Creative X-Fi MB for your G73 (Realtek HD 2.48)

I had problems as well.

What finally worked was deleting realtek and creative, using driver cleaner and ccleaner in safe mode and ran them a few times before rebooting.
rebooted into safe mode again and regedit. in registry I just searched for 'creative'. I can't remember what the first few strings were off the top of my head but in find mode it should take you to something that has 'copyright' and 'creative' in it. I just deleted the entire registry strings that contains these words in it. Make sure you make a backup of the registry in case it doesn't work for you and something goes wrong.

After reboot, I followed instructions from the package to install the realtek and creative drivers again but I skipped the activation step. I just went to regular windows mode and tried to open the creative console and it worked. I went back into safe mode and installed the activation but when I went back into regular mode I got the 'no sound devices supported' message when I tried to open the console again. Just to try it I ran the activation file without going into safe mode. After doing this the console was able to load for me again.

Now I'm thinking you may not have to delete those registry keys. I don't know, try running the activation in regular windows mode first and see if that works. If it doesn't then try the other way.

 

Finally I got the darn crapware working....bur not everything is good.

First thanks gstboy for the tips and TheMarkness to this package. After 1 hour manually digging in the registry and using 3 different registry cleaners I finally make the X-Fi starts.


Here how i did:

Uninstall Creative crapware

Manually looked for creative, audigy, x-fi entries all across the registry, deleting everything that said the 3 keywords.

Reboot to normal windows a couple of times and repeat the whole search in addition to run 3 different registry cleaner tools every time.

Uninstall realtek (2.52) and reboot to normal windows.

Reboot to normal windows three times and repeat the whole search (creative, x-fi, audigy and now realtek) in addition to run 3 different registry cleaner tools every time. Reboot until the tools can't find anything.

One more time the same but now in safe mode.

(as note, as every reboot the tools every time found different errors/missing entries)

Deep breath

Back in normal windows mode, install Realtek mod (2.48) from here, reboot to normal windows.

Install X-Fi MB, reboot to normal windows to check whether starts or not (not activation yet)

After normal reboot the !@#$ X-Fi told me "The audio device supported by this application is not detected. The application will exit." Darn!!!

Before to restart in safe mode, I tried gstboy suggestion and applied the patch in normal windows. For that, I disable MSE (antivirus since it recognize as virus) and applied the patch. This time the patching was a little slow but when done I was able to start (finally) X-Fi MB in my system without restart, just by apply the patch.



Now the bad thing. regardless the X-Fi is working now, I'm still not able to enjoy the improvements because they are not applied to the sound output. If you ask, I have every single tab/panel show by TheMarkness in the first post, same drivers version, same X-Fi MB, etc. Using the laptop speakers or headphones (Bose) I'm not able either increase the bass, change the EQ sound, crystalizer, etc. The buttons/slide in the control panel works but nothing change in the sound output regardless which setting I do activate. The same is happening to me for a while with Audigy HD so far (from asus). Again, regardless the configuration, the sound doesn't change. When I tried the X-Fi mb2 from the G73JW (links gently provide by Quadzilla), again, regardless the software start and I was able to control the slides and button, the overall sound remains the same.

 

My only concern about this mod is how many of the options are there but do not work properly?

It looks like many of the options my desktop x-fi card has but I know my desktop card does hardware acceleration while the onboard laptop version is all software driven.

Im thinking by enabling some of these hidden features that its not actually doing anything.

 

i'll wait for the official package from asus.. they would be a joke as a company if they didn't provide a new one.

 

actually you can wait forever.....

 

There's the golden question! Everything is fully functional thanks to the modified drivers and modified software packages, they are specifically modified to take advantage of everything in the X-Fi MB pack. If I make changes to bass boost, crystallizer, cmss-3d I can immediately notice the difference in my music playback (front testing).

