Audiophile 2496 Server 2008 64 bit Drivers

[Sonic]

I have a Delta Audiophile 2496 sound card and I run windows server 2008 64 bit, there are no drivers at all for this card and you seem to think it is acceptable to have to join the beta testing team which requires a mountain of questions and a fax to join to be able to download the beta drivers.

I find this appalling and I demand to be given access to the beta 64 bit Vista drivers immediately without having to sign anything.

I paid damn good money for this card and the lack of support is disgusting.

[JA]

No M-Audio products are supported under Windows Server Edition Operating Systems (see this FAQ (http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=support.faq&ID=de018bf45b65720dc245ee6d8e6fc460)).

If you are interested in obtaining the beta drivers for a standard 64bit OS (e.g. XP Pro 64, Vista Ultimate 64bit), you must fill out the application; you can scan and e-mail back the NDA, faxing isn't necessary.

[Sonic]

What is your occupation? It mustn't have ANYTHING to do with a computer since even a caveman can comprehend that server 2008 is built on Vista architecture, anything designed to work in a vista environment WILL work in server 2008 environment.

You didn't even bother to read my post, I clearly explained how as an end user I am fully entitled to have drivers that already exist for this to work in a 64 bit environment. This is the most disgusting case of poor business ethics I have ever come across. You have drivers yet you refuse to make them available to me without me jumping through hoops, I am under no obligation nor will I provide you with ANY personal details that you will turn around and sell for profit.

Send me your personal details and I may consider filling out your stupid form... Other wise you'll leave with no other alternative other than to take this to the next level. Have you ever seen the movie falling down?

GIVE ME THE DRIVERS NOW!

[MusicMeister]

They don't have drivers. They have BETA drivers. BETA products are available to the BETA team - period. Because the drivers may not be stable, may have code in them that's not in the final release, etc, they require an NDA. This practice is not unusual.

As for not supporting server edition, that's also a business choice. They don't support it in part for the same reasons they don't support Windows Media Center Edition. The potential add-on's and things removed from the operating system by OEM vendors, coupled with the additional tasks taken on by servers means that the software could respond in unusual ways. Does it mean that it 'won't' work? No. It means that if it doesn't work then you're on your own. I ran (and run) a number of M-Audio products on Windows Media Center Edition and it worked flawlessly. However, I'm one of the LUCKY ones. I know lots of people that it DOESN'T work for. BTW, I also run those products on XP Pro and Vista.

And before you go off spouting that I don't know anything about computers, I was first certified as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on Windows NT 3.51. I was a Microsoft Certified Trainer for more than 5 years. I'm certified on a huge number of products, worked as a consultant and contractor doing systems analysis, systems administration, network administration, computer security work (including tiger team, and other advanced techniques which require advanced knowledge of the underlying OS) for some small companies like Seimens, Charles Schwab, Walt Disney, US Coast Guard, Joint Program Office (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines), and many more. BTW, I was also a published columnist. I currently work as a Data Communication and Database Manager for a utility company. Maybe, just maybe, I know a 'little' about computers.

And no, I don't work for M-Audio. But what they're doing is not unusual. If you don't want to sign the NDA or join the beta team you just need to wait until they have PUBLIC drivers available.

[Sonic]

They don't have drivers. They have BETA drivers. BETA products are available to the BETA team - period. Because the drivers may not be stable, may have code in them that's not in the final release, etc, they require an NDA. This practice is not unusual.

As for not supporting server edition, that's also a business choice. They don't support it in part for the same reasons they don't support Windows Media Center Edition. The potential add-on's and things removed from the operating system by OEM vendors, coupled with the additional tasks taken on by servers means that the software could respond in unusual ways. Does it mean that it 'won't' work? No. It means that if it doesn't work then you're on your own. I ran (and run) a number of M-Audio products on Windows Media Center Edition and it worked flawlessly. However, I'm one of the LUCKY ones. I know lots of people that it DOESN'T work for. BTW, I also run those products on XP Pro and Vista.

And before you go off spouting that I don't know anything about computers, I was first certified as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer on Windows NT 3.51. I was a Microsoft Certified Trainer for more than 5 years. I'm certified on a huge number of products, worked as a consultant and contractor doing systems analysis, systems administration, network administration, computer security work (including tiger team, and other advanced techniques which require advanced knowledge of the underlying OS) for some small companies like Seimens, Charles Schwab, Walt Disney, US Coast Guard, Joint Program Office (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines), and many more. BTW, I was also a published columnist. I currently work as a Data Communication and Database Manager for a utility company. Maybe, just maybe, I know a 'little' about computers.

And no, I don't work for M-Audio. But what they're doing is not unusual. If you don't want to sign the NDA or join the beta team you just need to wait until they have PUBLIC drivers available.

You're a nobody, you have no influence on the outcome of this problem. Why waste my time with your worthless drivel?

MCSE? WOAH! LOOOOKOUT!

Bottom line, make the beta driver available to customers like ME who have been swindled, while you take over 18months to make some damn proper drivers!

