Sound Blaster Z / Zx / ZxR Modded Driver for Windows 10

[mixel]

Reading around I tried a load but the thing that currently seems to be working for me utilises local group policy to prevent windows updating the drivers. Mine has been stable through a few reboots now.

Requirements - The card must be in a functioning state for this to work - I ended up moving it to a new PCI slot as it seems to work the first time, its subsequent reboots etc where it breaks.
.....

Just want to say that.. Anyone sleeping on this particular post.. This is IT for me, seemingly. Survived multiple reboots, shutdowns etc. I wasn't able to get my (new) SBz to stick around after reboots at all.. Possibly because of my weird multi screen, many sound output setup shunting everything around and causing it to rethink its addresses or something, I don't know? I can't even begin to understand how or why its behaved this way..

Im on an ASUS Strix B550-F.. Running the latest official drivers. It just would not stay visible! Now it does. I'll come report back if it breaks again, I guess. I bet some future windows update kills it again but at least I know what to fix if it does? Thankyou @wiggum123 !

 

[Borberad]

@Regeneration THAAAAAAAAANK YOU SOOOOOO MOUCH!!!

I had my Sound Blaster Z six month and thought maybe its borken. Had that channel swapping realy hard. Now i have such a great unbelievable and amazing sound in games. Just register to tell you that. Thanks!!!!

 

[emanresu]

Does the DTS/Dolby decoding work?

 

[jesusmp]

Yuppers, that helped.

First, uninstall all audio drivers and apps relating to your SBZ. Then try these drivers;

New Sound Blaster Z, Zx and ZxR drivers

This software/driver pack is unofficial, not supported by Creative Labs. Use it at your own risk. Supports the Sound Blaster Z, Sound...

danielkawakami.blogspot.com

And if those don't fix your issue, uninstall them and try these;

Beta test drivers for Sound Blaster Z, Zx, ZxR and Recon3D PCIe

This software/driver pack is unofficial, not supported by Creative Labs. Use it at your own risk. Supports Sound Blaster Z, Sound Bla...

danielkawakami.blogspot.com

Your problem should be gone with one of those as long as your Windows installation isn't borked. However as recent updates have proven problematic you may be forced to do a fresh install of Windows to fix the issue.

Hi!, do you have the latest available? the links don't work.

Maybe a mirror?

Thanks!!

 

[lexluthermiester]

Hi!, do you have the latest available? the links don't work.

Maybe a mirror?

Thanks!!

Just tried the download links on DanielK's blog site and they worked perfectly. Both the X-Fi and Audigy packs worked. Maybe you have browser addon/plugin issues?

 

[jesusmp]

Just tried the download links on DanielK's blog site and they worked perfectly. Both the X-Fi and Audigy packs worked. Maybe you have browser addon/plugin issues?

But none is for sb Z really?

 

[lexluthermiester]

But none is for sb Z really?

Not sure what happened to the SBZ drivers. Creative might have made him take them down.

 

[INSTG8R]

But none is for sb Z really?

I’m actually just using the latest creative driver for my ZX without issue. Not actually needed Daniels “help” for awhile. But it does appear he’s removed his Z line drivers.

 

[eidairaman1]

I’m actually just using the latest creative driver for my ZX without issue. Not actually needed Daniels “help” for awhile. But it does appear he’s removed his Z line drivers.

That friggin sucks

 

[INSTG8R]

That friggin sucks

Really only the older cards actually needed “help” Daniel is done so what’s there is what’s there. He did try very hard to help with the “AMD issue” but I’ve said it over and over….Just turn off Spread Spectrum and all the issues go away. Had the issues, swore a lot and nearly tossed it, made the connection, disabled it, never had an issue since. Ancient useless feature that has no practical usage to a home user. I wonder if extreme OC”ers are aware of its effect and how it may or may not effect stability…
Fine to have the feature available but being on by Default it should NOT be…this is a prime example for why….

So I just completely blundered into a potential test case for SBz going nuts in Win10, at least on Ryzen x570 - but I'll need help with narrowing down what to measure and things like drivers if there is interest.

the tl;dr is, I've been lucky so far that I hadn't had issues running my SBz on win8 before. I upgraded to 10 and everything still worked. Last week I decided to play with FCLK and memory speeds. If I set 3800mem/1900FCLK everything fine. 3866/1933FCK ... all my stress tests pass, but I suddenly every issue everyone has ever had with SBz happens. Front/Back channel swaps, loss of bit sync, crackling/bitnuke noise requiring restart.

I back one to 3800/1900 and everything fine.

So the obvious answer is duh, 3866 not stable - but it passed everything else. I wonder if it's something else like latency goes nuts or something (or the WHEA error or USB corruption issue?) but I don't know what utils to use to test?

Again this is a quick feeler for if there is interest to keep probing / what utils to use to probe with.

LOL should have went back a page because there is a prime example…

 

[eidairaman1]

Really only the older cards actually needed “help” Daniel is done so what’s there is what’s there. He did try very hard to help with the “AMD issue” but I’ve said it over and over….Just turn off Spread Spectrum and all the issues go away. Had the issues, swore a lot and nearly tossed it, made the connection, disabled it, never had an issue since. Ancient useless feature that has no practical usage to a home user. I wonder if extreme OC”ers are aware of its effect and how it may or may not effect stability…
Fine to have the feature available but being on by Default it should NOT be…this is a prime example for why….


