Microsoft Windows XP SP3 RC Does NOT Support High Definition Audio

In Windows XP, if we need to run a High Definition Audio (HDA) device, we would have to install the Universal Audio Architecture (UAA) High Definition Audio class driver. This is either the KB835221 (for SP1) or the newer KB888111 (for SP2 or SP1).

However, this does NOT work for the latest Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate Release. If you’ve already tried installing the Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate v3264 with a High Definition Audio (HDA) device in your computer, I’ll bet you have encountered problems with the audio drivers as I did.

When you try installing the KB888111 which works for SP1 and SP2, it will not work for Service Pack 3, at least for the current SP3 RC v3264. Instead, you will be prompted with a message saying that the current service pack installed is newer than the fix you are trying to apply. Even the older KB835221 does not work.

It looks like Microsoft “forgot” to add the Universal Audio Architecture (UAA) driver for High Definition Audio devices in the latest release candidate of the Windows XP Service Pack 3. We hope they will not forget to add it into the final release. Fortunately, all is not lost. There is a way to fix this problem for the current release candidate.

You can try tinkering with the Universal Audio Architecture driver’s INF file to make your Windows XP SP3 think that the driver is meant to be installed on Service Pack 3. redxii from MSFN forum did just that and created a modified KB888111 driver which is available for download. Before I tried it out, I found that the feedbacks were all positive!

I tried it on my Windows XP SP3 system and it worked! Just download the 7z (7zip) file or zip file below, extract it and then right-click at the ? mark at the Device Manager where your High Definition Audio (HDA) device is located and reinstall the driver by pointing to the folder you extracted the files to. After that’s done, install the audio driver for your motherboard. That’s it!

If you need the fix (or add-on, as it’s called), you can download it from any one of the two links below. Have fun with Service Pack 3!

Download (right-click and save) :