Hello

I'm having a very peculiar problem when I try to install my M-Audio Audiophile 2496. The PC will not POST after I place the soundcard in the PCI slot.

I've done some research online, including searching these forums, and I've found that many people have issues with IRQ's (apparently the 2496 likes to be on its own IRQ). At first I thought that might be my problem, and it still may be, but it appears that everyone who had issues with IRQ's, had issues post-installation. Such as with sound quality or crashing.

But with my situation, I don't even get to that point. My PC normally operates flawlessly, but after I power it down, and place the card in a PCI slot it will not POST... The fans and the HDD spin up, but I can't get to the BIOS.

Things I've tried so far....

• Tried every available PCI slot
• Installed 2496 on another PC to make sure card was not DOA
• Removed my PCI wireless card, then tried installing 2496 again
• Disabled onboard sound card in BIOS, then tried installing 2496 again
• Disabled firewire in BIOS (someone else had that conflict)

I've researched this online for quite a while and I just can't seem to find anyone with a similar problem. A friend of mine hypothesized that my PSU might not be powerful enough, but I think that's unlikely. I'm using, what I understand to be, a very high quality Seasonic 330 watt PSU, and I've never had any issues with it at all; even while gaming. Also, the second PC I used to check the card had similar components, but only a 300 watt PSU.

My associated equipment :

• MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum MoBo
• Samsung SP 250GB SATA HDD
• Radeon X300 video card
• Linksys Wireless G card
• AMD Athlon 64 3200+
• Realtek AC97 onboard sound

I'd really appreciate some advice. This problem is extremely confusing and very frusterating. Thanks for your help.


EDIT : I forgot to mention, I'm using Windows XP Pro, SP 2

Just to point out that a unique IRQ often isn't necessary. My Audiophile 2496 shares an IRQ with the MB RAID controller. There are two hard drives on this controller (but not in RAID configuration). This is under Win98.

No posting is rather severe and nothing I've ever run into. Once upon a time there were often conflicts with video drivers, leading to poor performance, I believe, but I don't recall running across that complaint for some while.

I also vaguely remember some complaints about audio cards with the early SATA hard drives but I don't think the symptoms were the same as yours.

This forum has an M-Audio section and sometimes someone from M-Audio technical support chimes in.
http://www.audioforums.com/forums/

Thank you very much for that link. I didn't know about that forum. I'll do a search over there...

Still looking for other advice here though.


Thanks

I had the same issue with my Audiophile 192 two years ago. Here's the tech support email I got.



I would try emailing M-Audio if you can't find a solution. They were pretty helpful to me.

Yeah I think I may have to email tech support.

The problem is the PC won't even POST with the M-Audio card in a PCI slot... So I don't even have the chance to see what IRQ it's on, or to change the IRQ if need be.

Thanks

Any other suggestions?

Do you have access to any other machines you can try the card in (a local PC shop should be able to help you)? As Andy says, this sounds like quite a severe problem.

I was just going to chime in-if the symptoms appear on a completely different PC, there is a good chance the card is flat out bad out of the box and needs to be exchanged for a new one. Or if you know another person with the same card that works, try their card in your PC and see of the problem appears with their card.

Yes I have tried the M-Audio card in another PC and it worked just fine.

Very puzzling =\

Have you tried updating your BIOS?

(major bump resurrection here)

I've just bought a m-audio 2496 and have the same booting problem as you had... Been doing some googling and found your post!

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....mp;#entry485633

Interestingly, we both have the same motherboard (Neo 4 Platinum)! Did you ever find a fix for the problem? I've tried the same things as you with no luck so far, but the card boots fine with my older MSI Neo2 Platinum board. Any advice can give is much appreciated!
Thanks,
Dawson

(major bump resurrection here)

I've just bought a m-audio 2496 and have the same booting problem as you had... Been doing some googling and found your post!

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....mp;#entry485633

Interestingly, we both have the same motherboard (Neo 4 Platinum)! Did you ever find a fix for the problem? I've tried the same things as you with no luck so far, but the card boots fine with my older MSI Neo2 Platinum board. Any advice can give is much appreciated!
Thanks,
Dawson

Voila!

Got it up and running Turns out it's a bios problem - reflash to 1.6 and your sorted Depending on your cpu's age you *may* have an issue with this bios picking up the correct speed (I have a A64 4200+ x2 Toledo core, and that's running fine with this version). If you have probs, there are some beta bioses here that may help you out

http://www.lejabeach.com/MSIK8N/k8nneo4ultra/k8nneo4.html

Remember, 1.9+ has the POST problem...

Lastly, it's really important that you flash the right bios for your motherboard's PCB revision. Double check that and make sure you get the right one!
Good luck
Dawson