Got this motherboard for my latest build – Nice featureset – includes HDMI out, supports AM2 chipset, 2 sets of dual chanel ddr2 ram, 3 internal usb headers… all in all not a bad setup.
Threw XP pro up on the build and everything is smooth sailing, till we get to the High Definition Audio Bus. The drivers for the HD audio actually install fine from the enclosed driver CD, but this “Audio Device on High Definition Audio Bus” keeps popping up like it has no idea where it’s home is. Biostar, while their hardware value is prime, their website lacks – the US version of the site has dead links for the HD audio driver, and the global site thinks you’re looking for the setup executable (included in the installer… along with about 2 dozen other files that are needed) – it just barfs when you try to run it (duh! it’s like they threw the installer cd at some intern and said “put all these drivers on our website!” and he just started copying what he thought was right from the disc to the web!
Did a little googling on the problem, found some other people who had trouble with HD audio and fixed it with updated video drivers – “yay” i thought – a little unorthodox, fixing audio with video, but since it’s an integrated chipset, i figured, what the hey… Downloaded, installed & no dice.
Dug more on google, found generic realtek drivers for the same model/chipset (these should be the drivers from the biostar site) but alas, they were on some weird site, downloaded, installed, nada.
I’m starting to remember why I hate XP and new hardware so much
to be continued….
So after about a half hour of trying, we got a few feet out of Harm without too much success – and it took us at least that long to get into “patience” mode with the whole thing. Mel and i took turns walking behind her, holding her seat. 
This morning we’re leaving to return home after the better part of a week here in Simonds, NB Canada. Last Sunday, we had recieved the call that Percy Allen Milbury, Melody’s remaining grandfather had passed. He was 91 and died from complications of a broken hip and fluid in the lungs. Although we were sad, we were somewhat prepared, so we decided early monday that we needed to be up here for the family.
Friday, we visited at Julie & Sheldon’s camp – ran around on some Jetskis and ate way too much food. We got to meet Dakota, and the girls (especially Aria) had lots of fun playing with bubbles, special thanks to Aunt “Sweet Marshmallow” for bringing all the cool bubble stuff! After a not-so-honest but still just-as-fun game of Skip-bo with Grammy Graham, Julie, Alan, Dakota, Marsha and Me, we decided to call it a night and play “spot the moose” all the way home.
Saturday we borrowed some quads and took to the rain-soaked trails to check out the 4-lane they’re getting so close to finishing. Now, the funny thing about that, is that they were working on the four-lane highway to replace Trans-Canada route 2 since I was in college, back in 96-97. I guess that kind of project just takes an awful long time.