Sound Blaster

[cms]

Hello,

I would like to get feedback and/or confirmation on the problem I am describing below from Creative and owners of Audigy 4 Pros that are running the latest Audigy 4 Pro updates in Windows XP SP2 and an nForce 4-based system. I am convinced the problem is a driver issue. I am not sure, though, if this is similar to the known conflict between Creative's Remote Control service and nVidia's RAID service.

For Creative, I am willing to try and test a newer build of a DLLML.exe file if any are available.

Thanks in advance for your help on this.

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Summary: There seems to be a problem with version 1.0.13.0 of the DLL Module Loader (DLLML.exe) file that is installed by one of the 3 available web updates for the Audigy 4 Pro. In particular, after these updates are installed, the Windows XP SP2 system generates the following error on every "Turn Off" and "Restart": Application popup: Audio Driver Emulator: DLLML.exe - Application Error : The instruction at "0x01a1c42f" referenced memory at "0x00000008". The memory could not be "read". Click on OK to terminate the program

The problem can be easily reproduced continuously.

Workaround: Replacing the file DLLML.exe version 1.0.13.0 with version 1.0.8.0 found in the Audigy 4 Pro CD seems to solve the problem. This file is installed in C:\Program Files\Creative\Shared Files\Module Loader. The DLLML.exe file seems to be loaded at Windows startup by a service (?) called "AudioDrvEmulator" which runs the line "C:\Program Files\Creative\Shared Files\Module Loader\DLLML.exe" -1 AudioDrvEmulator "C:\Program Files\Creative\Shared Files\Module Loader\Audio Emulator\AudDrvEm.dll". It lives in the registry under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Notes:

- As of today, the updates available at Creative's web site are:

* Creative Smart Recorder Patch for Creative Sound Blaster PCMCIA Audigy 2 ZS Notebook and Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro audio cards version 2.10.56 (2 Dec 04)

* Creative Audigy 4 Pro update version 3.00.55 (20 Dec 04)

* Creative MediaSource 3 web update version 3.10.16 for PCMCIA Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Notebook and Sound Blaster Audigy 4 (29 Dec 04)

- The updates were applied from the oldest to the newest, one at a time, rebooting after each update was installed.

- The system is a freshly installed Windows XP SP2 (slipstream) w/all the latest WindowsUpdate updates. Data Execution Prevention (DEP) has been disabled in the "boot.ini" file to work around a known issue with the latest nVidia network driver available for the nForce 4 chipset.

- The system runs on an Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe w/1003 BIOS, AMD Athlon 64 3500+, Mushkin 2GB PC3200 DDR 222 Black L2 Hi Perf LII V2, and Asus EAX800XT/PE/2DHTV/256. The system runs a Stripe RAID setup with a pair of WD Raptor HDs.

- The system is run at stock speeds (i.e. no overclocking) and all the drivers are the latest version available from each manufacturer (none are BETA).

Additional notes: The stock Audigy 4 Pro drivers have a known conflict with the "nvraidservice.exe"-based service when the Creative Entertainment Center's remote control service is run. Having these 2 services running at the same time would cause the "nvraidservice" to fail at Windows startup, and a few DCOM-related errors to be logged in the event logs. This issue with the nVidia RAID service stopped after applying the Audigy 4 Pro updates and disabling the remote control altogether in the Creative Entertainment Center control panel.

[bytor33]

I also have the exact same problem with almost the same setup.  I just have it disabled for now but it kind of sucks I can't use the remote for when I'm listening with headphones on my bed.  So replacing the new file with the one on the cd will fix the problem and allow you to use the remote?  I'm just using a single raptor so I don't even have that raid service file running and I still get problems, especially when trying to shutdown/restart my computer.  Just sits there like a minute before it does anything.

[cms]

Yes, using the DLLML.exe from the CD should work as it does in my setup. Do a search using the Windows search tool, and it should find two identical instances of the file in the CD, one of them in a CAB file. You should be able to copy & paste either instance to your C: drive's location as long as the DLLML.exe file is not already loaded/running in memory.

I had sent Creative's support an e-mail with exactly the same information, but unfortunately the first response I got from them was to do a cleansweep and install of the Creative software. I say "unfortunately" because Creative did not describe what are we trying to accomplish by "tainting" a fresh format/XP SP2 install with a massive uninstall & reinstall of Creative software, even when I hoped narrowing the issue down to what seems to be a trivial EXE would have triggered some ideas as to what might be wrong with that particular version of the EXE file (i.e. it seems to be, after all, a DDL file loader, which does not seem to be driver engine code per se, but instead a DLL memory loader).

As I mentioned to them, this system simply has a fresh XP install, all OS updates, all peripheral drivers, and the Creative card and software was the last thing installed in the box. No tweaks other than DEP turned OFF, no overclocking, no extraneous services running in the background, not even any additional software. Installation of the software was done by the letter, with proper reboots.

I would appreciate if someone has an idea of what may be accomplished by a re-install of Creative software on a fresh OS install when the problem is squarely on the DLLML.exe file. You can be as specific as pinpointing DLL or registry entries that such a re-install is suppossed to fix (i.e. I am using the wrong files; a registry entry has the wrong value, etc.), and how this would have happened when following the installation steps as documented.

Thanks in advance.

[moorems]

Hello, I also have the exact problem. With old dllml.exe, then remote control don't work !

[Ropiav]

Same problem for me.
I've just made a fresh install of xp sp2 with a SB audigy 4.
I updated the drivers from Creative.com and when i want to restart the computer it make 2 min to do.
Remote control works fine.
I hope they will fix it

[TEQ]

I get a major delay in shutdown/restart if the DLLML.exe file is version 1.0.13.0, no error messages however. Disabling it from starting and my shutdown returns to normal. The only update I applied was the 'Creative Audigy 4 Pro update version 3.00.55 (20 Dec 04)' one, so it would appear that this is the culprit.

[benierz]

Question, did you have any problems during the installation of the software? I had several errors occur during the install and I thing the installation program is reading the Windows XP professional NTSF as a 64 bit operating system. I had received an "Unhandled Exception Error number 0x8004073 Description: Failed to find DLLfunction: Common Is64bitPlatform set will now terminate." On my system as your I had reformatted my harddrive and re-installed xp pro, but I had software install problems with audigy 4 pro. Creativelabs gave me the same answer, cleansweep. It is really not a cleansweep. In fact, it did nothing for me, so I pulled out the card, I then cleaned my reg and directory and I going to re-install just the drivers and then do a custome installation without the the remote software.

Sincerely,
benierz

[cotk_hayes]

I'm having the exact same problem except when I replaced the DLLML.exe from the most recent web update with the DLLML.exe from the CD I lost the ability use my remote.

Does Creative plan on fixing this any time soon? It's really frustrating to spend this much money on a sound card and not have all of the capabilities.

[jmb78]

This problem is also bugging me, alot.  Just got my system running perfectly with fresh install of windows, until i updated the creative software for Audigy 4 and now i freeze on reboot / restart  *sigh*

Message Edited by jmb78 on 06-30-2005 11:00 AM

[zy1980core]

I am also having the same problem. DLLML.exe has my computer hanging on restart and shutdown. Also the DLLML.exe has started to use up 50% of my processing power! I noticed it is also in the task manager twice. I fixed this problem by booting into safe mode and deleting the DLLML.exe from my hard drive. c:/programfiles/creative/sharedfiles/modualloaders/DLLML.exe. Problem solved. I will try to replace the DLLML.exe from the install CD that came with my Audigy 4. I cant beilve creative dose not have a fix for this problem. unhappy soundblaster customer.