VOGONS


First post, by Vipersan

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

So ..anyone who has read my 'Mystery Meat' thread will know I built this from a motherboard I found in the loft ..
and wanted a multi OS system which I have successfully now done ..with pull out IDE caddies.
Runs Win 95os2 Win98se WinMe ..Win 2000 and WinXPpro
So whats missing ??
Pure DOS and possibly win 3.1 ..
For all the working OS I have a gainward Graphics card..and a Soundblaster LIve for Sound.
Although I can get DOS to run ...it is sadly without sound ..
I have got DOS to sort of recognise the Live drivers ..but constant errors regarding resource untilisation & conflicts ..and I've tried everything I can think of ..
As we retro builders know ..PCI isn't really the way to go when it comes to DOS ...ISA would be better.
Problem ..this ASUS A7V8X-X mobo is PCI only ..thus my choices are restricted to PCI.
I figured I might try an Audigy 2 ZS ...which If I can get running with DOS ..I'll replace the Live in all OS's
Has anyone used this Audigy in a pure DOS environment ?
If so ..how so ...
I dont have the original CD ..though it may be available in Vogons Drivers archive..
.but chances are ..there are no DOS drivers on the CD.
Can anyone help or advise ?
rgds
VS

Last edited by Vipersan on 2018-08-12, 16:31. Edited 3 times in total.

Reply 1 of 21, by Vipersan

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

For now I re-installed the SB Live ...so perhaps someone can help me get sound with it in DOS 7.1
I am using Expanded Memory + PS2Mouse + CDROM

I run up SBEINIT ..
so far so good I get ...
CREATIVE SB16 EMULATION DRIVER CURRENTLY LOADED

I run up SBEGO ..I get
ERROR is SB EMULATION ENABLED ??

I run up SBESET ..I get
ERROR SB/MPU/JOY PORT ADDRESS CONFLICTING

but with what ??

Obviously the reason I cannot detect card or get sound in a game..

Here is my Autoexec.bat
(please understand I am a relative newb to DOS ...but trying to feel my way.)

>>>>>
@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $p$g
SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 H5 P330 T6
SET CTSYN=C:\drv\creative\dosdrv
C:\DRV\CREATIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM
PATH C:\DOS
SET TEMP=C:\DOS
GoTo %config%
:EMC
:XMC
:CMC
LH C:\DOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:OPTICAL
:EM
:XM
:CM
LH C:\DRIVERS\CTMOUSE.EXE /R2
:E
:X
:C

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Config.sys
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[COMMON]
DOS=HIGH,UMB
FILES=40
BUFFERS=40
LASTDRIVE=H

[menu]
menuitem=EMC, Expanded memory + Mouse + CD-ROM
menuitem=XMC, Extended memory + Mouse + CD-ROM
menuitem=CMC, Conventional Memory only + Mouse + CD-ROM
menuitem=EM, Expanded memory + Mouse
menuitem=XM, Extended memory + Mouse
menuitem=CM, Conventional memory only + Mouse
menuitem=E, Expanded memory
menuitem=X, Extended memory
menuitem=C, Conventional memory only

menudefault=EMC,10

[EMC]
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE RAM
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DRIVERS\VIDECDD.SYS /D:OPTICAL

[XMC]
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DRIVERS\VIDECDD.SYS /D:OPTICAL

[CMC]
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DRIVERS\VIDECDD.SYS /D:OPTICAL

[EM]
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE RAM

[XM]
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF

[CM]

[E]
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE RAM

[X]
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF

[C]

Reply 2 of 21, by Ageve

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Check the IRQ/DMA-settings in Windows 98se, and make sure there's no conflict between the emulation settings in DOS, and the "real" IRQ of the soundcard (or DMA of other hardware).

Use the settings from the "SB16 emulation" driver in Windows. It has always worked for me.

The DOS settings are stored in C:\drv\creative\dosdrv\ctsyn.ini.

Then change the SET BLASTER values to match the ctsyn.ini, and it should work (if the motherboard/chipset supports it).

