XONAR DX on Windows 8 CP (build 7250) either 32 or 64 bit

[UnclePritchard]

Hello forum users!

Sorry if this has been posted before but I wanted to ask if anybody by chance managed to get the audio driver for Asus Xonar DX to work on Windows 8. I first tried the 64 and 32 bits versions on the 64 bit install and it did not work at all. This being said I was wondering if installing the 32 bit version could solve some problems... Asus do not have an updated driver for Windows 8 on their site so if anybody got the chance to find out something please post a reply.

Thanks a lot!

[reaper1576]

Try these they work perfectly for me on my D2X http://brainbit.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/

[UnclePritchard]

thanks reaper... i will install and will report ASAP... probably some time next week since i will leave my country in a few days.

have a nice week-end!

[reaper1576]

BTW found that I get better audio quality from using the C-Media panel with GX enabled option depends what you got your DX connected to running it into a Logitech Z5500 with analog and digital but analog is used primarily for my audio.

[Pyr0]

I installed the Asus Xonar Unified driver, but because the Xonar controls were failing to load in Win8 CP x64, I had no 5.1 surround despite setting the Windows sound control to 5.1... :(

I managed to get 5.1 working by editing the registry.

I have Win8 CP installed on a spare drive, dual booting with Win7.

In Windows 8, I loaded the system registry hive from Windows 7, gave the key a name of "W7System", and found the Xonar settings under:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\W7System\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4D36E96C-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0007\Settings]

Note: The correct path may differ slightly on each machine.

I exported the keys to a reg file, edited it to use the relevant path in the Windows 8 registry ([HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\0007\Settings]) and imported.

After a reboot, 5.1 is working correctly and sound quality is much improved :)

Pity the Xonar control panel is still non functional, but at least I can enjoy 5.1 and same eq settings etc. I had set in Windows 7.

[UnclePritchard]

hello

I have a 2.1 setup enabled so I guess I won't have any problems with EAX and 5.1 related . I have installed the 32 bit version and will post the results as soon as I have something.

thanks for sharing and taking your time

[UnclePritchard]

I have a 2.1 setup so I should have no problems with the 5.1 part or EAX or something. thanks for posting all your thoughts and taking your time.

[UnclePritchard]

hello all... so i tried to install this driver to no avail... did it on a fresh reinstall of a 32 bit flavour and the 64 bit that i was talking about while i posted this thread and it did not work at all... i highly believe it is something that has to do with the driver and more specifically with the spdif part because the optical signal runs well between the receiver and the soundcard and i get a dolby digital sign on my receiver however no sound is present...

i think i will wait for the next windows 8 release since ASUS are not really famous for updating their drivers too often and/or quickly.

thank you all for your great support!

[UnclePritchard]

update: i managed to get it to work with installing windows 8 32 bit on VMWare WorkStation 8. it seems that the sound, video and network settings are automatically propagated to the VM from my host OS. did not even bother to install the unified drivers in the VM since it seems to be useless anyway. hopefully the release candidate will solve the sound problems. on MS's page it seems that Xonar DX is reported as a compatible product however it already has 3 negative votes.

good luck!

[UnclePritchard]

update:

it works with Unified Drivers 1.6 on Release Preview 32 bit.

Will post if problems arise.

[Dot Matrix]

Installed for me no issue.

[UnclePritchard]

for some reason the mute and L-R balance dom't work in the control panel. will update with DFX behaviour.

[UnclePritchard]

dfx works great however the asus control panel disappeared... good thing i tuned the settings earlier. still the audio works ok

[UnclePritchard]

the drivers work well under Windows 8 RP also.

For the 64 bit version of unified drivers install the test mode and disable the signature checks to succesfully install.

For the 32 bit version the maximum that needs to be done is to enable test mode (if usual install fails).

[Chicane-UK Veteran]

I'll be interested to see if Asus even release any Windows 8 drivers for the Xonar range. I've got an Essence STX and it's one of my only worries about moving to Windows 8!

[UnclePritchard]

yes they seem not to have released anything yet.. i do not foresee anything whatsoever until the end of Autumn at least. the usual drivers with W7 compatibility do not work on W8

[kilogeek]

Hi all, this is my fully working method to install Xonar DX driver on W8 Enterprise 64 bits :

1. Dowload the driver from ASUS (windows 7 64 bit OS), it's a RAR file
   
2. UnRAR
   
3. Use the device manager and uninstall any messy audio driver if required
   
4. Scan for new PnP devices, new unknown audio device will be shown
   
5. Install manually the driver : the .INF file is in : ...\PCI-DX-110512-7.12.8.1794(W7-FR)\WIN7\SoftwareDriver\driver\XonarDX.INF
   
6. At this point you have sound but not the Audio CP and you cant install it with a setup.exe
   
7. Copy the ...PCI-DX-110512-7.12.8.1794(W7-FR)\WIN7\Customapp in your program files (x86) folder, make a shortcut or stick it to welcome screen
   

The CP works ok, only main volume button seems not to work, but waiting for the official ASUS release, this is my best solution, the UNI drivers did not work at all on my system.

Hope it will help.

P.S. PCI-DX-110512-7.12.8.1794(W7-FR) was for me (i have a french W8 release), anyway you understood the steps i hope^^

[kilogeek]

I must point that I got a full W8 Enterprise final 64 bit release (vol license), not a preview nor a trial, my build is

9200.win8_rtm.120725-1247 to be exact (reg value)

[UnclePritchard]

Hi all, this is my fully working method to install Xonar DX driver on W8 Enterprise 64 bits :

1. Dowload the driver from ASUS (windows 7 64 bit OS), it's a RAR file
   
2. UnRAR
   
3. Use the device manager and uninstall any messy audio driver if required
   
4. Scan for new PnP devices, new unknown audio device will be shown
   
5. Install manually the driver : the .INF file is in : ...\PCI-DX-110512-7.12.8.1794(W7-FR)\WIN7\SoftwareDriver\driver\XonarDX.INF
   
6. At this point you have sound but not the Audio CP and you cant install it with a setup.exe
   
7. Copy the ...PCI-DX-110512-7.12.8.1794(W7-FR)\WIN7\Customapp in your program files (x86) folder, make a shortcut or stick it to welcome screen
   

The CP works ok, only main volume button seems not to work, but waiting for the official ASUS release, this is my best solution, the UNI drivers did not work at all on my system.

Hope it will help.

P.S. PCI-DX-110512-7.12.8.1794(W7-FR) was for me (i have a french W8 release), anyway you understood the steps i hope^^

thanks kilogeek. i will try this as my window8 RTM crashed after i installed bitdefender TS 2013 and was forced to reinstall the OS from scratch.

[UnclePritchard]

I must point that I got a full W8 Enterprise final 64 bit release (vol license), not a preview nor a trial, my build is

9200.win8_rtm.120725-1247 to be exact (reg value)

I did this on a 32 bit normal version of W8 (not Enterprise) and it did not work.. so I must be missing something or your solution is only valid for the 64 bit flavour. thanks

[UnclePritchard]

asus released the beta drivers for the DX a few days ago and they work just fine.