I just reformatted my computer with Windows 98 SE ( I was using XP but it was running too slow) and now when I try to install the high speed software from my internet provider I get this message that says:

An unknown NIC was found:

PCI Multimedia Audio Device

This NIC must be removed before continuing with installation.

I would then go into device manager and remove it, but then I have to restart the computer, and then it just tries to load it again. I don't have the drivers for it because I don't know exactly what this device is that has to be installed. I tried using the WIN 98 CD but it doesn't locate the driver on there.

I reformatted a few times with XP on this sytem before and never had this problem. What can I do?

XP must have had native support for the NIC whereas 98 doesn't. That's why you didn't have that problem with XP.

Go to the HP support page for your model and see if the drivers are there. If not, and it's an add-on card you'll need to open the case, remove and examine the card. Then go to the card manufacturer's site or google the card info to find the drivers.

If it's an on-board NIC you should probably google the motherboard model number to find the drivers.

You also need to install your sound card drivers.

I'm aware of the HP support site with the drivers on it but the thing is that I don't know what driver I need for a "PCI Multimedia Audio Device". The link below is for the drivers for my model, can you tell which one I have to download?

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...

Good advice from DAVEINCAPS, as usual.

Also, you might get the NIC info in 'device manager'.

Beyond that, most ISP software is a load of crap. Just make the NIC work and put in the needed settings, isially DHCP.

=====================================
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

M2

The 'pci multimedia audio device' is your sound card so you'd need to download the sound drivers.

There are several download for the NIC so I assume it's a card. You should probably open the case and see which one it is.

After you get the sound and NIC drivers installed there should be no more items in device manager showing a yellow ? or !

Oh, also check 'display adapter' in device manager. If it says 'Standard PCI graphics adapter (VGA)' you need to install the video drivers. That page shows either a Matrox, Nvidia or an unspecified video controller so you should probably open the case to see which it is. If it's on-board video it's probably the one that's not specified but I can't say for sure.

Even though it's not what is causing the problem, it would be a good idea to install the 'chipset' and 'IDE' drivers also.

Thanks for the responses. I got the PCI multimedia driver taken care of but now I have a different message from the high speed software. It says there's an "existing Ndis2 driver that must be removed before continuing with installation." I have a feeling that that is for the ethernet card. But on that driver page link I posted above, there's 5 or 6 different choices for a network driver. I ran Everest and it said I have "HP Vectra VL400 DT Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller" for my ethernet card. That doesn't match any of the choices of drivers on the HP website. What can I do now?

Try the Intel driver. Since everest ID's it as 'integrated' and the chipset is Intel then the NIC is likely Intel also. Run the chipset driver download also. There may be some NIC support from it.

The 3Com download also shows it's for an on-board NIC but I'd think Everest would have called it 3Com. But if the intel driver doesn't work out try the 3Com.

Hello,
From what you wrote it seems that you did not remove the old drivers. Go back into the device manager and remove the NIC card drivers and restart the machine. It will ask you for the drivers. Tell the computer the path to the drivers that are made for the card. Have your 98 disk at hand because there is a good chance the computer will request the disk.

Good luck, remember to take the garbage out.

DAVEINCAPS....thanks for the advice, first I tried the Intel driver which did not work, then I tried the 3com and that one worked. Funny thing though, I took off the cover and looked at the ethernet card, it just said 'bel' on it and below that the number 0812-1X1T-05. I googled that and got nothing at all. Thanks for your help.

Sometimes you'll find what you need if you google what's written on the chips--usually the larger ones.

It'd be a good idea to run the chipset update drivers and be sure to check the display adapter in device manager too.

When device manager shows you've got all the drivers installed then you should be OK. Then hopefully you'll be able to install the ISP software.

I now have everything going good. I can install the internet software, surf the internet fine etc. but I have what seems to be one last problem....I have no sound. In device manager it lists Crystal WDM Audio Codec as the sound driver and it has no yellow exclamation point beside it. I removed it from device manager, restarted and let the computer install it over again but that didn't do anything. In 'Sounds' I can't test any sounds because the play button is greyed out. Also, if I click on volume control nothing happens. Any ideas.?

Your sound chip is a
Cirrus 16 Bit AC97; CS4299
And can be downloaded at the URL below.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...

That's the driver that I've been using and it doesn't work.

Did you follow the installation instructions on the HP site?

To Install the Crystal Audio Driver, please follow the following procedure:

Installation Steps

1 Open Device Manager.

2 PCI Multimedia Device will have a yellow marker the first time the operating system is installed.

3 Select "Properties" on the yellow marker.

4 Select the "Driver" tab.

5 Click on "Update Driver".

6 You will need the Windows Second Edition to complete the WDM installation.

7 The entry that will show up in the Sound, Video, and Game Controllers is: Crystal WDM Audio Codec.

8 A little Sound Icon appears on the Task Bar upon completing the driver installation.

Un-installation Steps

1 Open Device Manager.

2 Remove Crystal WDM Audio Codec entry in the Sound, Video, and Game Controllers section. Crystal is not the owner of the game controller on this audio solution.

3 Delete Crystal INF in c:\windows\inf\other

4 Restart your PC for Plug and Play to happen again.

Yes, I deleted it and followed those instructions and still no sound. I just put Win98 SE on my computer, before that I had XP and I had sound with XP. Everything other than sound seems to be working fine.

Open 'multimedia' in control panel. What is the preferred playback device?

For playing and recording both sy 'No Playback Devices'. Also when I go to devices tab in multimedia and click audio it says driver is active and enabled for the crystal WDM audio.

Click to the right of the line where the preferred device should show. It should bring up a list of the available devices. If so, can you select the sound card?

I can't click there, everything is greyed out.

Make sure the sound is enabled in cmos/bios setup.

Uninstall and then reinstall the drivers.

In CMOS, 'integrated audio interface' was already set to 'enabled'.

I've finally found a solution to my problem. I just erased everything off the computer and reformatted again. This time, the first driver I made sure to install was the audio driver, and it's working fine now. Thanks to those who tried helping me out, I appreciate it.

Thanks for posting back. We're glad you got it running.