Realtek HD Audio driver won't install properly.. please help.

After wasting several hours of work time uninstalling and reinstalling and trying to figure this crap out, I finally searched the internet.

For everyone else who comes across this thread, here is the solution to this yes, Microsoft, problem (below).

SP3 not only doesn't have the specific update needed in order to install Realtek High Def Audio, but it also has problems installing it. There is a rememdy for this someone built below.Realtek's drivers include an install of this needed update with their driver package, but it only applies to Windows 2K and XP SP1/SP2--so that's why you have to do the work-around.

ED#73 : Microsoft Windows XP SP3 RC Does NOT Support High Definition Audio

In Windows XP, if we need to run a High Definition Audio (HDA) device, we would have to install the Universal Audio Architecture (UAA) High Definition Audio class driver. This is either the KB835221 (for SP1) or the newer KB888111 (for SP2 or SP1).

However, this does NOT work for the latest Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate Release. If you've already tried installing the Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate v3264 with a High Definition Audio (HDA) device in your computer, I'll bet you have encountered problems with the audio drivers as I did.

When you try installing the KB888111 which works for SP1 and SP2, it will not work for Service Pack 3, at least for the current SP3 RC v3264. Instead, you will be prompted with a message saying that the current service pack installed is newer than the fix you are trying to apply. Even the older KB835221 does not work.

It looks like Microsoft "forgot" to add the Universal Audio Architecture (UAA) driver for High Definition Audio devices in the latest release candidate of the Windows XP Service Pack 3. We hope they will not forget to add it into the final release. Fortunately, all is not lost. There is a way to fix this problem for the current release candidate.

You can try tinkering with the Universal Audio Architecture driver's INF file to make your Windows XP SP3 think that the driver is meant to be installed on Service Pack 3. redxii from MSFN forum did just that and created a modified KB888111 driver which is available for download. Before I tried it out, I found that the feedbacks were all positive!

I tried it on my Windows XP SP3 system and it worked! Just download the 7z (7zip) file or zip file below, extract it and then right-click at the ? mark at the Device Manager where your High Definition Audio (HDA) device is located and reinstall the driver by pointing to the folder you extracted the files to. After that's done, install the audio driver for your motherboard. That's it!

If you need the fix (or add-on, as it's called), you can download it from any one of the two links below. Have fun with Service Pack 3!

Download (right-click and save) :

Fix for KB888111 for Windows XP SP3 RC v3264 (Original)
Fix for KB888111 for Windows XP SP3 RC v3264 (Mirror)

So far the Mirror link is still available. You'll ahve to manually point the driver (In Device Manager) in the direction of these files.

bah.

for the record, Gamespot is theworst. Just look at how many navigation bars there are.

here is the link:

http://www.dashken.net/uploads/technology/software/XPSP3/Universal_Audio_Architecture_High_Definition_Audio_AddOn_1.0.zip

Can i say that i love you...

i have been unistalling software(AV, FW, chipset drivers, realtek drivers) for the past 3 days.

im also running XP sp3, in the begging was just some weird sounds in between the actual sound, but since last week i cant watch movies, play games or listen music properly... the CPU gets to 100% for no reason, i get slow downs...and lot of "noise", "weird sounds" in between...

God bless you...

im sure this is the sollution

Sorry, but what do I do with this?

I installed the new Realtek drivers and upon rebooting my PC had no sound. I downloaded and extracted the .zip file you gave me and am now wondering what to do with it.