Granted hardware acceleration on EAX is only available in the older version but still software driven in the newer modes (4+). Creative ran into big contreversy due to taking off the shelf chipsets (Realtek/VIA) and slapping the Audigy/Audigy2/ZS on the chip calling it their own letting software handle telling what to run in hardware/software through their drivers/software.

Fast forward here it's still the same tune from 4-5 years ago, a majority of lower-end model Creative cards (even the newer X-Fi series) are Realtek/VIA HD equipped cards with creative logs splashed on the chipset, hardware ID's assigned to allow drivers and package installation on that product.

 

I became curious and ran RightMark Audio Analyser with each driver (2.48 moded and 2.52 official), and here are the results (Modded R2.48 on the left and official R2.52 on the right):



Strangely, R2.52 seems slightly better than modded R2.48 in terms of lower noise level and higher Dynamic range, BUT by a negligible amount. Maybe modded R2.48 only adds technical (quality not affected) features like:
- sound encryption (doesn't affect quality)
- update directsound acceleration (faster, not necessarily higher quality)
- larger buffer limit (prevents skipping/buffer under-run, not necessarily affects quality)
-etc., etc.

I can see how added features are beneficial, but according to RMAA results, the actual sound quality is about the same (with a negligible plus for R2.52).

 

I think your getting closer, check your default sound device under control panel / sound. Make sure it's set to Realtek (not the digital out one) and not default. Also under the audio control panel double check the correct device is selected too. We're getting closer I think there are some configuration issues or settings that are defaulted, I'll double check all my settings when I get home to compare.

 

I had similar results but I wonder if there is a benchmark we can use to give us frame rate comparison running sound emulations via both drivers. Apparently part of the modded drivers is that you get some hardware support for specific sound processing (older EAX and Alchemy). Be curious to see if we could notice anything different in that regard.

 

I would be willing to do the test. Unfortunately, I don't know any EAX benchmarks. Do you know any? There could be big differences in EAX, but RMAA doesn't show that.

 

I know what I should do: I will run Prince of Persia Warrior Within with both drivers and make note on frame rates. POPWW is listed in ALchemy, so it should work for testing.

 

I would be curious to see if there was any difference, I know that EAX is hardware accelerated older 3/2 and back. Alchemy I'm assuming would take advantage of that since in essence it emulates or allows you to use make use of EAX on these newer card/software packages.

 

Ok, I tested multiple times, each time doing a complete driver and X-Fi re-install including running a DriverSweeper. I made sure that EAX and full sound virtualization were turned on.

I have used a specific points of a cut scene in the game to track the frame rates.

The frame rates were different by 1fps in favor of R2.52, i.e. modified R2.48 @ 132 fps average and R2.52 @ 133 fps average.

There is, however, one other significant difference that I've noticed: EAX effects in modified R2.48 were much clearly defined/noticeable, while in R2.52 EAX effects are more "shallow", shall I say. Therefore, I'm leaning toward the modified R2.48 right now, rather than toward R2.52

 

A game with heavy use of EAX I think its UT3 but I highly doubt even with massive EAX effects that it has more than one or 2 frames difference on the frame rate because it does not take a lot of cpu power to software render those effects and most games are gpu limited anyways so it would make no difference if that was the case.

I think it was BF2141 that let you enable ultra sound settings ONLY if you had an x-fi card so that would be a good game to test, supposedly it uses the onboard ram for the desktop version of the card so the say only a xfi card can support those settings, but I think a few hacks were out there to enable it on none xfi cards and people confirmed it was just a front to make you think the RAM was needed and regular sound cards performed the same.

 

After try a new installation in my g73, the patch was successful again because allow me to run the creative crapware. Again, before to apply the patch, the program gave the error "the program cannot start because can not found the proper device". I applied the patch in windows normal mode, deactivated the AV and now the program starts, but again, no change in the audio output.