[MusicMeister]

You're right. I have no influence on the outcome of your issue. But the point remains -

I explained WHY you can't get them without filling out the forms.

I further explained why the server version of your operating system isn't supported nor likely to be supported anytime in the near future.

You haven't been 'swindled' no matter what you think. 18 months? Interesting since Windows Server 2008 was only released on February 27, 2008. Or just 5 months, 1 day ago.

Now if you're referring to Vista, it was released on January 30, 2007 - which is just 2 days shy of 17 months.

BTW, ALL drivers on the 64-bit version of Vista require that they be digitally signed. That process also takes time.

Not to mention that you didn't pay attention to Microsoft's own warnings regarding verifying that the software would run under the 64-bit version and that drivers are available before making the jump to that OS.

All this aside... you're in the same position. Either fill out the forms and send back the NDA or wait. Arguing with me won't change that. Arguing with other people won't change that. And all the complaining in the world isn't likely going to change it.

Your request for information has been answered. JA has also contacted you directly to make alternative means for sending back the forms/NDA.

As for the 'selling info for a profit' - M-Audio has lots of information about me and I've never had any information sent to me as a result of that disclosure. If you're really concerned about that might I recommend you read the privacy policy of Avid/M-Audio, and then maintain a copy for your own personal reference.

If you don't want to wait and refuse to fill out the forms, you can either move to a 32-bit OS, or see if you can write the drivers yourself.

[lizardman]

Oh yes I hear ya with your complain! I feel exactly the same way! I now finally installed Vista 64bit because I need those goddamn 4GB RAM and I cannot use my Delta 2496 because M-Audio doesn't give away the driver!
I've made an inquiry about 3-4 months ago and was ignored, now I tried it again. Let's see if I get ANYTHING to hear from them! If not my anger will make me want to spread bad reputation!

How long do they need for the closed beta?? The last driver date is from March!! It seems nothing is happening at all! No progress!!

Here's what I've wrote to them:
--
Hello,
I have inquired for joining the beta for the Vista 64bit driver about 3-4 months ago and haven't got any answer for that yet. It seems nothing has changed so far, the driver is still in closed beta. I now upgraded to Vista 64bit and CANNOT use my Delta Audiophile 2496 beceause there is no driver openly available! This is inacceptable! I hereby request to get access to the Vista 64bit driver so that I can use my M-Audio hardware for that I've paid money to you!

Please don't ignore me again, Thank you!
--

I hope they don't let me hang this time or it's time for me to look for a card with a more reliable manufacturer behind it!

[Peakdesign]

Folks, calm down! Don't bang your heads against the wall! All this aggressive verbiage, Sonic, changes nothing, because it is obvious from indirect evidence that M-Audio cannot comply with your pleas or threats, because apparently they have nobody on staff that can write a proper driver, or if they have one such person, that person is busy with more important projects. There aren't that many programmers who know how to work in Kernel space, they are in demand, they are busy, and they fetch good money. Get different hardware if you need new working drivers, or use what they have working.

[BlackBurst]

Soundcards and interfaces are not all that expensive these days. We live in an imperfect world. Stuff breaks, fails, or has design flaws. People do their best and sometimes don't always live up to our expectations. Same with gear. It's useful to be able to flex with the times and move on. Keep the hardware for future use when its' ready, and till then just try something else after doing a bit more research on it. This is not an unusual thing to do in the wild and unpredictable world of computers.

[DFries]

I have had the audiophile 24/96 since december. I was lucky in that the drivers for vista 32 were released about a week after i bought it when i read people were complaining for YEARS about them not being available. It worked for a month and then my computer went to sh*t. I finally z.

[lizardman]

Soundcards and interfaces are not all that expensive these days. We live in an imperfect world. Stuff breaks, fails, or has design flaws. People do their best and sometimes don't always live up to our expectations. Same with gear. It's useful to be able to flex with the times and move on. Keep the hardware for future use when its' ready, and till then just try something else after doing a bit more research on it. This is not an unusual thing to do in the wild and unpredictable world of computers.

You know what? That is exactly what I did when WinVista was released. there was not even a 32bit driver until almost a year after Vista release so I've bought another card, a Terratec Phase D (or something like that, don't remember exactly). Then end of last year I've bought NI Kore 2 and it turned out that the Terratec card isn't working with Kore and makes the Kore driver go crash. took me a good while to figure this out! Luckily at that time the 32bit driver for the old Delta card became available in between so I could fall back to that card again and I've been happy all the time with it otherwise.
So I don't want to yet again try another card that introduces new problems, cost money etc. It can't be that hard to write a 64bit driver! After all many other companies did so already.

[neptunefix]

I find it amusing that all the other companies have come up with Vista x64 drivers a long time ago. Why is m-audio so far behind? I used to think they were cutting edge, but nothing has really changed in years. How long does it take to write a mostly functional driver? I'm putting my delta audiophile and delta 1010 up for sale pretty soon if nothing changes. Even my crappy Edirol USB interface had had solid Vista x64 drivers out a long time ago. Presonus is looking better and better..