Attachments

  • ctsyn.ini settings.jpg
    Filename
    ctsyn.ini settings.jpg
    File size
    187.62 KiB
    Views
    1563 views
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

Reply 3 of 21, by Vipersan

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Sadly ..I'm still getting the same conflict error ...but maybe I need change more than just editing the ctsyn.ini

This is the version I had in creative Dos drivers ..
--------------------------------------------------------------------
[ctsyn.drv]
OPLPort=388
MPUPort=330
SBPort=220
SBIRQ=7
SBDMALO=1
SBDMAHI=5
SBEnable=true
JoyEnable=true
Waveset=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\default.ecw
PCIPort=d400
PCIIRQ=9
JoyPort=200

..........................................................
This is ctsyn.ini copied directly from Win98se (which works under windows)
............................................................
[ctsyn.drv]
OPLPort=388
MPUPort=330
SBPort=220
SBIRQ=5
SBDMALO=1
SBDMAHI=5
SBEnable=true
JoyPort=200
JoyEnable=true
Waveset=C:\DRV\CREATIVE\DOSDRV\default.ecw
PCIPort=1000
PCIIRQ=11

Waveset=C:\DRV\CREATIVE\DOSDRV\default.ecw

[SBEMIXER]
MasterVolL=192
MasterVolR=192
WaveVolL=192
WaveVolR=192
CDVolL=192
CDVolR=192
SynthVolL=192
SynthVolR=192
MT32=-
..........................................................
This is the edited ctsyn.ini ...with which I overwrote in the DOS instalation which fails..
..........................................................
[ctsyn.drv]
OPLPort=388
MPUPort=330
SBPort=220
SBIRQ=5
SBDMALO=1
SBDMAHI=5
SBEnable=true
JoyEnable=true
Waveset=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\default.ecw
PCIPort=1000
PCIIRQ=11
JoyPort=200

...............obviously I am missing something important or totally misunderstanding something ????

rgds
and thanks for trying to help btw.
have I missed anything ?
perhaps the order is important ?
perhaps I need to edit something in config.sys as well ???

Reply 4 of 21, by Ageve

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Check the settings in Windows Device manager as well (both for emulation and the actual card). I'm not sure if Windows uses the settings in ctsyn.ini.

These should match the hardware resources for the SB Live! in Windows:
PCIPort=1000
PCIIRQ=11

Also make sure the IRQ/DMAs for DOS emulation aren't used by some other hardware in the system.

These are the motherboards I have tried:

Working:
Abit BH6 (440BX)
Aopen AX6C (i820)
Asus TUSL-C (i815)
Fujitsu Siemens D1215 (i815)

Not working:
Abit IS7-E / E2 (i865)

Attachments

  • 207CUKy.jpg
    Filename
    207CUKy.jpg
    File size
    52.96 KiB
    Views
    1551 views
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

Reply 5 of 21, by Vipersan

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

That sort of is my worry ..that the chipset is hogging/using resources ..and that somehow windows can circumvent this by resource sharing ..wheras Dos cannot..
It is indeed very frustrating ...as there is no way to indicate what is conflicting with the Joyport /SB emu

Reply 7 of 21, by Vipersan

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

So by way of eliminating everything external to the mobo ..
Obviously I need the Live card ..and the graphics card ..
I pulled everything else..
just in case.
result ..no change ..
IMO the sound card is in conflict with the motherboard ...but no idea what ?
I went into the bios and made sure the onboard sound card ...and the joystick header were diasabled ..even though not in use ..
the conflict remains sadly..
It could well be this Asus notherboard will never work with SB Live & pure DOS..
grrrr

Reply 8 of 21, by Ageve

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Vipersan wrote:

It could well be this Asus notherboard will never work with SB Live & pure DOS..

Yeah, it seems like it won't.

What settings for PCIPORT and PCIIRQ did you end up using? They were different in the two ini-files above, and they need to match the real hardware address and IRQ.