I tried the same installation in my old asus W2P, which suffer the same troubleshooting as my g73 about creative (2.24+XFi 1.0, Daniel-K version, etc) and again, without the patch, the package released by TheMarkness give the compatibility error, but after the patch, viola!!! the programs start and I was able to listed the improvements/differences in the audio output with X-fi mb activated (EQ, Bass Boost, Crystalizer, everything works and gave differences in sound output. In this laptop I follow exactly the same steps that the ones for my g73 about registry wipe and installation process, and I can confirm, regardless the hardware differences (my w2 is real 4.1, 4 speaker 1 sub-woofer on board) the win7 installation are identical.

So far, I can confirm the package works in others than modern laptops systems, but for my g73, the real improvements remains in limbo

 

Nice! Makes sense that the frame rates would be close or +/-1 between the driver sets considering your enabling extra hardware features and features that can put more load on the chipset and software engines. Great to hear the sound quality is a step up not only in music/movies/media but also EAX/Alchemy rendering.

Great to hear you got it working on another system like it should but I'm still just perplexed as to why your having so many issues loading it on the G73, sounds like you went the extra mile by doing a fresh reload on your machine and still didn't get the X-Fi package working completely (cmss, crystallizer, etc.).

 

Same here, moving the sliders in both crystalizer and cmss does nothing, maybe I can't tell the difference with the laptop speakers and they work better with headphones? The EQ works though.

 

In my other laptop, as I explained, the x-fi install and works. I can hear the differences/improvements through both the laptop speakers (4.1) and headphones (bose). The problem is the g73. Since both laptop have identical software, i replicated the whole audio setting (both the ones under control panel and in the x-fi soft) both I'm unable to start the juice in my g73.

 

Strange of both of your laptops, having the same issue with the software recognizing the changes through the creative audio panel. I'm assuming both of you are on the latest 211 bios and the latest vbios and have all your others drivers up to date (not ones from asus)? I know most of that probably doesn't have any relevance to the sound drivers and creative audio panel but just reaching at straws here. I was a fresh install with all the latest bios and drivers from the manufacturers. I only installed the ATK and card reader software from ASUS.

Any advice from you guys that didn't have any issues or if you did anything that might make sense here?

 

I have everything current, 211, vbios, etc. It may have something to do with the 'non-supported hardware' message both Nekki and I get with the only solution being to run the .bat file from regular windows mode. Maybe by doing this it enables the control panel but the license generater does not work for some features.

 

Asus is comming up with the new software so i'll wait.. i'm happy with what i have now..

 

Completely putting the software aside the modded drivers are worth swapping just for the sound improvements alone . ASUS won't release a better sounding driver in place of Realteks.

 

I Finally Got The Holy Darn Soft Working!!!!!
sorry about the big letters, just excited about this breakthrough....

the key for me was install the original realtek from stock dvd drivers.



Here es how i did it. I was in 2.48 modded + creative installed but x-fi was not working. I decided go to 2.52 and nothing change. So, I decided go to stock realtek just in case some file/key/registry was missing in my system. In addition, I didn't uninstalled the x-fi mb, just removed the realtek 2.52. Before to reinstall realtek I wiped the whole registry many times with 3 registry cleaners and several restart just for check no newer missed keys appears in the registry. Finally, i manually removed the 3 dll files starting with rtk from syste32 folder (make sure these were from realtek corp under properties tab) and started the installation from the dvd drivers. After the restart voila, the crappy x-fi started and finally got the sound changes/improvements working from the x-fi. EQ, crystalizer, etc, everything is working now.

Finally, i uninstalled the stock realtek, reboot (this time did not wipe the registry), installed the 2.48 modded, reboot and finally got the combo 2.48+x-fi 1.1 working in my laptop.

I think something was missing in my system that can only can be restored by the stock installation. Not sure was exactly, but my suspect goes for the rtk dll files in system32. In all my previos installation, i used to removed just one from this folder. This file is rtkapo64.dll. Last time i removed tree files (rtkapi64.dll, rtkapo64.dll and rtkcfg64.dll) and now, in addition to this files, the other two are rtkHDM64.dll and rtkCPAPI64.dll.

