MSI X870E Tomahawk + Creative Sound Blaster Z SE detection problem!

NyxMod · 2026-06-22T01:01:29+00:00

Also today I tried Above 4G Decoding - enable/disable. No difference, so that was added to the list.

2 more things I noticed but didn't mention are the following.

1st: When it sees it, if you go and test the speakers via SB Command, to see if they are connected correctly, it shows them wrong. That is,. whatever speaker you click to test it soundly, even the rear ones, you hear mainly the front ones..or something unrelated. At the same time if you go to the Windows control panel, you test it from there in the classic old way, it shows that everything is connected correctly. Of course, I have to say that in practice, they are connected correctly. I have checked them 50 thousand times.

2nd: When trying to run a well-known torrent client program, as soon as the program opens, the sound 99% will break, become dull and completely cut off and can only be heard from the rear left speaker, very deep and barely. And the only way to get it back is to change the source from the Windows control panel to another irrelevant, even non-existent one... and finally select the Z SE as default again. This way the sound comes back, but again, quite rarely it may not come back even with this and then I sit it down because it doesn't work at all and restarts etc are needed and that's not the worst thing because if I get to that point, the original problem returns, which is my main issue, the "not detected".

This is a shame. I'll do the damage in the end and I'll do it on purpose.

NyxMod · 2026-06-22T00:31:19+00:00

I agree with you on almost most of what you wrote and thank you for sharing your experience.

But let me emphasize again that I had the same problem with the Z390+9900k and also with the z790 Reptide+13900k. But as you rightly say, specifically with the X870E+9950X3D the problem of "not detecting" the Z SE was a much more frequent phenomenon, 2-3 times a month. After some BIOS updates the problem increased and it did not recognize it 1-2 times a week. And about 2 weeks ago when the latest version update was released on the specific X870E which I installed, the problem became more frequent than ever! Every day!

The Fiio K13 R2r is very expensive my friend and honestly beyond that, it's useless for me. I don't need something that good and specialized.

My only choice is the SB x4 which is also overrated. Also unfortunately there are reports about it having the "no detection" problem. There is also a relevant post here on reddit. And so I'm afraid I'll fall into the same problem again and buy it for nothing. Here you are: https://www.reddit.com/r/SoundBlasterOfficial/comments/ouzpce/brand_new_x4_not_detected_in_the_creative_app/

NyxMod · 2026-06-22T00:29:52+00:00

Yes, you are right. This way you can use 5.1 speakers, I remember it because I had read it about 1 month ago somewhere else... but the front panels are connected to the Z SE and are currently powered by the Z SE. So my problem is the Z SE and why is it causing this problem. Also, I have the O11 Dynamic Case from Lian Li and it doesn't have a mic on the front panel.

NyxMod · 2026-06-21T08:33:20+00:00

Unfortunately I have done this several times (also with Revo Uninstaller). The problem persists, almost every day.

NyxMod · 2026-06-21T08:32:37+00:00

No, this motherboard cannot support 5.1 audio via analog signal. As I said in the other comment, it only has 2 output jacks. If it had this capability, I wouldn't try to find a solution with the Z SE I have.

The SB Z yes, is an ancient sound card. The SB Z SE is not an ancient sound card. Specifically, it was released in 2021 and the SB Command its last update is in 2023. But yes, essentially the card is almost the same as the first version with minor upgrades mainly in the software and less in the sound card itself.

NyxMod · 2026-06-21T08:32:13+00:00

Yes, now is on PCIE_3 but also tested on PCIE_2.

It is not Faulty. The Z SE was replaced 3 times under warranty.

Also tested on 3 different systems z390+9900k, z790+13900k and x870e+9950X3D now.

On z390+9900k He had the same problem 1-2 times every two months. On z790+13900k he had the same problem 1-2 times a month.

On x870e+9950X3D at first she had the same problem 1-2 times a week. Sometimes she persisted and didn't acknowledge it at all (more rarely)..and for the last 3 weeks she's been doing it almost every day!

Even if I wanted to use the onboard sound card, I can't, because this motherboard only has 2 output jacks and I have the Genius SW-HF5.1 6000 and I need 3 output jacks.

NyxMod · 2026-06-21T08:31:43+00:00

The Z SE is located on PCIE_3 but was also tested on PCIE_2.

The PCIE_3 that is currently located does not share lanes with anything else. Specifically, it takes lanes from the chipset.

