How do I uninstall an audio device driver?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Silence Seeker
  • Start date Start date
S

Silence Seeker

Or better yet, how to replace that audio device driver with an OLDER
one?

Initially, I had v3.20 (of the VIA AC'97 Enhanced Audio Controller
(WDM).)
I then downloaded and installed v3.70.
But then I noticed too much bacground noise (I can hear the hdd/mouse
move through the speakers/headphones...).

I suspect (hope) reverting back to v3.20 will solve the problem.

I uninstalled it (using device manager), rebooted, but...

The device was re-detected (that's OK) and, for some reason, the
driver re-installed - without my permission!

I want to install the v3.20 drivers over a detected audio device
without ANY drivers installed (i.e. "cleanly").

How do I do that?

Thanks in advance,
Sam
 
Look in C:\Windows\System32 Folder for this driver. Wdmaud.drv &
ksuser.dll. See if you can move them to a new folder temporarily and
make sure your Sound is disabled in the Bios.
Then restart, Enable the sound and see if XP installs the older
version. You may have to move these four also from
C:\Windows\System32\Drivers Folder. viaudio.sys, stream.sys,
portcls.sys and drmk.sys.
 
Silence said:
Or better yet, how to replace that audio device driver with an OLDER
one?

Initially, I had v3.20 (of the VIA AC'97 Enhanced Audio Controller
(WDM).)
I then downloaded and installed v3.70.
But then I noticed too much bacground noise (I can hear the hdd/mouse
move through the speakers/headphones...).

I suspect (hope) reverting back to v3.20 will solve the problem.

I uninstalled it (using device manager), rebooted, but...

The device was re-detected (that's OK) and, for some reason, the
driver re-installed - without my permission!

I want to install the v3.20 drivers over a detected audio device
without ANY drivers installed (i.e. "cleanly").

How do I do that?

Thanks in advance,
Sam
Click to expand...

An easier way would have been to "roll back" to the older driver.
1) Open "Sounds and Audio Devices", then click on the "Hardware" tab.
2) Find your WDM device in the list of devices
3) Click on "Properties"
4) Click on the "Driver" tab
5) Click on "Roll back driver"

By the way, there is no way you will be able to get around Windows File
Protection. If you uninstall a newer driver, then reboot, and your sound
card is recognised by XP, it probably has a native driver, and XP will
install it. Did you check the version of the driver XP installed after you
rebooted after removing the newer driver? It was probably the older one,
which was installed when you first installed XP.
 
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