Made your own conclusion. Hoping this (frustrating) troubleshooting should be useful for you guys.

 

@Nekki,

Thanks for the update, I uninstalled the 2.48 and did the driver sweeper and ccleaner. I didn't do the other things and just installed the original drivers from the disc. That worked for me too! Good job and thank you for figuring it out.

I reinstalled the 2.48 but I don't know, but I swear I heard more of a difference in sound when playing with the sliders in the crystalizer etc when I had the stock drivers from the disc on there.

 

Is this R248 Modded support windows xp? I can't install it on my computer.

 

I just would like to know how much process loading takes the X-Fi from the laptop. I mean, in windows on the desktop, seems no to be taken to much process from win7 resources regardless you activated the EQ, Crystalizer, etc or all of them. My worry came from how much process can take during gaming since play games with audio enhancement (specially the EQ and/or bass activated) is worth....even watch a youtube video with audio enhancements is really good.

BTW, I said bye to all of DSP soft and EQ from wmp/itunes etc.

 

Latest modded Realtek HD driver for X-Fi was done by Ketxxx @ version 2.21 located here. This will allow the install of the X-Fi software though and give you the sound enhancements like everyone else is seeing with the 2.48 in Windows 7. I'm not sure how compatible the included X-Fi package is with Windows XP though so you can test it and let us know .

According to premudriy it gave him a 1 FPS loss in Prince of Persia Warrior Within using Alchemy and EAX enhancements. He also noted that it sounded much more crisp and clear compared to the normal drivers. Now if your talking about straight non audio enhancement versus Alchemy/EAX I'm not 100%, maybe premudriy can comment .

 

Yeah, I actually did some tests. I was playing mp3 and tried to see how different settings in X-Fi MB affect CPU usage. For this task I locked my CPU at lowest frequency, so that effects of sound processing would be more apparent/definite (this is also why CPU usage is pretty big in test results even though the only task is playing mp3).

Here are the key points of of the test:

1) No X-Fi MB effects turned on at all = 63% average CPU usage.
2) All the effects turned on = 71% average CPU usage.
3) CMSS-3D + Crystalizer = 69% average CPU usage. Activating only CMSS-3D or only Crystalizer adds 1% of CPU usage.
4) All other effects including Bass Boost, Equalizer, EAX environment simulation, Smart Volume Management use only a tiny amount of CPU (<1%).

Again, notice that this is when I locked my CPU to the lowest frequency. Without locking CPU, playing music/video with all effects turned on doesn't even use more than 1% of CPU (and that's on my C2D P8700).

So, basically it is the combination of CMSS-3D + Crystalizer that uses the most CPU, but on any modern CPU its effect will be negligible (unless you lock CPU to low frequency).

 

So I installed these without a hitch by following The Markness's clear instructions.

I really like what these do, however I noticed something that I'm not sure is an effect of these modified drivers or something native to the system I missed.

But I noticed since switching, that when playing a Blu-Ray through HDMI to my Home Theatre - the sound bit rate is locked at 48khz instead of the usual uncompressed 192khz that is DolbyTrueHD and DTS HD.

I have the ATI HDMI audio driver set to 24bit 192khz in the advanced settings as well as the RealTek one.

The player info shows DolbyTrueHD or DTS HD when shown, but the audio bit rate given is 48khz.

Anyone know if this is a result of the modified drivers? Or is this something native and inherent in the system.

Will trying this with 2.52 fix the Blu-Ray sound stuck at 48khz?

Thanks for the answers!

 

Im starting this process now following the instructions on the first post.

I just wanted to note so far right away the instructions are not perfectly clear.

Its saying to uninstall Creative Audigy HD pack and then to uninstall the Realtek Drivers.

In my add/remove programs I have nothing listed under creative audigy hd.

