OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-05, 16:33:

psaez wrote on 2025-02-04, 15:06:

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-03, 13:22:

When it's on, Windows is expected to manage resources and sometimes it doesn't do a very good job. Turning it off has the BIOS manage it, which can often fix errors such as the one you are experiencing.

that machine has a multiboot with win3.11, win95, win98se and winxp

disabling it seems to be a bad idea

Given that list of OS's, it sounds like it's probably a good idea to turn it off. You can always turn it back on, but 3.11 doesn't support it.

but what happens with w95, 98 and xp? will they detect usb controllers or devices, monitors, etc, without that?

psaez wrote on 2025-02-15, 22:40:

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-05, 16:33:

psaez wrote on 2025-02-04, 15:06:

that machine has a multiboot with win3.11, win95, win98se and winxp

disabling it seems to be a bad idea

Given that list of OS's, it sounds like it's probably a good idea to turn it off. You can always turn it back on, but 3.11 doesn't support it.

but what happens with w95, 98 and xp? will they detect usb controllers or devices, monitors, etc, without that?

Yes, they will work fine.

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-16, 01:31:

psaez wrote on 2025-02-15, 22:40:

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-05, 16:33:

Given that list of OS's, it sounds like it's probably a good idea to turn it off. You can always turn it back on, but 3.11 doesn't support it.

but what happens with w95, 98 and xp? will they detect usb controllers or devices, monitors, etc, without that?

Yes, they will work fine.

OK thank you, I'll try disabling it. On the other hand, what is the purpose of plug and play enabled on bios then?

psaez wrote on 2025-02-16, 08:13:

OK thank you, I'll try disabling it. On the other hand, what is the purpose of plug and play enabled on bios then?

As already mentioned by OVERK|LL...

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-03, 13:22:

When it's on, Windows is expected to manage resources and sometimes it doesn't do a very good job. Turning it off has the BIOS manage it, which can often fix errors such as the one you are experiencing.

Sleaka_J wrote on 2025-02-16, 12:04:

psaez wrote on 2025-02-16, 08:13:

OK thank you, I'll try disabling it. On the other hand, what is the purpose of plug and play enabled on bios then?

As already mentioned by OVERK|LL...

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-03, 13:22:

When it's on, Windows is expected to manage resources and sometimes it doesn't do a very good job. Turning it off has the BIOS manage it, which can often fix errors such as the one you are experiencing.

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-16, 01:31:

psaez wrote on 2025-02-15, 22:40:

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-05, 16:33:

Given that list of OS's, it sounds like it's probably a good idea to turn it off. You can always turn it back on, but 3.11 doesn't support it.

but what happens with w95, 98 and xp? will they detect usb controllers or devices, monitors, etc, without that?

Yes, they will work fine.

Hi guys, today I was on that place, and checked BIOS, pnp was disabled.

I also tryed again formatting windows 98 and reinstalling everything. I noticed that after installing Directx 8.1 and rebooting, the problem started.

Maybe is it related with DirectX? or maybe was simply a coincidence?

It's a very frustrating problem

psaez wrote on 2025-02-16, 19:01:

Hi guys, today I was on that place, and checked BIOS, pnp was disabled. […]
Show full quote

Sleaka_J wrote on 2025-02-16, 12:04:

psaez wrote on 2025-02-16, 08:13:

OK thank you, I'll try disabling it. On the other hand, what is the purpose of plug and play enabled on bios then?

As already mentioned by OVERK|LL...

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-03, 13:22:

When it's on, Windows is expected to manage resources and sometimes it doesn't do a very good job. Turning it off has the BIOS manage it, which can often fix errors such as the one you are experiencing.

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-16, 01:31:

psaez wrote on 2025-02-15, 22:40:

but what happens with w95, 98 and xp? will they detect usb controllers or devices, monitors, etc, without that?

Yes, they will work fine.

Hi guys, today I was on that place, and checked BIOS, pnp was disabled.

I also tryed again formatting windows 98 and reinstalling everything. I noticed that after installing Directx 8.1 and rebooting, the problem started.

Maybe is it related with DirectX? or maybe was simply a coincidence?

It's a very frustrating problem

Are you still getting the same sound card error?

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-17, 01:22:

psaez wrote on 2025-02-16, 19:01:

Hi guys, today I was on that place, and checked BIOS, pnp was disabled. […]
Show full quote

Sleaka_J wrote on 2025-02-16, 12:04:

As already mentioned by OVERK|LL...

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-16, 01:31:

Yes, they will work fine.

Hi guys, today I was on that place, and checked BIOS, pnp was disabled.

I also tryed again formatting windows 98 and reinstalling everything. I noticed that after installing Directx 8.1 and rebooting, the problem started.

Maybe is it related with DirectX? or maybe was simply a coincidence?

