Solved ASUS audio cards not supported by Windows 11

spapakons · Apr 5, 2022

I guess that you cannot install the full Asus software for your card due to some incompatibility with Windows 11. Have you tried to extract the driver files in a folder using WinRAR or similar utility? Then you can go to Device Manager and try to manually force the driver to the audio card.

roper · Apr 5, 2022

spapakons: The ASUS software installs ok, but strangely, the headphone option for sound output doesn't work. The "speakers" and "SPDIF Out" are both functional, but the headphone option doesn't work, by all appearances the headphones aren't recognized as an output device.

I did just get a workaround going: I found an adapter for the headphone jack and have the Realtek onboard audio working, not ideal but it will do until ASUS gets drivers out.

TNerd · May 15, 2022

Hi i have the Asus Essence STX II and it dont work on my new PC. Someone have the same Problem?
Software seams to work but no sound over the Soundsystem or Headphones.
Kind regards
Andreas

spapakons · May 15, 2022

If you go to Settings, Devices, Audio, check the advanced settings for disabled devices. Maybe the headphones are disabled for some reason and you can enable them. Also I don't know if this applies in your case, but I have seen audio devices where a setting can change the available number of inputs and outputs. I cannot describe it well, right now, but instead of a global mixer this setting makes many discreet devices. You will understand when you see it.

Scott · May 15, 2022

spapakons said:
For old Creative sound cards such as Creative SoundBlaster Live, in Windows Vista 32-bit and above you can install the Windows XP drivers. For Windows Vista 64-bit and above you have to install the third party driver KX audio driver. Not my favorite solution (using third-party drivers like in Linux), but it works.

GitHub - kxproject/kX-Audio-driver-binaries: pre-compiled driver builds (official)

pre-compiled driver builds (official). Contribute to kxproject/kX-Audio-driver-binaries development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

PS: At the site it says it won't load in Windows 10 64-bit because is unsigned. In that case restart in test mode (ignore driver signatures), install the driver and then restart in normal mode.

There's also the daniel_k drivers for the X-Fi cards...

Final updates for my Support Packs and farewell

Hi everyone. It's been almost 15 years since my first pack, now it's time to say goodbye. This is my last round of updates for my Support Pa...

danielkawakami.blogspot.com

spapakons · May 16, 2022

Thanks for sharing, but since Xi-Fi cards have official Creative drivers (and applications) for Windows 10/11 I would prefer to avoid any third party drivers. I hate Linux for many reasons, one of them is using third party drivers for most of the hardware frequently without maximizing the device's potential and of course without enabling all features. Thanks God in Windows almost all devices have official drivers except for some rare exceptions and very old hardware that lacks drivers for newer Windows versions. Installing the official drivers ensures you use the device at is maximum possible performance and of course all features are enabled and exposed. An example is an old printer. Using the official Vista or 7 drivers are preferable to have full control over the print quality, range of papers it supports etc. If you let Windows Update automatically install a generic printer driver, then you can only select between draft/normal/best and color/bw printing. And of course I hate that because it compromises my device's capabilities and tries to force me replace it. I suggest to always prefer the official manufacturer drivers and use third-party drivers only as last resort.

TNerd · May 16, 2022

Scott said:
There's also the daniel_k drivers for the X-Fi cards...

Final updates for my Support Packs and farewell

Hi everyone. It's been almost 15 years since my first pack, now it's time to say goodbye. This is my last round of updates for my Support Pa...

danielkawakami.blogspot.com

View attachment 29251

Thanks for your Informations but both not worked on my ASUS Essence STX II SOundcard... So i have to buy a new one :-/

spapakons · May 16, 2022

The SoundBlaster Xi-Fi drivers cannot work with an Asus card! Have you tried to extract the driver files to a folder and manually force the driver from Device Manager, as I suggested in my previous post? What exactly is the issue? The driver doesn't install at all, or you cannot see the speakers/headphone output? In the second case it is normal for Windows 10/11 to hide unconnected audio devices. I mean, if you have no speakers or headphones connected to the card, the respective device is not shown. If you do have speakers connected and still you don't see the device it might be disabled and you can enabled it in Advanced Audio settings. In any case please post some screenshots to help us understand and assist you better.

PS: Just a thought, your Asus card is a discreet audio card. Are you sure you connect the speakers or headphones on the card's speaker output? If you connect it on the onboard (motherboard's) output, it makes sense not to see the Asus device because it remains unconnected. Make sure you actually connect the speakers on the card, not on the motherboard. This is a common mistake similar to connecting the monitor cable on the motherboard instead on the discreet graphics card and wonder why the screen remains black...

TNerd · May 16, 2022

spapakons said:
The SoundBlaster Xi-Fi drivers cannot work with an Asus card! Have you tried to extract the driver files to a folder and manually force the driver from Device Manager, as I suggested in my previous post? What exactly is the issue? The driver doesn't install at all, or you cannot see the speakers/headphone output? In the second case it is normal for Windows 10/11 to hide unconnected audio devices. I mean, if you have no speakers or headphones connected to the card, the respective device is not shown. If you do have speakers connected and still you don't see the device it might be disabled and you can enabled it in Advanced Audio settings. In any case please post some screenshots to help us understand and assist you better.

PS: Just a thought, your Asus card is a discreet audio card. Are you sure you connect the speakers or headphones on the card's speaker output? If you connect it on the onboard (motherboard's) output, it makes sense not to see the Asus device because it remains unconnected. Make sure you actually connect the speakers on the card, not on the motherboard. This is a common mistake similar to connecting the monitor cable on the motherboard instead on the discreet graphics card and wonder why the screen remains black...

