Sound Blaster Z / Zx / ZxR Modded Driver for Windows 10

[Regenerati0n]

In Windows 10 build 1803, Microsoft made some kernel changes related to hardware timers that broke a lot of device drivers and caused high latency on many systems (especially on older motherboards). Ever since then, Sound Blaster Z / Zx / ZxR series are plagued with issues such as audio stuttering, crackling, popping, and sudden channel swapping.

 

It's been 2 years and Creative Labs hasn't done enough to fix these issues. And therefore, I'd like to introduce a modified driver based on the official software release from September 2019 and Windows Update driver release from January 2020. This release is intended to solve issues and will not bring any new features.

 

Instructions:
Temporarily disable driver signature enforcement (hold down the SHIFT key while you click on the Restart button in the start menu, select Troubleshoot, Advanced options, Startup Settings, press on the Restart button, wait for the Startup Settings screen to appear and then press on 7), extract the SFX anywhere you want, and then run setup.exe as administrator.

 

Downloads:
Mirror #1 | Mirror #2 | Mirror #3

[dipsylalapo]

Thanks for this @regenerati0n, hopefully someone will find it useful.

 

Moved to Windows forum

 

[Circaflex]

HOLY COW, talk about a blast from the past. NGOHQ was the one stop shop for anything creative modded, sweet that youre here. Ill give these drives a swirl with my ZxR.

 

 

edit: Tried to install and I get the dreaded cannot find a support device. Device manager shows my ZxR... I swear Creative products are some of the worst.

Edited June 30, 2020 by Circaflex

[Regenerati0n]

Thanks for the report. It's been fixed, seperated the installer between Z/Zx and ZxR.

 

Sound Blaster ZxR Modded Driver for Windows 10 | Mirror #1 | Mirror #2