You could disable COM, LPT etc in the BIOS as well, but it's much easier to just check it in Windows. In DOS it's like finding a needle in a haystack 😉

Reply 9 of 21, by Vipersan

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

I did try disabling LPT port ..but that didn't help ..
And am fairly certain it is
PCIPort=d400
PCIIRQ=9
I should be using ..but that didn't work either ..
So looks like DOS is a no go on this mobo with SB Live..
I guess Mystery Meat will remain a Win only system..with silent DOS.

I do have an ISA AWE 64 arriving soon ..and will be building yet another Retro system ..using the Digimate mobo I uncovered recently ..
It will be a Socket 370 dual boot DOS/Win 3.1 - Win98se combo
AWE64 ISA SB
GeCube R9250LP-C3H Radeon 9250 128MB AGP Graphics Card
160gb IDE HD
Perhaps I'll have more luck with that.
Problem is ..I don't have a suitable ATX case

Reply 10 of 21, by canthearu

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

If found that I had resource problems initially with a VIA P4 motherboard trying to get SB live emulation working on it.

I disabled all the hardware I could in the BIOS and that freed up one of the low IRQs for use with sound emulation. Then it worked just fine.

So go into BIOS and disable any IDE/SATA controllers, sound, ethernet, serial, parrallel that you are not using, and see if that frees enough resources to let the emulation drivers work.

Regarding you new Socket 370 setup you are planing, use a different video card if you want better compatibility with DOS software. I have found Radeon 9xxx cards are kinda not great at DOS emulation. I would suggest a geforce 2 or geforce 4 mx if you want a cheaper card.

Reply 11 of 21, by Vipersan

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Thanks for the advice ..
I'll try and disable as much as possible to see what works ...but I suspect it might throw out the other OS ..so may not be worth it in the long run ..
...particularly as I'm building yet another PC ..
thanks also for the graphics card advice on the 370
rgds
VS

Reply 12 of 21, by Falcosoft

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Hi,
I had similar problems with SB Live and VIA KT133A and I had to set PCI resources manually. On my PC with automatic setting PCIIRQ 9 conflicted with ACPI Controller. You can check if you have similar problem by pressing pause/break right after the 1st boot screen:

BootInf.JPG
Filename
BootInf.JPG
File size
445.76 KiB
Views
1482 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

If problem confirmed you should find a similar part in your BIOS and set your resources manually. If you have disabled COM/LPT ports, IRQ 3/4/7 are good candidates for SB Live PCI IRQ:

PCIConf.JPG
Filename
PCIConf.JPG
File size
348.96 KiB
Views
1482 views
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Sometimes you can also resolve such conflicts by changing which PCI slot you put your SB Live in.

Website, Facebook, Youtube
Falcosoft Soundfont Midi Player + Munt VSTi + BassMidi VSTi
VST Midi Driver Midi Mapper

Reply 13 of 21, by Vipersan

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Thanks Falcon ..
all good advice which I shall be trying ..

btw canthearu ..
I dug out another graphics card that will fit in the socket 370 board ..
Sadly missing its fan ..which is easily fixed ..if worth the effort.
The card I suspect is some sort of geforce variation ?
again made by nvidia
it is a 180-p0003-100-d02 ...
256mb
VGA only no DVI
do you have an opinion on this card ..
Would it make a reasonable gamer ?
cheers

Reply 14 of 21, by canthearu

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

180-p0003-100-d02

Looks to be a Geforce 256 card, 32meg memory.

It would be pretty good for DOS gaming with good compatibility, but not the fastest card you could put in windows. Might somewhat limit maximum performance with a fast socket 370 system.

Reply 16 of 21, by canthearu

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
Vipersan wrote:
Thanks for the reply buddy .. I'll use it for this build then ..but keep my eyes peeled for something better.. any recommendatio […]
Show full quote

Thanks for the reply buddy ..
I'll use it for this build then ..but keep my eyes peeled for something better..
any recommendations ?
rgds
VS

The Geforce 2 GTS or Geforce 3 cards would be very nice in this machine, and quite period correct.

The fastest Geforce 4 MX you can find would be good for a cheaper option, but not really as period correct if that concerns you.

Geforce 4 Ti and Geforce FX is probably a bit too fast for any pentium-III, but if you get one cheap, I wouldn't say they are a terrible choice.