Solved Some XP Integrated Sound Drivers May Work On Windows 8

Hello all,

Upgrade scenario:
I upgraded my (ancient) Dimension 8400 from XPSP3 to Windows 8 Pro (32 bit) via a clean install.

Result:
Windows 8 Pro installed all necessary drivers except my 16 bit integrated sound drivers (and printer).

Post Installation Activity:
Tried a manual install and received a drivers not compatible warning.
Tried a manual install using the compatibility mode and received the same warning as above.
Note: Even though the driver installation failed, the process did leave all post installation files on my hard drive.

Final Solution:
Went into the device manager, found the flagged media controller, and manually updated the driver by pointing it to the post installation file folder (for the sound drivers). All sound drivers were immediately recognized and all flags were removed.This method of manually updating the sound driver (after a failed normal installation) worked perfectly for me. So, if you are in a similar position, you may want to give my solution a shot before giving up and buying a new sound card.

Good luck!

Note:
After the initial upgrade, Windows 8 update found a newer version of my integrated sound driver so I installed it and that worked too!

As Dell does not support later OS' with this "old" legacy model you are limited mostly to the default HD Audio Codec that Windows may install. Some audio functions are handled differently internally in the OS between XP and Vista/Win7/Win8 thus the reason the older drivers do not work (or work properly). If you found drivers that will work you are in the minority. I used to do a lot of support on the Dell users forum and users were installing PCI sound cards compatible with the OS they wanted to use to get sound.

That's exactly why I said "some may work." It was intended to be a special case post, and BTW, there are other posts in this forum that have used the same technique on non-Dell systems to get them working as well. I also worked the Dell forums for many, many years and I encountered many "no sound" complaints that were usually fixable without the need to install a sound card. However, I abandoned the Dell support forums when I could not convince Dell to recall all of the Dimension 4700s they had sold with their exhaust fans installed backwards. This design error was leading to many overheating problems and even worse in some cases. Thanks for you comment.

There are those that have the ability and means to modify or use non-compatible hardware and software. Most of the users are not technical enough to be able to circumvent or use some other drivers. Thus using a separate sound card, in the case of sound, was the easiest solution.

I was on the Dell forum from 2002 to 2012 (I still have an active account). I had over 38,000 posts.

BTW, I'm originally from Mechanicsburg, Pa

Hello Fireberd,

Yes, I do remember you from the forums... and you even used the same name at Dell! I also remember a girl I always referred to as "Ms. Power Supply" (can't remember her username). Wow, if anyone posted a power-related question, she was on it pronto.

I've used "fireberd" as a user name since the old original AOL "Qlink" dial up days. I stole "fireberd" from the old TTC "Fireberd" T1 data link/Bit Error Rate test set that I had where I worked, for T1 link testing (same unit that AT&T used for testing). TTC also had a "Thunderberd" T1 test set, which was an upgraded model.

Could it have been "shesagordie" (Bev)? She is also an 'old timer' on the Dell forums.

As yes... shesagordie (Bev)... that was her! Also, you have stirred up old memories of my days at Bell of Pennsylvania when you mentioned the T-Bird test set. I can almost remember the first day we got one. We never saw anything like it before! It was state of the art for that timeframe.