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Soundcard under DOS not working

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9 replies

by george_koitchev

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A computer with VXpro+ mainboard has a PCI soundcard ES1938. It works OK under Win98 but does not work properly under DOS. I've tested it with DOOM and other DOS based games. The MIDI channel works, but the digital sound doesn't. On start the computer finds it on some IRQ (on the POST screen). When the driver is loaded, a quiet popping sound is heard from the speakers and reports that the card is properly configured. It finds DOS emulation method DDMA (supports also TDMA and sb-link). And doesn't work! When I've tried to test it on other comp with i430 chipset, it worked OK: driver finds it on different IRQ than POST screen and the DOS emulation method is TDMA. And it works! Please tell me how to get it work on the VXpro+.

9 replies

by qhcomputingny

George,
There are a couple of things that you can try. Test the IRQ setting to see if it is conflicting with another piece of hardware on your computer, if so change it's IRQ setting in the BIOS. Also check to see if you have the IRQ Settings within the game set correctly. You can also get in touch with the manufacturer of your soundcard and see if they have an update that you can download to make your soundcard compatible. Can't think of anything else right now, hope this helps.
Eddie

by cosloot

George there could be a couple things. PCI slots can share resources just like com ports can. Sound cards like some nic cards will not share resources well. Working from DOS is harder. Try going into advanced PCI settings on your motherboard if they are available. They will list your slots and then give you the option of reserving an IRQ for that Slot. The default is 'Auto' and that lets the motherboard asign the IRQs that best way it sees and passes that to the operating system. In Doswith sound cards you must have the IRQ jumpered correctly on the card and a memory address jumpered that does not conflict with anything else. You must have a statement in the autoexec.bat file to set that memory address for the operating system.Then you must also custom install every game or program at the DOS level with those settings in side the program. It does make you appreciate Plug and Play. Hope this helps

by george_koitchev

Sorry, the MB does not have advanced PCI slot properties. The card has no jumpers and automatically assigns IRQ, IO address and DMA channel.

by jdkline

DOS games assume Sound Blaster compatability, which I believe your ESS card is. However, DOS games rely on DOS environment setting to inform them what resources are used by the sound card. Ensure you have a line in your autoexec.bat file like: SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4 where Axxx is memory resource used for the A/D audio conversion, Ix is the IRQ used by the sound card, and Dx is the DMA channel used. If your VXpro+ M/B is reconfiguring your sound card to different setting then the DOS game won't have access to it. Hope this information is helpful, JDKline

by michael roark - ccna/da mcp 3csa

what other devices are loading up under DOS?
why don't you disable everything else, and pick the IRQ that you want for it, to make sure that it's not a IRQ conflict, that's what it sounds like,,
just go into BIOS and reserve the resources,,,
GoodLuck,

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