I went one by one and found similar

"Soundblaster Audigy HD" so I think this is what you meant. Small things like that can really throw off the computer laymen.

Next for the Realtek Driver

Its listed as "Realtek High Definition Audio Driver"

I also spotted a 3rd thing that has no mention in the guide that I am unsure what we should so with it.

"Creative MediaSource 5"

Just wanted to bring up these key points as any guide should be a simple and accurate as possible.


_________


Update: done installing got it working.

Did have problems, device not compatible error thing. I think it was because the "virus" didnt work. I didnt tell microsoft security essentials to remove it or quarentine it but i also didnt tell it to allow it.

It could also be due to the wrong drivers for the realtek, after you uninstall them and reboot windows installs the drivers again for you upon reboot, installing again still did not put the mod drivers on for me, so I tried 2 ways to manually install them first was to manually choose a driver and just look for the one that is not signed. The second way and the most guarenteed is to use the "have file" and browse the folder with the .inf file for your OS.

After I did the have .inf method and unzipped the install package again and told MSE to allow the virus, it worked for me.

It does not sound better to me with the built in speakers it sounds worse? It feels like the bass is gone almost like the subwoofer is not working properly now. I'll have to give it a headphones test when I can.

I have been doing a lot of extensive sound quality testing since I just got a new DAC so I know exactly how good/bad the old drivers sounded before this mod so in a few days I can report back wit an accurate opinion on if these drivers really did improve sound quality any for headphones.

 

ARg.. did anybody test these for the same problems that people were bashing the old creative drivers for?

AKA STEAM Lockup?

I have it working fine but soon as I start steam I get an instant full system hardlock.

Nothing fixes it like making sure all the features are off. On the old stock drivers/software all you had to do was make sure bass boost was off.

On these with everything off I am still locking up every time. If there is not a fix or a setting to get around it these are useless drivers/updates.

 

Yep, using the full software suite with R2.52, and no lockups here whatsoever. Steam, IM clients, Ease of Access Center.

If it does freezes on you, uninstall the Realtek drivers, clean out the registry, and re-install them. No need to re-do the Creative installation.

Worked for me when the old Creative stuff froze up.

To date, this only froze up once. And that was a weird coincidence when I used AMD GPU to set my clocks to 100/150, played a DXVA video, and the whole computer froze and looped a sound. The display driver stopped working message popped up, and I got a BSOD telling me it malfunctioned. After rebooting, I would hang after a few minutes.

This is replicable on my system too. lol But somehow, a re-do of the driver installation fixed it. I have no idea how, or why.

 

Your using R2.52 but thats not this package its using mod 2.48 so you did not test "this" release/package.

and update:

Just intalled R2.52 and it fixed the issue. So yeah the mod 2.48 are no good and OP says the R2.52 dont really give you alot of the benifits the mod 2.48 does so I wonder how much you stand to gain. I'll till do the SQ testing later when I get a chance and report back.

 

Read ViciousXUSMC comments about lack of bass on this package. Can anybody confirm this? Planned to install that package...

 

It seemed like it to me, the sub is working still but its seems to be acting like a full range speaker now instead of a sub. Asus may have had special code in there package to tailor to the G73 and its sub.

When the OP said this package "sounds crisper" that may be the reason why. Having a 3rd full range speaker and pulling the bass out can make things sound more clear, but that is not necessarily better sounding depending on your preference.

 

umghh this is not good.. i was planning on upgrading but don't need a third speaker... can someone confirm vicious's comments?

 

Hello, all.

I had some issues following the steps in the first post, but finally I got it working!

I wanted to share my experience in case it helps someone else.

The issue was basically with the licenses generator step. When I follow the instructions, x-fi does not work. When I go to the audio console it asks me to select an audio device. It gives me a list with X-Fi MB, I pick it, it asks the same question again.

