Great Scott, that worked! Oddly, only one of the front case USBs works, but it's 2.0 whereas the back ones seem to be 1.1. The other plastic plug that looks just like the USB one but says "AUDIO" instead of "USB" is still without a home. Not sure where it should go but--just to describe it--it's the same, but the blank spot is not on the corner, rather it's one in from the corner on what appears to be the top row. There is no obvious matching pin pattern on the board.

I'm having a heck of a time with the sound. I managed to get the modem drivers installed and have internet on the computer now (it's much slower than the main computer's internet, but that's to be expected, as I understand the USB method is just naturally like this), and have downloaded and installed all the express and custom windows updates. Alas, it has made no difference--I still can't get sound!? The strange part is that, for a while, I WOULD get sound briefly right after a restart, but after running a program or two, it would stop working until I restarted again. Since I've run windows update I haven't even had this much sound, but I imagine that's neither here nor there.

Reviewing the manual there is one USB 1.1 and one USB 2.0.

There appears to be no support for front panel audio on this motherboard.

This should be the audio driver:

http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?f...e&dno=2397&i=0

You might check all BIOS Settings for audio options.

Man, my mind is just blown here.

I've uninstalled and reinstalled the drivers and even uninstalled stuff using add/remove programs and now it says "Error Loading cmiconfig.cpl ... the specific module could not be found".

I've DLed the latest BIOS file from the support page. Is there a way I can use this to update my BIOS? Is that what this file is for?

Also:
Every time I boot up I get multiple "New Hardware Wizard" messages. I don't have a clue what these are referring to. Is there a way to know specifically what "new hardware" these messages are referring to?

Lately, I've been getting a balloon saying something about a "PCI Simple Communications Controller", but then it says the hardware was not installed correctly or some such.

The cmicnfig.cpl error relates to the Control Panel but is also associated with audio drivers.


Do you have a sound card? If so this could be a conflict.


Look in the Device Manager for the sound device "C-Media AC97 Audio Device". If found Uninstall it.


Also delete the Cmaudio key under Run from the registry.

To do this: open (start/run) regedit

->HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE->SOFTWARE->Microsoft->Windows->CurrentVersion->Run.

Now, in this folder you should see CMAudio. Delete it.


The found hardware issues could be the USB ports or part of the audio issue.

I'd ignore this for the moment.


The BIOS update in general supports newer hardware applications.

I reviewed your BIOS update process and it is a bit complicated compared to new boards.

If you want to try it go for it. Read all the instructions and know what you are doing before you try.

A failed BIOS flash has no resolution short of returning the motherboard to the manufacturer.

I think there used to be a "C-Media AC97 Audio Device", but I deleted it. I thought it'd be back when I reinstalled the drivers, but much of what was here has not returned. I don't know what to make of this.

I deleted that entry and restarted. Still no sound. Funk.

If you open the BIOS download folder you will find the document: How to flash the BIOS.

That is what you need to read if you want to update the BIOS.

You could also try to get an inexpensive sound card such as:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...e=%241+-+%2410