VOGONS


First post, by tomoya97

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

So after all this years I´ve finally gotten my first DOS Retro PC, an Acerpac DX4 with a AMD 5x86 P75 (Although I still need to set the multiplier jumper to 2x and see why it's only reporting 8k of L1 cache), I've installed MS DOS 7.1 from a Windows 98 SE boot disk, Philscomputerlab MS DOS starter pack and Windows 3.11 without any problem, but I haven't been able to setup the Audio Card, apparently it's a Acermagic MP23 (Crystal CS4232-KQ EP and a Yamaha OPL Chip, the modem stuff seems to be from Cirrus Logic), it's one of those freaks that combine a sound card with a modem. First I tried to use sort of a generic CS4232 driver, but it couldn't find a Crystal Card and failed to load, then a S23 one with the same results, I've search for the specific driver for this card, but I've only found one for Windows 95 (I tried that too, and it only screwed up my config.sys file). Does anybody knows who made this card, know how to setup the jumpers to sort of force it into soundcard only mode, or at least have some compatible drivers (For DOS and W3.11)?

Reply 2 of 8, by Jo22

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Sorry, I don't have a driver either. But I suggest running Win98SE for testing purposes. It often came with a lot of drivers for strange devices.
I once had a Compaq Deskpro with "Business Audio" that only worked there, since I couldn't find any drivers.

PS: There's also a thread about a CS4232-KQ - Perfect ISA soundcard, in theory

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 3 of 8, by tomoya97

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

IT'S WORKING!!!!. Well, at least under Windows 95, even the modem part seems to be working, all I needed to do was to clean the contacts with a paper eraser and alcohol, Sound Blaster music sounds INCREDIBLE, really clean and classy, the CD is not working, but it might be my CD Player, I have a Creative one around to swap it, so I will give it a try.

Reply 5 of 8, by tomoya97

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Well, let's start with the good news, I found the actual manufacturer of this card, it was made by Aopen, and surprisingly enough they still have all the necessary drivers for DOS, Windows 3.x, 9x and NT on their website (Under the Downloads -> Fax/Modems section), and even though the standard CS4232 driver works just as well, I would like to add these drivers to the VOGONS's Vintage Driver Library (or ask an admin to add them).

Now the bad news, it doesn't work properly under DOS (and no, it's not because of the driver, the same happens when using the S23 one), it works flawlessly under Windows 3.11, it plays MIDI files and the Windows sounds effects without any problem, but when playing DOOM or DOOM II, for example, the FM Music plays just fine, but it lacks the sounds effects, Duke Nukem II seems to detect an Adlib compatible soundcard, but not a SoundBlaster one, any way it doesn't play either music or SFXs, Tyrian detects a SoundBlaster card, but again no music nor SFXs, and Jill of the Jungle just locks up when trying to detect the sound hardware.

Now for the record, I'm using MS DOS 7.10 taken from a custom No Ramdrive Windows 98 SE boot disk (I have yet to try it under a retail version of DOS 6.22), could this be the problem?

Reply 6 of 8, by gerwin

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I use cards with CS4232 chipset a lot: Acer/Aopen Magic S23 and Terratec Maestro 32/96. The games you mention are all working fine out here*. Even on my 486, but only after updating its BIOS to a late 1995 one.
CS4232 is a Plug-and-Play chipset and requires a PnP BIOS to set it up. Other PnP devices can sometimes push it into weird settings, after which a 'Reset resource configuration' is required in the BIOS etc.. Or upload a modded PnP header to the card, or try different override settings with the CS4232C.exe DOS driver/initialiser.

* have never tried Duke Nukem II

--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul

Reply 7 of 8, by tomoya97

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
gerwin wrote:

I use cards with CS4232 chipset a lot: Acer/Aopen Magic S23 and Terratec Maestro 32/96. The games you mention are all working fine out here*. Even on my 486, but only after updating its BIOS to a late 1995 one.
CS4232 is a Plug-and-Play chipset and requires a PnP BIOS to set it up. Other PnP devices can sometimes push it into weird settings, after which a 'Reset resource configuration' is required in the BIOS etc.. Or upload a modded PnP header to the card, or try different override settings with the CS4232C.exe DOS driver/initialiser.

* have never tried Duke Nukem II

I used to play all this games without any problem with this card when using it under DOS mode in Windows 98 SE.
I just installed a retail version of MS DOS 6.22 and another version of the MP32 Driver (there are only Windows 95 Drivers for the MP23 I have), just like before, the Windows stuff works flawlessly, unlike before, now I have AdLib music in all of the games I've tried, but no Digital Soundblaster sounds, I'm messing around with the IRQ and DMA settings.
** BTW, when playing Jill of the Jungle with the sound effects activated, the games kind of freezes for half a second whenever a sound effect is supposed to be played.
*Can I just disable the modem part of the card on the BIOS, via software or with the jumpers?

Reply 8 of 8, by gerwin

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Well, as I said, the issue may be that the PnP BIOS of this 486 that cannot handle the card properly. If you cannot upgrade the BIOS then maybe remove any conflicting addon cards, or try all switches for the DOS driver CS4232C.exe.
I am not sure how the modem part is paired with the CS4232 Sound controller. Though I expect the generic drivers to work just fine, you can find variants of it here: Crystal ISA Audio Drivers for DOS/Windows + Extras
It probably leaves the modem part disabled, but who cares for such a modem these days?

--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul