably right though, I'll need the drivers from dell.com, but which drivers do I search for?

ok I'm obviously making this harder then it is. There is onboard sound, I turned it on in the bios. upon booting, the new hardware wizard popped up. it didn't find the driver, but I'll do a windows update, which should fix the problem. if not lol what drivers do I look for on the dell site? lmao I'm a moron :shrug: oh the service tag right? ok yeah for sure, but that should be on the side, not on the back, next to the windows install code I believe.

I guess the next thing I'll do is try and install this video card, hope this works.


--------------------
:kingcrankey: I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!

:facepalm: I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk

Edited by imachavel (06/29/11 02:57 AM)

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineimachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Male User Gallery


Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,564
Loc: You get banned for saying that Flag
Last seen: 12 hours, 24 minutes
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: imachavel]
    #14690116 - 06/29/11 03:42 AM (12 years, 10 months ago)

ok I'm not out of the woods yet, I need an adi codec for my onboard sound. and like I mentioned earlier, there is now no i/o panel on the back of my pc for the speakers, i can probably buy one online real cheap, but I don't know if I have a slot I can screw it into, although I know I don't need the previous agp connector, since now the agp connector is screwed in next to the pci slot.

suggestions? much appreciated.

(btw, with the hd 4670 can I run crysis? Or do I need more then a dual core processor to run that type of thing, probably huh? anyway what can I run?)
yes it can run crysis, but not at too high of settings, just not the lowest, but not the highest. really I don't think crysis looks as good as far cry 2 anyway, don't know why everybody raves about it so much over far cry, i guess because far cry takes forever and is more challenging :smirk:. anyway still need to install a new i/o to plug in the speakers.


--------------------
:kingcrankey: I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!

:facepalm: I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk

Edited by imachavel (06/29/11 12:41 PM)

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Invisiblemycomyst
Alchemist
Male
Registered: 12/30/10
Posts: 167
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: imachavel]
    #14693884 - 06/29/11 08:21 PM (12 years, 10 months ago)

No i/o plate, eh.....is there a replacement mainboard in the box? Sorry I missed that. If it's the board that came in the Dell, there are three audio jacks on the back,. the center one (I think) is for speakers. the service tag can be on the back of the case. Just search the Dell site and you will find the sound drivers. If they won't install, install the UAA first, then the drivers. If everything looks right in device manager and the sounds folder and still doesn't work, your onboard chip could be the issue.

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Offlineimachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw
Male User Gallery


Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,564
Loc: You get banned for saying that Flag
Last seen: 12 hours, 24 minutes
Re: question about buying a sound card for a dell [Re: mycomyst]
    #14695333 - 06/30/11 02:18 AM (12 years, 10 months ago)

I fixed the driver issue with a windows update. I mean at least according to what I know, if that isn't fixed, then I can mess with that later, it wasn't a driver anymore, it was a codec called adi, I think it's fixed. like you said no i/o plate, I don't know where the dell box is, you think there would be another plate in there? the old plate was attached to the old sound card. I'm thinking maybe I can disconnect the plate with the old agp connector, since the new graphics card is currently where I plugged the agp into now, so the old slot is pretty much useless. surprisingly, if I plug the current chord into the old slot, the video actually displays, but doesn't load windows :lol:, still it displays enough to give me a message saying the current agp port is not active, and I will need to do certain steps to make my video works, then lists steps.

my video works great now, I can even play crysis, at least I can play it at medium settings, w/e. I just need to get a new i/o slot, and like you said, I can test those onboard audio drivers. Thanks for the help, any suggestions? my motherboard is a dell m3918. thanks


--------------------
:kingcrankey: I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!

:facepalm: I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Jump to top Pages: 1

Shop: Bridgetown Botanicals Bridgetown Botanicals   Kraken Kratom Red Vein Kratom   Unfolding Nature Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order


Similar ThreadsPosterViewsRepliesLast post
* Does this sound like a bad motherboard? HagbardCeline 743 3 01/23/06 11:23 AM
by Sinthetic
* Boards and cpus question
( 1 2 all )
Demiurge 3,305 22 08/23/03 10:59 AM
by fIsh in my head
* Dudes, What about Dell?
( 1 2 all )
Zero7a1 2,532 21 11/17/04 02:22 PM
by Geezer
* man...wtf...computer question Cubieman420 1,846 16 07/28/03 10:29 AM
by wingnutx
* Sound driver question superpimp 1,425 13 07/15/03 11:54 AM
by AnimaAnimus
* Dual Channel Motherboard???
( 1 2 all )
NugDumper 4,063 20 07/29/04 01:42 AM
by AhronZombi
* Onboard Sound in Linux TinMan 1,371 12 10/07/03 12:53 PM
by TinMan
* Changing components, especially motherboard Q's. Lightningfractal 2,165 6 12/17/03 07:09 AM
by debianlinux

Extra information
You cannot start new topics / You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled / BBCode is enabled
Moderator: trendal, automan, Northerner
541 topic views. 0 members, 0 guests and 1 web crawlers are browsing this forum.
[ Show Images Only | Sort by Score | Print Topic ]
Search this thread:

Copyright 1997-2024 Mind Media. Some rights reserved.

Generated in 0.028 seconds spending 0.005 seconds on 12 queries.