Windows XP SP3 RC and HDA Don't Mix

If you want High Definition Audio (HDA) in Windows XP SP1 or SP2, you have to add it, with KB888111. Hopes were that Windows XP SP3 would support HDA by default, but testers have determined that the Release Candidate (RC) version neither supports it by default, nor does it support the above linked driver that adds that feature.

Oops.

But this is why it's an RC, not a released version. According to a Microsoft TechNet forum post by Seth Wall (Microsoft) in this thread:

There are currently no plans to support HD Audio by default in XP SP3. However, there are currently plans in the works regarding a separate compatibility fix for HD Audio Drivers for XP SP3 users. Thanks!

For some users it worked. That's because they had HDA installed prior to adding SP3 RC.

In another post in that thread, Microsoft says:

If you had HD audio drivers installed before installing XP SP3-RC, you would not face any problems. The drivers would work as usual.

Once XP SP3 is released, the HD audio hotfix (KB888111) would be installable on XP SP3.

Naturally Microsoft's recommendation is install SP2 first, add HDA, then SP3. But what do you do if you want to install SP3 RC from scratch, say from a slipstreamed install CD?

It's still doable. Yet another post in that thread from an end user (Promathesh Mandal) says (why Microsoft didn't give users this workaround is beyond me):

First extract all the content of 'kb888111xpsp2' with WinRAR (obviously, any similar utility should work), here you will find a folder named 'commonfiles'. This folder contain the 'Microsoft UAA Function Driver for High Definition Audio'.

After that you goto 'Device Manager' here you will find a unknown devices named 'PCI Device' in 'Other Devices' install 'Microsoft UAA Function Driver for High Definition Audio' for that device & after that install your sound device driver.

Still, like I said, this is why it's RC, and not released! Good luck with SP3!