Microsoft update breaks Intel MBO Audio Driver (D945PVS)

After an unidentified Microsoft XP SP3 update, my audio driver has stopped working. My MBO is several years old, but not ancient.

According to Intel's Desktop Utility (from Avocent) this board uses the Intel Azalia audio device, which was originally based on Sigmatel hardware.

Symptoms: Audio is garbled and the Sonic Focus drivers are not loaded ("Sonic Focus drivers must be loaded for this application to work"). The symptom is that level is not manageable and that noise is introduced into the stream. WMP plays nothing.

Likely immediate cause is the failure of the Sonic Focus drivers:

Sonic Focus itself only provides OEM product support and passes the buck back to Intel.

A Microsoft forum pointed to this web page now managed by IDT (company that bought Sigmatel assets).

Luckily (and this is why I try to stick to Intel or Supermicro motherboards) the relevant drivers and documentation are archived efficiently by Intel. I downloaded the new Intel driver sets from:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspxProductID=2374&DwnldID=15520&lang=eng
The audio driver is described as follows:

"Installs the Windows XP integrated audio driver version 5790.3v22 for Intel® Desktop Boards with IDT* 9220, 9221, 9221D, 9223, 9227 or 9274D and a software application that allows you to configure your audio settings. (WHQL certified)

This driver includes the Intel® Audio Studio software.

Media Center XP v 5.1.2600 SP3
English: AUD_allXP_5790.3_PV_IAS_v22.exe DownloadVer:5790.3v22 Date:5/22/2008 Size:24366 (KB) Time @56Kbps:56.40 min
OS:Windows* XP Home Edition, Windows* XP Media Center Edition, Windows* XP Professional, Windows* XP Professional x64 Edition"

Warning: In fact there are two Intel binaries supplied. One provides the drivers and utility, the other provides the GUI needed to manage the drivers. Both are needed.

The Intel Audio studios cannot be uninstalled from Control Panel but Sigmatel drivers can be uninstalled. This is important.

Then install the IDT driver (not the GUI installer ) followed by the GUI.

The install script behaved oddly. It tries to install by running a batch script and start up the service (via a batch file) and the UI (shown below) before the driver is installed. Undaunted, I pointed the installer to the driver in the WDM folder created during the unzip and install process, and then allowed the install to complete. I suggest you do not allow the installer to search the web or elsewhere on the local machine to pick up the driver.

Reboot.

The new (to me) IDT-branded logo will appear with what, if memory serves, is a slightly different version of the GUI that follows.

Note that the IDT Audio Control panel is not available from the Start menu, but rather from the Control Panel. Reconfigure this panel (settings were lost after the reinstall).