Downloading a New Driver for your AC97 Audio Chipset

By: Thomas Dunn Click author's name for more of his/her articles

If you are one of the many using separate sound cards installed on your computer, you will need to visit the card manufacturer's website in order to download the right driver for the AC97. It is generally advisable to stick with the external sound card rather than confusing the system with the driver for the AC97. If you are using the onboard sound, or the built in audio capabilities included on the original motherboard of your computer, begin by finding the motherboard manufacturer's website. This will allow you to find the appropriate driver package for the AC97 needed.

One side note before beginning this download, while other sites can provide drivers for the AC97, it is advised by most IT professionals to use the specific driver provided on the manufacturers' sites. There are plenty of "free" drivers available, yet if the right ID in the four part process of verifying device drivers is not entered, the system will use a generic ID. This may create an error message in the process, or even prevent the installation.

The benefit to downloading the newest driver for the AC97 audio chipset is that the file will update the sound capabilities to four 16-bit two channel DAC's, and a stereo 16-bit ADC. It gives you the ability to do flexible mixing of sound with multiple stereo inputs, mute functions, and it is a low power consumption program. You can use the audio functions on the computer without draining the battery any faster than regular use.

Those things being said begin at your motherboard manufacturer's website. Most will have a search box to simply enter "driver for AC97 chipset." This will point you towards the packages available to use. Use the "driver detective" on the site to find the most current driver able to be installed, as this will have the latest updates and best technology available for your system. (Remember that IBM computers have the chipset already installed when purchasing the system.)

Clicking on the "driver detective" button will begin the download, then select it from the download list and open the file. The InstallShield Wizard will walk you through installing the program, and then prompt you to launch it. The detective will scan your computer, and identify the drivers that are out of date. If you desire, you can continue from there and register an account to update all the drivers needed. This is recommended for all users because outdated drivers can create problems for the entire system.

Now you are ready to download the driver for the AC97 chipset. Refer back to the manufacturers' website and click the download button. Again the InstallShield Wizard will open and walk you through it. Then it will ask you to launch the program, and your download will complete. You will be ready to mix and customize your sound for gaming, music, and general program use.

Another option available is the website called "driverrobot.com" where all the work is done for you. There is no concern over choosing the exact right model of motherboard, nor the exact right driver package that will work best. The Driver Robot will connect to your system and make the determination of the needed information to load to your system. Installing the driver for the AC97 audio chipset is as easy as a click, and your audio capabilities will be brought up to speed and will sound incredible. Taking the guesswork out of installation will eliminate the possibility of installing the wrong drivers. This can cause extreme problems running your system, and at worst possibly crash some features. The repair costs can begin at $150 and end up being more than the computer is worth to begin with.

The small effort required to update this driver is clearly worth it when the finished result is heard. The sound on your computer will compete with your MP3 player and stereo. Gaming takes on a whole new dimension when all the pre-programmed sounds are audible. Music will sound less "tinny" and more like a regular music track. Take the time and effort to do the updates correctly. If they seem too complicated to attempt on your own, contact your local computer professionals, and compare several quotes to perform the service. Using the driver robot, though, should take care of any unclear information and perform the new driver installation flawlessly. Visit the driver robot site today, and start listening to the high quality sound your computer will be capable of producing! Happy Listening!