Needed to do a windows XP reinstall (customer had a dead HDD), but when it came time to install various drivers, there were (as often happens) 3 devices that XP couldn’t install.

A quick visit to microsoft.com and I got 2 drivers installed automatically via microsoft updates. I search around for the audio driver and I eventually find what i’m after (from the SiS website).

The sound is builtin on the SiS741 motherboard (AMD). Its called either alc655, or 7021.

Anyway I download, install, but during the install, I get the message: “error -536870397” in a small window, together with a small icon (a red circle with a white X). I click OK, and the install stops, and the device is not updated in device manager 🙁

Ok, I look around for other drivers. I find 2 more, but both give the same error.

At some point, I stumble across http://forums.pcworld.co.nz/archive/index.php/t-51738.html

I look through the instructions, And I like what FrankS says on 30/11/2004, and also xxxFarrellxxx on 10/08/2005

But since I don’t see the need to burn a CD, I do it slightly differently:

Firstly, I found I didn’t need to do a registry clean.

Then, instead of inserting a CD, I just have the drivers sitting in a folder on the HDD… and I run the setup program from there.

I eventually get to the point where I cannot find an item (as mentioned in the forum instructions). I reboot at that point, then complete the instructions, and the sound driver is finally installed correctly!