Windows Vista Sound Issues in Vista!

Hi All!

I have a custom built PC with a sound blaster X-Fi Extreme soundcard installed although the issue I'm about to try and describe also happened with the in built sound.

The soundcard works fine! When i plug in the headphones the sound comes out and when i switch to the Optical output all is well this is automatic, i don't need to go to sound options or anything like that.

The annoying issue i have is that what ever application i may be using at the time of switch over be it iTunes, Media player or web browser has to be restarted in order for the sound to come from the Headphones or Optical output! I don't remember having this problem with my old PC which was set up in the same way and also running Vista.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to solve this problem?

Any suggestions greatly received.


Many Thanks

Gary


System Specs.

Basic Hardware information

Motherboard: GA-73PVM-S2H

Basic I/O System(BIOS): Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG

Central Processing Unit(CPU): Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz

Physical Memory X 2

2GB

2GB

Hard Disk: NVIDIA STRIPE 465.75G (465.76GB)

Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series

Monitor: SyncMaster 206BW,SyncMaster Magic CX206BW(Digital)

Audio Device X 3

High Definition Audio Device

High Definition Audio Device

Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio (Vista)

Network Adapter

Local Area Connection - NVIDIA nForce 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet (Connected)

Bluetooth Network Connection - Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network) (Media disconnected)

Local Area Connection 2 - Cisco Systems VPN Adapter (Disconnected)

Modem: Standard Modem over Bluetooth link

Keyboard: PS/2 Keyboard

Mouse: PS/2 Compatible Mouse

Hardware Score (Base score: 4.8)

Processor (Calculations per second): 5.9

Memory (Memory Operation per second): 4.8

Graphics (Desktop performance for Windows Aero): 5.9

Gaming graphics (3D business and gaming graphics performance): 5.9

Primary hard disk (Disk data transfer rate): 5.9

 

I don't know if it would solve the problem, but I would go into the BIOS setting at startup and disable the onboard audio (as long as you don't need to use it). Also consider uninstalling the AC'97 software/drivers, which will be listed in Control Panel -> Programs and Features.

 

@mattman: That shouldn't cause any issues: my PC has a built in sound card (very similar to his I believe), and an almost identical card to his addon sound card, and I leave both enabled (the built in one is the only one that operates the front sound docks, so I do use it occasionally)

EDIT: Though I do also have to close applications when changing between the cards. I'd imagine that would actually have been the case with the other PC as well