So, I tried to do that step again, but I start run.bat from an administrator command prompt. When I run the .bat file, it says "Access denied." Hmm... So I look at what the .bat file actually does, and try it manually:

Step 0:
Delete any .KGA files in the licenses generator folder

Step 1:
DDL_DTS_Activator.exe /all

(This generates 11 .KGA files)

Step 2:
Manually copy all these files to C:\ProgramData\Creative\SoftwareLock - make sure to overwrite any files that are already there.

(This is the step that had issues, apparently there were already files in that folder that were marked "read-only", causing the .bat file to fail with copying the files.)

And that was it! So if you are having issues with not being able to select the audio device when you open the audio console, this may be your problem.

 

how's the sound quality? That's the problem.

 

The KGA files are generated by the license creator and should be different depending the machine since they are generated base on your hardware specs. That's why the must be generated and not just copied. Once the X-Fi licences checker (dont remenber which one is the service involved) the software starts and allow you choose the hardware to use as sound hardware.

If the soft ask and ask again, is just because the license has not been generated. When you tried to created the files with the generator the access is denied because of the antivirus block the kga generation. If you do this step in safe mode, the AV is not working. You can do it also in windows normal mode but YOU MUST DEACTIVATE the AV.

Finally, if you follow the steps but X-fi ask and ask again, you must unistalled realtek and creative together, do a file trace wipe, and install realtek from stock, and later on do the update to 2.48 and finally install creative.

Best

 

I have installed this driver as in the instruction. Finally I got my subwoofer work perfectly. I kept the Bass Boost checked. However, after I power on my G73Jh on the next day, the subwoofer didn't perform like the day i installed this driver. No bass from the subwoofer...please help.

 

I can't get xf-i mb to work with drivers 2.52 , I only could get them to work with the modded 2.48 . Now I can't use steam . They seem to work for other people .

Can someone help with a fix or work around , I got a realtek hd alc1200 (azalia) , amd athlon x2 7850 BE @3.2ghz , Asus m3a78-em motherboard , and Ati Radeon hd 4850 .

update

I wonder when a modded Xf-i mb 2 tru thx pro will come out .

 

A desktop? You might be asking in the wrong forum.... and not sure the software will / should work given the different hardware.

 

Gotta tell you, this is awesome! been thinking about getting one of those X-fis for laptops, but damn this is just made for me and quite easy...

Thanks

 

Considering the forum topic is clearly about the G73 laptop, I dont think your going to get much info on how to get this to work on a desktop.

 

Quick question. Im thinking of doing this and was wondering if the HDMI audio still works with these drivers? Anyone test it out?

Thanks!

 

Had to do a fresh install the other day and back to the stock Asus drivers package it seems unless I am forcing myself to belive it that I was correct in that these modified control panels take away the sub and just treat it as a additional speaker.

Things sound more full to me again when listening to music, and of course the 2.48 drivers are not highly compatible causing crashes on steam and other programs as well.

I recommend getting the 2.52 drivers and sticking the the stock Asus creative control panel.

 

Hi Guys, thanks for the tutorial, I tested this on my desktop pc and I managed to enable EAX HD v5.0, is now just waiting for the X-FI MB2¡¡¡¡

ss

My Guide in spanish¡

Guia: Realtek HD @ X-FI Mod (X-FI MB Mod v1.1 + Drivers Mod) Actualización 15/10/10. - Foros de CHW

P.D: Sorry for my bad english¡

Salu2

 

does it seem to anyone the sound of the g73 seems to be more to the left? both my speakers when on seperatley sound the same but when playing sounds like its a little more to the left? jw

 

I am having different kind of problems!!!
I did everything ok...and by the book,but...

1.It says "The current selected audio device is not supported by the application
Do you want to select another? I say yes,but cant see what I need to see,just Realtek High Definition Audio

2. I lost HDMI audio out?!?!

So...Little help?

 

Hey chilewariano!!

it's nice to see how this mod spreads to others plataforms