The default for SB is IRQ 7, so why are you starting with 5? Do you have sbtype=sb16 or something else? Are you mounting a BIN/CUE with audio tracks? I mention the audio tracks, because the install program tries to play one as part of its audio test...

It's working fine here in 0.74 with default settings. Pressing the Test button plays music and an engine sound effect; then pressing the Accept button exits the install program with settings saved in the GT.CFG file.

my original conf file I got with dosbox had the irq set to 5. I manually changed it to 7 and that is what i generally start with. I only switched it back to 5 if I have a game that acts up on the sound.

Currently my settings are:

[sblaster]
sbtype=sb16
sbbase=220
irq=7
dma=1
hdma=5
sbmixer=true
oplmode=auto
oplemu=default
oplrate=44100

When I go to the install (which after HD install simply launches the sound settings), I choose soundblaster and it highlights all the proper settings. Then I hit test and it resets back to None.

And yes, I am mounting a bin/cue.

Cue file is as follows:
FILE "gt.BIN" BINARY
REM SESSION 01
TRACK 01 MODE1/2352
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
INDEX 01 13:41:01
TRACK 03 AUDIO
INDEX 01 19:09:23
TRACK 04 AUDIO
INDEX 01 23:26:17
TRACK 05 AUDIO
INDEX 01 29:23:60
TRACK 06 AUDIO
INDEX 01 35:05:71
TRACK 07 AUDIO
INDEX 01 40:36:48
TRACK 08 AUDIO
INDEX 01 44:47:66
TRACK 09 AUDIO
INDEX 01 49:03:12
TRACK 10 AUDIO
INDEX 01 53:21:62

My autoexec section states:
mount c .\games\GTRacing
imgmount d .\games\GTRacing\cd\gt.cue -t iso
c:
cd GT97
cls
#GTRACING
#exit

I currently have the launch file commented out so that i can manually execute the install.exe

Your cue differs from the one I have on the first audio track, I think due to how image tools handle pregap differently on mixed mode discs. I tried using your cue with my bin, but it seems to work just as well, at least for the purpose of the install program and configuring sound.

Try again with ALL default settings, not just default SB settings. If it still doesn't work then maybe post a DIR listing of the root of the game disc for the purpose of comparing file sizes and date stamps.

It worked using a default conf. I went line by line and checked every setting, the only one I had different was memsize was set to 32 on mine and it was 16 on the default.

Now it recognizes the sound and the game starts up great... however it tells me to put the cd-rom in the drive when i try to actually hit "play" from the main menu...?

If you're not going to heed the advice in the conf file that tells you to stick with the default of memsize=16 unless you have a good reason to do otherwise, at least always use the default when troubleshooting...

The game has a number of CD-checks, and one of them is based on audio track start/stop times. This cuesheet should make the game happy (it does for me), but the pregap may introduce a 2-second skew in the audio because your BIN was apparently made with a different imaging tool.

1FILE "GT97.BIN" BINARY
2  TRACK 01 MODE1/2352
3    INDEX 01 00:00:00
4  TRACK 02 AUDIO
5    PREGAP 00:02:00
6    INDEX 01 13:39:01
7  TRACK 03 AUDIO
8    INDEX 01 19:07:23
9  TRACK 04 AUDIO
10    INDEX 01 23:24:17
11  TRACK 05 AUDIO
12    INDEX 01 29:21:60
13  TRACK 06 AUDIO
14    INDEX 01 35:03:71
15  TRACK 07 AUDIO
16    INDEX 01 40:34:48
17  TRACK 08 AUDIO
18    INDEX 01 44:45:66
19  TRACK 09 AUDIO
20    INDEX 01 49:01:12
21  TRACK 10 AUDIO
22    INDEX 01 53:19:62

Be sure to go into the game options and switch the graphics to SVGA. 😉

Unfortunately my copy didn't like your cue file. This makes me think I have a bad image...?

I can use your cue with my bin and it causes the game to not recognize the disc as correct.

Did you change the name of the BIN file in the cuesheet? Because it seems yours is named differently. When you say it doesn't "like" the cuesheet, what exactly happens?

Yes, i changed the name of the bin in the cue sheet. basically I get the exact same issue as before, it gets to where you choose train or new championship and when you choose that it prompts the insert cd screen.

I have found that running the install program without the cd mounted causes it to hang at a black screen, so I know the cd is at least mounting using the cue file. It just isn't passing the check.

I'm getting this issue on my new PC, running an original CD-ROM copy of the game. The Soundblaster is detected fine on the old PC using DOSBox (using the Daum version), but when I copy the DOSBox and game install folders over, it's failing as described!

I enabled Gravis UltraSound in DOSBox, and that works in the game, but the CD music keeps stuttering, juddering the gameplay (the music plays fine in Windows Media Player).

Any ideas? I tried defining different CPU setups and using older that SB16 in DOSBox, but neither seem to work.

i had found a fix but I'll have to look at my conf to figure out what it was. I'll try to post back tomorrow with the fix.

I found out the music judder happens on other DOSBox games too (e.g. Screamer) so it's something to do with how the CD-ROM is being read for CD audio in my DOSBox setup. But the soundcard issue above remains.

Actually just fixed the CD stutter, using: To enable ioctl access using MCI for CD audio (Windows-only): - mount e e:\ -t cdrom -ioctl_mci

Just for future reference: I just stumbled over the same problem and found out that everything over 174.000 cycles stops the sound over Soundblaster from working. However, it doesn't seem to be a problem to raise the cycles while the game is running, bust they mustn't be over 174.000 when launching the game.