For those who have experience installing Audigy 2 ZS OEM

[hu_xu]

First off this card is OEM not OEM System Integrator so it comes with an installation and applications disk. I haven't install it yet because I like to be prepared so anything I might encountered and I read a ton of horror stories installing this both retail and OEM.

Second, my mobo is Intel 865GBF.

Some questions:
1) How do I know which PCI slot to plug it to? I read you should plug it to an IRQ that is unshared. Is that the same thing? How should I check which is unshared and not?
2) Can I update my drivers using the Creative website ones? I know that the OEM is not supported by Creative. I read some people who couldn't...can anyone here verify this and have you experienced it?
3) I read some ppl installed the drivers first before the hardware. huh? But they say it worked better that way. Has anyone here done this?

Okay, now to the bread and butter...basically if you have installed an Audigy 2 ZS OEM just give me what you did step-by-step and any problems or conflicts you came across and how you fixed them.

A BIG thanks to anybody who responds!

 

[turtile]

It doesn't matter which PCI slot you put it in.

 

[BRoWZ]

Ive got that card [oem w/driver discs], Put it in any pci slot, as for for installing, i just put the card in[obviosly disable onboard sound] and then install drivers, add speakers and enjoy great sounds. not sure about updating, never needed to update my sound card drivers.

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

It doesn't matter which PCI slot you put it in.

Look thru your manual to find your unused PCI Slot

 

[hu_xu]

Thanks everyone who replied. I installed the sound card with no problems and can update from the website using the autoupdate feature. But just one more question my card seems to sound soft. In fact it is softer than my previous onboard Realtek 4L Soundmax which was 103 db. I am guessing that my card is softer because it might be running under 1V cause on Creative's website it says 102 db under 1V.

http://www.soundblaster.com/products/Audigy2ZS_platinum_pro/specs.asp

What does this mean? The soundmax has 103db but SNR of 94db...

http://www.soundmax.com/products/information/soundmax4xl.html

...so how could my card sound softer? It's a great card but I really wanted iit to sound loud to match with my 400W Z-560 speaker setup. Any ideas on this Audigy owners?

To add: I disabled on-board sound and deleted its drivers.

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

SNR is the signal to noise ratio. I highly doubt soundmax has that SNR or soundblaster has it's SNR.

My soundblaster which is like the model down for yours (regret getting it) has a SNR of 62, which is far off from it's claimed SNR.

 

[hu_xu]

But why would the Audigy 2 ZS sound softer than the onboard? To its credit though the bass is much more powerful and the quality is hell of a lot better.