The Asus Software run, the speakers are on the right place in the soundcard, i see the audio output in the system and in the Asus Software.
I had contact with the Asus Support and they say that this card

Essence STX II

don’t support Windows 11 and never will.
So i order a new one with cinch output.
Sad

over 300.- again

This one:

Creative Sound Blaster AE-9

Anyway thank you all for the support.
Kind regards

spapakons · May 16, 2022

There is a possibility that Asus simply wanted to discourage you using this card on Windows 11 and make you buy a new one, and they succeeded. With rare exceptions, if something works on Windows 10, it also works on Windows 11.

TNerd · May 16, 2022

spapakons said:
There is a possibility that Asus simply wanted to discourage you using this card on Windows 11 and make you buy a new one, and they succeeded. With rare exceptions, if something works on Windows 10, it also works on Windows 11.

I tried everything and nothing works

Asus don’t have a new Model like this with cinch output. So the loose a consumer…

chris89 · May 17, 2022

I use an ASUS Xonar DG PCI Sound Card in Windows 11 Pro x64 & it works perfectly on UNI MODDED DRIVERS VERSION : UNi Xonar 1816/1823 v1.80a r3

UNi Xonar Drivers official page

UNi Xonar drivers main page (information, release notes, driver downloads).

maxedtech.com

HRPuffnstuff · May 17, 2022

When I was running my Xonar D2X I had to use the Maxtech Uni drivers to make it work.

erpster4 · Aug 23, 2022

davewin11 said:
See [Sound card] The card cannot output from headphone after the system is upgraded to Windows 11. Switching from Speaker to headphone output will show message and close the application. | Official Support | ASUS UK
It would affect me because I connect my amp to the headphone socket which gives me top quality sound to the speakers.

Dave

that asus article has been updated on Aug 8, 2022 to mention the upcoming Windows 11 22H2 release

At present, the following ASUS sound card models are still available for sale, the problem is already solved in Win11 22H2 (The specific release time of Win11 22H2 please refer to Microsoft). Please help let the customer update to Win11 22H2 after the release, visit the support site and install the latest audio driver(Win10), and then retry.

NavyLCDR · Aug 23, 2022

Ghot said:
Honestly, I hope someone figures out how to sue these driver and OS folk for using drivers and OSes to force hardware upgrades. This kind of thing is starting to get really out of hand.
You have the coders on one end and the scalpers on the other, and all us poor saps in the middle.

If I buy a soundcard, or even a full computer system, that says it is compatible with Windows 7 when I buy it, then there is no reason why I would expect it to be compatible with Windows 8, 10, or 11. The device or hardware system is exactly as described when I bought it, compatible with Windows 7. You could sue the hardware manufacturers and lose - because what you bought was exactly what was advertised. It cost money to develop new drivers - and if the product is no longer being sold, that product is no longer generating revenue to pay for driver development.

Ghot · Aug 23, 2022

NavyLCDR said:
If I buy a soundcard, or even a full computer system, that says it is compatible with Windows 7 when I buy it, then there is no reason why I would expect it to be compatible with Windows 8, 10, or 11. The device or hardware system is exactly as described when I bought it, compatible with Windows 7. You could sue the hardware manufacturers and lose - because what you bought was exactly what was advertised. It cost money to develop new drivers - and if the product is no longer being sold, that product is no longer generating revenue to pay for driver development.

Some manufacturers are purposely NOT creating or allowing access to drivers for old or new operating systems.
This is simply a marketing ploy. It's becoming more and more prevalent.

This is industry standard operating procedure.

spapakons · Aug 23, 2022

It is not a secret that Intel graphics drivers for Windows 7 cannot install on Windows 8 or higher to force us upgrade our systems. Probably Asus is doing the same.

barman58 · Aug 23, 2022

There have been some well documented cases over the years where unscrupulous developers have chosen to not support older or Newer operating systems fore purely commercial reasons - probably the most famous was the decision of Creative Labs to not make Vista Drivers for their existing hardware stating that the Vista coding was not compatible with their hardware. The vast majority of their competitors however had no such "issues" which resulted in users switching to the supported hardware, and Creative loosing most of their market share.

The will always be cases where the natural development of new coding and hardware cause issues with support however as Microsoft give away the vast majority of their operating systems there is no real reason for Microsoft to use development changes to force upgrades

erpster4 · Aug 24, 2022

spapakons said:
It is not a secret that Intel graphics drivers for Windows 7 cannot install on Windows 8 or higher to force us upgrade our systems. Probably Asus is doing the same.

only the win7 based intel graphics drivers obtained direct from Intel's web site (aka the "full featured" drivers) may not install on Win8 & above BUT the Intel graphics drivers obtained from either Windows Update or MS Update Catalog (which are usually the basic drivers) work fine on Win8 & later

barman58 said:
There have been some well documented cases over the years where unscrupulous developers have chosen to not support older or Newer operating systems fore purely commercial reasons - probably the most famous was the decision of Creative Labs to not make Vista Drivers for their existing hardware stating that the Vista coding was not compatible with their hardware. The vast majority of their competitors however had no such "issues" which resulted in users switching to the supported hardware, and Creative loosing most of their market share.

The will always be cases where the natural development of new coding and hardware cause issues with support however as Microsoft give away the vast majority of their operating systems there is no real reason for Microsoft to use development changes to force upgrades

and that was one of Creative's biggest downfalls during that time with Vista - their hardware (aka sound cards) were great but driver/software support for them is about average or mediocre

but anyways, upgrade to Windows 11 22H2 build 22621.x as Asus suggested & I also saw this comment from reddit