I'm not sure if this is a VIA or Windows problem but here goes..

I've just installed XP Pro new onto my PC and was browsing away on the net listening to Winamp and suddenly my ears are filled with a high pitched scream.... and my PC hard locks

I have a Creative SB PCI 128 (CT4700), and im using the XP native drivers as creative don't support the card any more.

I checked on the unofficial KT7 FAQ site, and followed all the recommended BIOS tweaks:

Memory Hole: 15M-16M
PCI Master Read Caching: Enabled
KT_CLK_CTL: Optimal
PCI Delay Transaction: Enabled

Then installed the PCI Lantency patch and turned down sound accelaration.

Elsewhere I've read that Creative cards don't like ACPI, when I ran Windows 2000 there was an option in the setup to disable this... not so in XP. (or if there was I couldn't find it).

Is there any other way (other than a clean install for me to disable ACPI support in XP?) My BIOS, 3R for the ABIT KT7E, won't allow me to disable it

I remember having this problem under 2k awhile back whilst playing CS but I can't remember what I did to fix it !!

Has anyone else come across this problem or have any ideas for me (its only happened once so far... but its annoying and scares the hell outta you when it does).

ABIT KT7E (3R BIOS)
SB PCI 128 (CT4700)
WinXP Pro 5.1.2600 (ACPI Enabled)

Is a soundcard upgrade out of the question? I have an Audigy in one of my systems, and after a driver update it plays nice with XP/.NET... An Audigy can be had for about $80 US, possibly cheaper if you shop around.

I orginally had a Sound Blaster Live installed in the system but under 2000 I kept getting stop 0xE1 errors with it.. so I swapped it for the 128 thats in this PC now.

Under XP all the major problems I had with the 128; stuttering, *****ling and poor performance under some games seems to have been fixed. Hopefully the tweaks mentioned in my 1st post will solve the remaining problem (hasn't occured again to date).

The problem really lies with the Mobo & Sound Card not the OS.

I'd only consider upgrading the card if I had any more major problems I couldn't fix (as I've never really been a great fan of EAX).

Are you having the bios configure PnP or the os?