Problem with sounds

[Tank]

I upgraded my computer. All but the processor has been upgraded. Quick system-specs summary:

Motherboard: P5NE SLI from ASUS
GFX: Geforce 8800GTX
2 GB RAM (Kingston DDR2)
500W PSU
Processor: 3.0GHz PentiumD

Problem is, hooking my Surround Sound up (using Coaxial cable) to the computer results in naught but the front speakers + subwoofer working. I know all the speakers work; activating the sound-systems own test-program has them all making sounds. Computers set up to 5.1 speakers, using RealTek drivers that came with the Motherboard. It worked with my old MOBO (ASUS P5WD2-E Premium) via optical cable, the new one doesn't have this. Anyways, only front speakers and subwoofer work, the rest are silent as the grave. Anyone have any idea wtf is going on, because playing games lie Bioshock with only front speakers working sucks ass :/

*Yes, I formatted the C-drive since almost all the hardware was new. All drivers are up-to-date; no old drivers causing conflicts.

[Hoopy Frood]

I actually had a similar problem on my system when I set it up. Dell had either wrongly configured something or they forgot to configure it. The software that came with my sound card indicated my speakers were all working and I should have 5.1 sound, but all I had were front speakers and sub-woofer like you. The center channel and the two speakers for the rear channel weren't working except through the test.

By just brute force monkeying around, I discovered that there were multiple things through the sound card utility that had to be set up correctly in order for all speakers to operate when running other applications (or even system sounds for that matter). Naturally, this wasn't documented anywhere. I don't even recall exactly what I did, but it pretty much involved going through every screen tab and function in the utility software and making sure it was all set as it should be.

Yeah, I shouldn't have had to do this. Dell should have set it up correctly and the sound card manufacturer should have provided a utility that didn't require someone to jump through hoops to find every screen that needs to have the same setting in order for the card to work as you expect. If I say I want 5.1, I should only have to set that feature at one point.

[Tank]

Sounds like another nights worth of tinkering, already spent a couple hours gawking at the shit and pushing every friggin' lever and button I could find in the software.

*grumbles about inadequate programmers working for the big companies*