optical SPDIF on live driveII doesn't work.

I'm on an asus p4c800-d with winxp, with a live! plat with LiveII
drive (though the promotional swap of driveI+$50) Now when i first
setup my system i was using win98 then winME for a while, back early
2001 i think. I made regular recording from my SPDIF optical out on my
driveii to my minidisc. also watched dvd film with 5.1 surround sound
through my pc speakers by connecting my ps2 to the SPDIF in. It was
wonderful, it was why i spend around 400 for this setup (creative
speakers, sb live plat, and driveII).

then one aweful day my live driveii disappered. oh sure the headphone
and mic jack worked but the two spdif in/out even with power (red beam
functioning) didn't give out any signals. Also when i go to the
audioHQ(sp??) and click device setup i dont get the four taps i used
to. I've upgraded with both the lastest version of drivers on CL
website and the cd which came with live!. I tried installing the
driveii fix from asiaCL site but says i don't have live sb installed/.
also on device mananger the sb comes out as value.

ps. its been a long time so i not to confident that this problem with
resolve itself but i'll never get a sb again.

jay

Does no one know the answer to my problem? I've read a lot of articles
that deals with this problem with a CL representive always suggesting
the 3 solutions that doesn't work, and then gives no follow up. I've
also read in a the register article that says that winXP disabled the
digital out function to protect against piracy but didn't mention CL
directly. Any idea?

Please does anyone have a MD that can directly record from there SPDIF
digital out from the driveII (or hoontect)? I really want to know. Any
reply would be greatly appreciated.

jay