GE257AA SoundBlaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Audio Card (PCI) needed, or help me with an alternative sound card.

[oldcomputeruser]

Hi, I am an old computer user. I have an xw8600 HP workstation. Running Zorin 16 (Linux) os. modern graphics card, 500GB ssd with full ram all running well. I have no audio at all. Was told when I bought bare bones xw8600 workstation that motherboard audio had never worked. I thought I could add an old creative 24 bit sound card that was PCI appropreiate like a SB0410. HP data specs list just the GE257AA sound card from creative as compatable. any advice appreiated to restore any type of audio. Also I have 4 HDMI ports from my modern graphics card available. Can I use a HDMI port to create audio on a creative 2 speaker desktop system.

 

[kiddagoat]

What region of the world are you in?

I would look at these. I haven't used Linux in a minute, but C-Media should have some Linux drivers available. It also might be easier to use USB. I have added one of those for reference purposes.

Amazon.com: PCI Sound Card, Internal Audio Karte Stereo Surround CMI8738 Sound Card,PCI-E Express 4.1 Sound Card 4 Port Surround Sound Card,for Computer Desktop : Electronics

Amazon.com: Diamond XS51 XtremeSound 5.1 PCI 16 bit Sound Card for windows 7, 8.1 : Electronics

Amazon.com: StarTech.com 7.1 USB Sound Card - External Sound Card for Laptop with SPDIF Digital Audio - Sound Card for PC - Silver (ICUSBAUDIO7D) : Electronics

PCI Sound Cards | Newegg.com

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Also I have 4 HDMI ports from my modern graphics card available. Can I use a HDMI port to create audio on a creative 2 speaker desktop system.

Yes and yes, but it depends if the speakers have an HDMi port for you to plug into.

There are a lot of soundbars (some made by creative) samsung and other audio manufacturers that will have a HDMi slot available for you to hook up to a laptop or computer otherwise you would need something like an AVR that sits in the middle of the chain that you can plug your HDMi and speakers into to output sound.

 

[eidairaman1]

Need to find linux drivers for specific soundcards before you just buy 1, otherwise you'd need to create 1.

 

[_roman_]

You may look into second hand usb audio interfaces.

My second hand USB-Audio Interface M-Audio AIR 192|6 works flawless with my gnu gentoo linux. Just a fancy name for an external sound card.
A bonus it's usb 2 connected. I assume you will have a usb 2 port, right?

[    6.120793] usb 7-2.4: new high-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd
[    6.254112] usb 7-2.4: New USB device found, idVendor=0763, idProduct=410c, bcdDevice= 1.05
[    6.257184] usb 7-2.4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=3, SerialNumber=0
[    6.260232] usb 7-2.4: Product: AIR 192 6
[    6.263266] usb 7-2.4: Manufacturer: M-Audio
[    6.501599] usb 7-2.4: Quirk or no altset; falling back to MIDI 1.0

Bus 007 Device 004: ID 0763:410c M-Audio AIR 192 6

QuickSpecs HP xw8600 Workstation

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/psg/attachments/psg/Audio/292169/3/xw8600%20QuickSpecs%20v18.pdf