I have no interest in 3D audio. I simply like the clear wave output, the gameport, and the DOS compatibility. So far, my issues with Windows 98 are: Gobliins 2 freezes after playing a few SFX in Soundblaster mode in DOS. Of course, we all know what bastions of stability Coktel Vision games are. The computer randomly just rebooted while playing Sonic 3 and Knuckles with Vortex MIDI and my Sidewinder, and a few random BSODs here and there. But I can only be sure the first problem is related to the card, and not being able to play Gobliins 2 isn't going to keep me up at night.

Other strange things: no general MIDI in DOS, somehow DOS games seem to recognize my Sidewinder, (only tried using it in Windows so far) short freezes playing MIDI through Vortex, this seems most noticeable in Lemmings. And I think the Soundmax driver also provides Soundblaster DSP emulation, this could cause some strange conflicts.

If you really only care about DOS games, you want an ISA sound card. Probably a Sound Blaster Pro 2.0 for the best possible compatibility. ESS ES16xx and ES18xx are solid too because of their great OPL3-like synth and SBPro compatibility and usually have a DB header (tho often with weird placement). SB16 or SB16-based cards (ie AWE) actually have iffy SBPro and SB compatibility, and lots of DOS games don't support SB16 directly.

PCI sound cards do some shaky emulation to make themselves appear as an ISA card for DOS games. They also tend to have awful OPL emulation. And the DB header on Vortex cards is also flaky in DOS.

Some people here use external MIDI modules to avoid the pain of DB header compatibility and sound quality impact.

No arguments from me about that. If the PSU dies, I'll probably try to replace it with a board with ISA, as the board doesn't accept other PSUs. I actually have an ESS card but mine's got a really shitty sounding OPL clone. 😵 I also have no interest in daughterboards.

I'd love someday to have an external MIDI synth. (Roland? Can't think of others.) But they're so hard to come by, and when you do whoever has it would want a fortune. Probably not happening soon.

Are you playing these games from within Windows or in MS-DOS mode?

PCI cards work well with later DOS games. But some of the games you mention: You really need to build in ISA machine for them.

Really, did anyone expect Gobliins 2 to run well in a sound card emulator? Ok, maybe VDMsound and NTVDM! 🤣 Lemmings is the Windows 95 version. I actually don't like the DOS version. Besides that, I'm not sure what other games you're thinking of. Certainly I like a lot of DOS games where you'd want a (preferably early) ISA machine. I could probably make it happen, just gotta mull some stuff over. Maybe in another thread...

Do it 😀

I got some video guides to make it easier 😀

I would go for a Pentium (not 2). So versatile when it comes to DOS games.

Ok, I made a topic about it! Now, let's stop derailing the topic! 😎 If there's more to say about Aureal, then let's have it!

Mau1wurf1977 wrote on 2014-08-21, 03:03:

Latest drivers: http://www.philscomputerlab.com/aureal.html […]
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Latest drivers: http://www.philscomputerlab.com/aureal.html

Just unpack, go to device manager > update drivers and point to the folder.

There is a documented issue to do with PCI recognition but you get a very specific error message. There is a workaround, but I don't think you have this problem.

Try another PCI slot...

does not work on ME , lot's of missing setup-files.

Sorry, was my fault, I have to keep the A3Demo-Files because they were installed too.
But I have another issue because after installing the VIA drivers I get a VXD-Error and the system does not start anymore.

I think I will change the machine to a soundstorm mcp-t device. perhaps that the better option. Shitty VIA/SIS and other crappy chipsets.

@dr.zeissler i was having those same problems - S370 VIA apollo Pro, Turtle beach vortex 1 - the sound card ran fine until installing chipset drivers and then i would either get boot lockups or games would crash instantly. changing to a yamaha pci card fixed everything.

i tried several drivers in w98se, changed pci slots, removed other excess pci cards. no fix apart from changing sound card.