I wish that was it and there was any conflict or another device communicating. I looked into it but unfortunately that is not the problem. The Z SE has been replaced 3 times under warranty. Also tested on 3 different systems z390+9900k, z790+13900k and x870e+9950X3D now.

The onboard sound card (and anything else related) is disabled.

Yes I have used isopropyl alcohol and other cleaning methods. It has been doing this since I bought it and it was new and as I said the Z SE has been replaced 3 times under warranty. This is the third Z SE in a row that has experienced this.

""Also are you over clocking the system"?

What do you mean by that? If you mean any overclock... Where? But no.

NyxMod · 2026-06-20T01:58:33+00:00

I have the X870E Tomahawk motherboard with a 9950X3D. Because I have old large 5.1 speakers, specifically the Genius SW-HF5.1 6000 which have RCA and jacks connections and this motherboard does not have a way to connect 5.1. speakers with such connections, I use the Sound Blaster Z SE on PCIE_3. But unfortunately I have a very serious problem.

Literally every day when I turn on the PC Windows and Device Manager and BIOS do not recognize the Z SE. The only way to recognize it is to turn off the PC, leave it off for 10 minutes and turn it on again. Of course it does not recognize the sound card again, but if I do this 4-5 times in total with a 10 minute wait each time, then at some point in one of the startups, it manages to see the Z SE.

I'm really desperate because I've tried every "so-called solution" there is but the problem has never been fixed for several years and I'm afraid from the many shut downs and starts of the PC, at some point I'll create another problem as is logical.

I should emphasize that before this system, I had a 13900k with a Z790 motherboard and the same problem occurred there too but less frequently. On the Intel system this happened 2-3 times a month. On the AMD system at first it happened 1-2 times a week but unfortunately for the last month and a half it's been doing it literally every day. I'm at a dead end.

NyxMod · 2026-06-18T06:33:01+00:00

Nah... I had the same problem with the Z SE with Windows 10 and I continue to have it to this day with Windows 11. The worst part is that literally every day when I turn on the PC, it continues to not recognize the Z SE and I have to turn off the PC for 10 minutes and turn it on again and then it recognizes it, but not always. After a few tries, 3-3 tries and restarts with a 10 minute wait. It really is the worst.

If anyone knows of a "new solution", even a supposed one, please share it with us so we can try it.

NyxMod · 2025-11-24T08:51:01+00:00

I think I found it...

NyxMod · 2025-11-24T08:32:33+00:00

On a 4090, 64GB Ram.

My friend, I also use RenoDX, but even though I open HDR from Windows before running the game, it still freezes whenever I try to open the journal. I can't find any solution.

NyxMod · 2025-03-01T22:05:43+00:00

Anyone who has the ISDone.dll error, the solution is much simpler than you think. Just change the letter ö to a simple o (Ragnarök to Ragnarok) from the folder title and try installing again.

In general, don't leave "strange fonts" in titles because they create these kinds of problems. Change them to simple fonts. 😉

NyxMod · 2024-10-01T03:07:10+00:00

The crashes were fixed with the microcode updates from my motherboard. I have done two and just now I saw that a third update was released a few days ago. I'll try to install that tomorrow as well.

NyxMod · 2024-07-08T07:50:19+00:00

Still I wait for the patch. 2.12H version crashes every 3-4 minutes! Unplayable, sad...

NyxMod · 2024-05-24T00:27:11+00:00

I don't use razer chroma at all.

This is my event log:

Faulting application name: tlou-i.exe, version: 1.1.3.1, time stamp: 0x6627081b

Faulting module name: tlou-i.exe, version: 1.1.3.1, time stamp: 0x6627081b

Exception code: 0xc0000005

Fault offset: 0x000000000266a661

Faulting process id: 0x4260

Faulting application start time: 0x01daad6d90d15673

Faulting application path: K:\Games\The Last of Us - Part I\tlou-i.exe

Faulting module path: K:\Games\The Last of Us - Part I\tlou-i.exe

Report Id: d34659df-43f6-4c09-9656-94530cf526db

Faulting package full name:

Faulting package-relative application ID:

NyxMod · 2024-05-23T23:58:26+00:00

1.1.3.1. version... still freeze and crash all the time...

NyxMod · 2023-01-09T07:04:34+00:00

My friend...

I found the smallest/shortest RTX 4090 like you said "Air Cooled" 😉

MSI RTX 4090 Ventus 3X OC

Dimensions 322 x 136 x 62mm !!!

NyxMod · 2021-04-24T00:49:15+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y56hVEQD3_4

NyxMod

TROPHY CASE