If you don't care about 16-bit Stereo in Win3.11, just install the SB 2.0 driver that comes with Windows 3.1x. You can install it via the Control Panel.

Otherwise, the Windows 3.1x drivers for the SB 16 contain a setup.exe, which you just execute. It will do the rest for you. You can find it in the VOGONS Vintage Driver Library :
http://vogonsdrivers.com/index.php?catid=7

derSammler wrote on 2020-03-21, 09:35:

If you don't care about 16-bit Stereo in Win3.11, just install the SB 2.0 driver that comes with Windows 3.1x. You can install it via the Control Panel.

Otherwise, the Windows 3.1x drivers for the SB 16 contain a setup.exe, which you just execute. It will do the rest for you. You can find it in the VOGONS Vintage Driver Library :
http://vogonsdrivers.com/index.php?catid=7

I downloaded the one labelled "Sound Blaster 16 DOS Installation Disks" and extracted it, but there are three folders inside - "csp" "install" and "pnpcfg". There is no setup.exe anywhere inside, but each folder has an install.exe. Did I download the wrong one, or is install.exe the same thing?

These folders are likely meant to hold the content of three separate diskettes:
SB16 Driver Disk
Creative Plug&Pray Disk (with CTCM/CTCU programs ?)
Disk with software for the SB16's optional ASP/CSP chip

No idea why this method was used instead of simply including disk images, though.

@EcoPeeko

If you want it to work easily in DOS (no installation required, only in autoexec.bat if you want), you may try Unisound: UNISOUND - Universal ISA PnP Sound Card Driver for DOS v0.81b

For Windows 3.11, just use the included driver as derSammler said for basic mono support. Or if you want to check official drivers, Creative web still have them available: https://support.creative.com/products/Product … Others&CatName=

I went into Windows 3.11 again and checked the available drivers, and only SB 1.0 and 1.5 are listed, not 2.0. I would be fine with basic mono if I could find it, since I'm only using the built-in speaker anyway.

But after that I tried installing "Sound Blaster 16/SB32/AWE32 Basic Disk for DOS/Windows 3.1 Installation" from Creative's website, and it seems to have installed properly, but I'm stilling not getting any sound. Not sure why Windows doesn't see it.

Hi! The card seems to be a Vibra model.
https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Creative … _16_.28Vibra.29

Maybe it uses Plug&Play and needs a Plug&Play utility thus.
That's what the configuration diskette is for.

Unless your old Compaq has a Plug&Play BIOS already, of course.
Then the BIOS will the configuration for you - with parameters that aren't necessarily standard.