LOL should have went back a page because there is a prime example…

Spread spectrum is for emi anyway and if a systm is properly grounded to the case emi should not be a problem, plus spread spectrum fuggs up Overclocking. I noticed most mobos today don't have the setting any more so we can dissable it...

 

[Regeneration]

Hi!, do you have the latest available? the links don't work.

Maybe a mirror?

Thanks!!

There are better drivers on Creative's website and Microsoft Update Catalog. Version 6.0.102.75 that is suitable to be used with Sound Blaster Command.

There is a new product out (Sound Blaster Z SE) that made the company extend their support for the entire lineup.

The easy way is just to install this:

Creative Worldwide Support >

Welcome to Creative Worldwide Support. Get technical help for your Creative products through Knowledgebase Solutions, firmware updates, driver downloads and more.

support.creative.com

And then scan for updates for both applications and device from the settings tab.

 

[lexluthermiester]

And then scan for updates for both applications and device from the settings tab.

Not everyone trusts microsoft's update because it often screws things up and many people would prefer to get drivers from a better source. Creative direct would be great, but DanielK was an excellent source for the older cards which still work fine but weren't being supported by Creative any longer.

 

[INSTG8R]

Spread spectrum is for emi anyway and if a systm is properly grounded to the case emi should not be a problem, plus spread spectrum fuggs up Overclocking. I noticed most mobos today don't have the setting any more so we can dissable it...

Yeah it’s intent was really for multiple PC environments like offices for example. But because it just makes your clocks “float/modulate” sound cards DO NOT like that…they need a locked frequency to function properly.

 

[xrror]

Fine to have the feature available but being on by Default it should NOT be…this is a prime example for why….

Just for the record spread spectrum was disabled - old habit for me from back in the day when that +/- 1mhz BCK was like +/- 40mhz of flux after the mult and enough to crash the rig.

Good to know though about spread spectrum messing with audio cards. I mean it makes sense and I would never have caught it, but it does make me wonder if that's what's going on with some other boards I have that let you set BCLK but don't reliably "latch" it (you can set it in firmware but it's hit or miss if it actually honors it - wonder if spread spectrum is actually still on when it doesn't?).

Back to the specific x570 system with the SBz, I think in just won't run >1900 FCLK correctly. Also obviously since it was win8.1 on unsupported platform at the time, you can take the guess it's not exactly pristine windows install either ... (originally win7 64bit on socket 754(!) to core 2, 1366 rig, then Ryzen [wufuc is awesome [windows update force update check]) then win10).

 

[INSTG8R]

Just for the record spread spectrum was disabled - old habit for me from back in the day when that +/- 1mhz BCK was like +/- 40mhz of flux after the mult and enough to crash the rig.

Good to know though about spread spectrum messing with audio cards. I mean it makes sense and I would never have caught it, but it does make me wonder if that's what's going on with some other boards I have that let you set BCLK but don't reliably "latch" it (you can set it in firmware but it's hit or miss if it actually honors it - wonder if spread spectrum is actually still on when it doesn't?).

Back to the specific x570 system with the SBz, I think in just won't run >1900 FCLK correctly. Also obviously since it was win8.1 on unsupported platform at the time, you can take the guess it's not exactly pristine windows install either ... (originally win7 64bit on socket 754(!) to core 2, 1366 rig, then Ryzen [wufuc is awesome [windows update force update check]) then win10).

I’m running 1800nFCLK no issue the sound card has never had an issue again. I actually argued at length with AMD staff about the justification of it being on by default I mean Google will show you one result about it from 1991…i mean it literally clicked when I wa# just falling asleep because I’ knew I’d seen the setting and just glossed$ over it. I mean you’ll be hard pressed to find the setting on an Intel Board and it certainly wouldn’t be on I’f you did.

 

[Robert84MK]

New driver 6.0.102.78 for Sound Blaster Z is in Sound Blaster Command.

 

[lexluthermiester]

New driver 6.0.102.78 for Sound Blaster Z is in Sound Blaster Command.

Welcome to TPU!

 

[emanresu]

1) If you need X-Fi Auzentech HomeTheatre HD - X-Fi Titanium PCIe - X-Fi Fatal1ty or alike working on Windows 10 or 11 (newest ed.) I can help you.

2) Old removed drivers and webpages can be accessed sometimes thru

Wayback Machine

web.archive.org

Pick a site and a date which is marked BLUE - and enter the archived version. If there's a download link in there, then press that.
If you get an error, try to switch the old date in the URL to * instead, and Web Archive will pick a date which was archived for said link, if there is any. Happy Huntin'.

 

[munio1000]

SBZ_CD_L13_1_01_12_W10

MediaFire is a simple to use free service that lets you put all your photos, documents, music, and video in a single place so you can access them anywhere and share them everywhere.

www.mediafire.com

link for Z series DanielK modded drivers win10.
Works, i've downloaded file today.

Its no reupload, its original DanielK upload.

Have fun.