Can't enable multiple Sound Blaster Audigy 5/Rx cards at the same time...

[alstotz]

I currently have a somewhat intense setup, and I use two Sound Blaster Audigy 5/Rx Sound Cards. Device Manager detects them both, but only one of them is Enabled. The other one states This device cannot start. (Code 10).

I work Tech Support, so I know my way around the basics... So here's what I've learned.

Card #1 - PCI bus 3
Card #2 - PCI bus 5

If I disable Card #1, I am able to enable Card #2 and it comes up just fine. However if I re-enable Card #1, I get the This Device Cannot Start error.

Upon that, if I disable Card #2, I am able the re-enable Card #1 no problems. But when re-enabling Card #2, then Card #2 gets the This Device Cannot Start error.

So I'm able to go back and forth, so I know its not a driver or hardware issue... However I think it may have to do with the registry... But I'm not too familiar with where to look to find out if there is a way to have both enabled.

This issue has been killing me for a week now trying to figure it out... I usually am able to google my way to a solution, but I am completely stumped here. Any insight from anyone out there? <3

Specs

• 
  ■Motherboard: ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero (Wi-Fi AC)
  ■CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K (BX80684I78700K)
  ■RAM: 2x16GB G.Skill DDR4 (F4-3200C16-16GTZKW)
  ■GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti FTW3 (11G-P4-6696-KR)
  ■PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA 850 G2 (220-G2-0850-XR)

 

[helpstar]

Which operarting system are you using?

 

[alstotz]

Which operarting system are you using?

Windows 10 Professional (x64)

 

[Corwin65]

Has this ever worked?

 

[alstotz]

Has this ever worked?

No. This is the first time I've tried ever using two of the same Sound Cards in a single setup...

 

[Corwin65]

I've used multiple external Sound Cards or Audio Interfaces for music production, but never heard of running 2 internal cards.

Care to share why you need 2?

 

[helpstar]

Which motherboard is it?

just some suggestions, because normally it should work out of the box:

uninstall creative drivers, reinstall the latest from the creative homepage

restart windows

all updates done for windows

check https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026529/windows-10-using-system-file-checker

Disable onboard sound in BIOS

update the BIOS of your motherboard within BIOS

clear cmos by jumper

 

[alstotz]

Which motherboard is it?

just some suggestions, because normally it should work out of the box:

uninstall creative drivers, reinstall the latest from the creative homepage

restart windows

all updates done for windows

check https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026529/windows-10-using-system-file-checker

Disable onboard sound in BIOS

update the BIOS of your motherboard within BIOS

clear cmos by jumper

Yes, I've done all of these steps.. I feel as if the way Sound Blaster updates the registry... There is only one entry for the specific card... And when it tries to initialize the second card, it needs to overwrite that entry in the registry (instead of having a 'second' entry') but then gets an error due to the registry entry already being running... It seems complicated, but that's the best theory I have come up with.

 

[alstotz]

I've used multiple external Sound Cards or Audio Interfaces for music production, but never heard of running 2 internal cards.

Care to share why you need 2?

Well... lol. Where do I begin.

I have a pretty elaborate setup. I twitch Game Development as well. I'm tempted to list my entire hardware setup... Actually, stay tuned. I'll map it out today. Because as I may not be the best with Audio Hardware... From what I've researched (which was a decent amount) there is no way to do what I want... Maybe a way to do what I need, but I have specific wants.

Short version is this. Windows Audio comes out of my on-board audio, into my mixer, where I can control basically the volume of Windows and any game I'm playing.

I want two more outputs though, one for Music and one for Communications (Discord, TS, etc). I know I can map the front and back audio ports on my on-board to do this, but the quality it trash, and the line noise is annoying. So using my optical out on my on-board gives crystal clear quality.

Soo, I wanted the other two outputs to be the same. Insert 2x sound cards, each with a single optical out.

So each of those outs gets run into a DAC, and then that gets run through a buzz box (just because OCD) and that heads over to my mixer. From there I can control all of my audio on the fly... without using windows or Virtual Audio Cable, etc.

That's the gist of it all... I also run my Microphone through my mixer as well, and which uses a Scarlet to get it on my computer via USB as well as I'm able to mix it in with each line of audio from my computer, so I can send all of that out to my streaming PC.

All in all, I'm able to mix my headset/external speaker audio separately from my stream audio... and yeah. It's elaborate. I'll post the full specs in a bit as well as some photos for anyone interested.

 

[Corwin65]

Which Scarlett do you have? Have you thought of using the Scarlett to control the sounds?

 

[helpstar]

Which motherboard is it?

 

[alstotz]

Which motherboard is it?

I updated the original post to include the specs.

 

[alstotz]

Which Scarlett do you have? Have you thought of using the Scarlett to control the sounds?

Which motherboard is it?

Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface

Currently the Scarlet is handling only my microphone. I could technically pass through some audio through it as well... But I wanted to keep it separated. Here's the current setup:

 

[helpstar]

Did you try other PCIe slots combinations?

 

[alstotz]

Did you try other PCIe slots combinations?

I've tried everything under the sun.

I'm most likely going to just return one of the Sound Blasters... and get a different Audio Card. And it should be fine. However I really want to figure out how to solve this... because well, I work Tech Support. And I just have to know.

 

[Corwin65]

I read some info on previous Audigy cards and per Creative, they stated only one card would work.

 

[alstotz]

I read some info on previous Audigy cards and per Creative, they stated only one card would work.

Link/source?

 

[Corwin65]

I read some info on previous Audigy cards and per Creative, they stated only one card would work.

Link/source?

It's Old: http://forum.cakewalk.com/Multiple-soundcards-questions-and-Audigy-m172820.aspx