It's a very frustrating problem

Are you still getting the same sound card error?

exactly the same, and I tryed with two different soundcards (same model)

On the other hand, this is happening me also in another computer, also only in windows 98. It's happening to me in these two computers:

- Windows 98SE
- Tualatin 1400S
- DFI CA64-TC
- 512 RAM
- sata to IDE adapter with SSD
- Sound Blaster PCI 128

- Windows 98SE
- Pentium 3 1000
- Aopen AX34
- 512 RAM
- sata to IDE adapter with SSD
- Sound Blaster PCI 128

Both computers with BIOS updated, both computers using the same drivers, latest version.

Maybe is a problem with VIA 4in1 Chipset Driver 4.43V? or maybe with DirectX 8.1?

Have you tried a different PCI sound card?

The common denominator is not just the VIA chipset, but the SoundBlaster PCI 128 as well.

Sleaka_J wrote on 2025-02-17, 12:20:

Have you tried a different PCI sound card?

The common denominator is not just the VIA chipset, but the SoundBlaster PCI 128 as well.

Yes, good point.

1) do you have legacy Soundblaster compatibility on in BIOS on these boards? If so that might well be using the same resources the SB128 is trying to use...
2) step back: why are you trying to install an SB128 in these systems when the integrated audio is arguably better in both DOS and Win3.x (legacy SB compatibility) and Windows 9x/XP (AC'97)?

There might be corner cases where the ES1373 (or later Creative re-label) is a better match, but in general it's nothing special.

dionb wrote on 2025-02-17, 18:25:

1) do you have legacy Soundblaster compatibility on in BIOS on these boards? If so that might well be using the same resources the SB128 is trying to use...
2) step back: why are you trying to install an SB128 in these systems when the integrated audio is arguably better in both DOS and Win3.x (legacy SB compatibility) and Windows 9x/XP (AC'97)?

There might be corner cases where the ES1373 (or later Creative re-label) is a better match, but in general it's nothing special.

Let me check point 1 when I go to that home. What should I do? enable or disable that?

About point 2, as I can remember integrated audio was commonly worse than dedicated audio, and do exist drivers for w95 or 3.11 and DOS for the integrated audio of those motherboards?

OVERK|LL wrote on 2025-02-17, 15:56:

Sleaka_J wrote on 2025-02-17, 12:20:

Have you tried a different PCI sound card?

The common denominator is not just the VIA chipset, but the SoundBlaster PCI 128 as well.

Yes, good point.

Sleaka_J wrote on 2025-02-17, 12:20:

Have you tried a different PCI sound card?

The common denominator is not just the VIA chipset, but the SoundBlaster PCI 128 as well.

I only have that soundcard, but I have TWO units, and the problem is with the two units, so I don't think the issue is in the two soundcards, also Sound blaster 128 PCI was a super common sound card in Windows 98 period

psaez wrote on 2025-02-18, 11:18:

[...]

Let me check point 1 when I go to that home. What should I do? enable or disable that?

Unless you actively want to have two sound cards active, disable the SB emulation in BIOS if using a sound card.

About point 2, as I can remember integrated audio was commonly worse than dedicated audio, and do exist drivers for w95 or 3.11 and DOS for the integrated audio of those motherboards?

'Integrated audio' can mean a lot of things. These specific boards have Via 686 integrated audio with legacy SB emulation, which is pretty unique. That emulation does what the name suggests: emulates a Sound Blaster. So it works in DOS and Windows 3.1 like a Sound Blaster, more specifically like a Sound Blaster Pro 2.0. In DOS games, select that as your sound card, in Windows 3.1 install the SBPro 2.0 driver.

There's a topic here about it: VIA 686B AC'97 audio works really well in DOS (SB Pro stereo + OPL3 emulation!)

Quote from it (that corresponds to my experiences):

I've found the onboard sound on these to be highly compatible with DOS stuff and very easy to set up.

You just set resources in BIOS and then run a relatively simple TSR, either VIAAUDIO.COM or VIASBCFFG.COM (and if you want FM, VIAFMTSR.COM). They have no specific memory type requirements.

The FM synth emulation isn't good, but there are worse - and you have one example on your PCI card.

All in all not perfect (TSR needed - even if relatively well-behaved, FM not good), a random ISA sound card with hardware SBPro2.0 support would probably be better - but that's not what you're comparing it to.

Note that this is specific to the integrated Via 686 audio, this does not apply to other integrated audio solutions on older or newer Via chipsets or chipsets from any other vendor.

On the other side you have the SB128, which is one of the least interesting PCI sound solutions out there. To work in DOS it needs nasty TSR drivers that require EMM386 (a problem for some games) and eat memory. It also has pathetically bad FM synth (for "Ad Lib" music). It does however have a good MIDI wavetable synth that's usable under DOS if you can spare enough EMS for it.

Here's info https://www.dosdays.co.uk/topics/audiopci.php
(almost all SoundBlaster PCI cards are based on the Ensoniq AudioPCI, regardless of whether they are called "64" or "128")