Symptoms: You run the official SBZ_CD_L13_1_01_10.exe and it immediately tells you to connect a Sound Blaster card.
Fix: This is a Windows 11 security block. You need to disable Driver Signature Enforcement temporarily.
Good news: The Sound Blaster Z and Sound Blaster Z SE use exactly the same driver package. If the SE variant isn't listed, download the standard Sound Blaster Z driver. Creative’s installer detects the hardware ID automatically. sound blaster z se windows 11 link
If you are upgrading from Windows 10, the drivers usually carry over. If you are doing a fresh install, follow these steps to avoid the "Device not detected" error. Symptoms: You run the official SBZ_CD_L13_1_01_10