VOGONS


Choice of sound card in a 486DX2

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Reply 80 of 88, by SScorpio

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ElectroSoldier wrote on 2025-06-23, 02:05:

I want to buy it.
I obtained it in the manner everybody else did, but I want to have a genuine copy of it this time round 😀

In fact I wouldnt mind finding it on a 5.25" floppy.

And you're free to do that. But you already have all of the necessary files since you have a newer version of the ctmouse driver. You just need to setup proper startup config files which does not require a fresh installation. You can wait and do a clean installation if you really want, but you could always work on fixing the problem now so that when you do a clean install you know how to setup things correctly from the get go.

Reply 81 of 88, by ElectroSoldier

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SScorpio wrote on 2025-06-23, 12:01:
ElectroSoldier wrote on 2025-06-23, 02:05:

I want to buy it.
I obtained it in the manner everybody else did, but I want to have a genuine copy of it this time round 😀

In fact I wouldnt mind finding it on a 5.25" floppy.

And you're free to do that. But you already have all of the necessary files since you have a newer version of the ctmouse driver. You just need to setup proper startup config files which does not require a fresh installation. You can wait and do a clean installation if you really want, but you could always work on fixing the problem now so that when you do a clean install you know how to setup things correctly from the get go.

Sounds like a plan.

I need to start by moving ctmouse.exe into its own folder. I only have the ctmouse.exe file, no other "supporting" files. Is that all I need?
Then I can add it to the autoexec.bat so it starts on boot.

I "need" other sound drivers? I am using the ones from retroweb. I believe they are the Creative drivers.
nb I do like the sound they are producing now.

Reply 82 of 88, by SScorpio

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ElectroSoldier wrote on 2025-06-23, 18:10:
I need to start by moving ctmouse.exe into its own folder. I only have the ctmouse.exe file, no other "supporting" files. Is tha […]
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I need to start by moving ctmouse.exe into its own folder. I only have the ctmouse.exe file, no other "supporting" files. Is that all I need?
Then I can add it to the autoexec.bat so it starts on boot.

I "need" other sound drivers? I am using the ones from retroweb. I believe they are the Creative drivers.
nb I do like the sound they are producing now.

The config files use himem.sys and emm386.exe which are included with DOS. The only other file referenced is a different CD-ROM driver.

You probably don't need a sound driver at all, just Unisound is enough. UNISOUND - Universal ISA PnP Sound Card Driver for DOS v0.82a

Reply 83 of 88, by Grzyb

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ElectroSoldier wrote on 2025-06-23, 18:10:

I "need" other sound drivers? I am using the ones from retroweb. I believe they are the Creative drivers.

You can replace the Creative drivers with UNISOUND.
But it's not really necessary.

I like to use UNISOUND instead of the original drivers because:

1. UNISOUND is easier to install - but you already have the drivers installed...

2. UNISOUND isn't memory-resident, while many other drivers are.
You can list memory-resident stuff with the following command:

mem /c /p

...and then get rid of whatever you find unnecessary.

Kiełbasa smakuje najlepiej, gdy przysmażysz ją laserem!

Reply 84 of 88, by theelf

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Creative drivers are not residentm exept aweutil if want emulation, not case here, but yes, unisound work much better with creative pnp cards

Reply 85 of 88, by Shponglefan

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ElectroSoldier wrote on 2025-06-23, 01:23:
Yes I did read you can elevate drivers into the upper memory space but I didnt know how. From where do I get EMM386? […]
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Yes I did read you can elevate drivers into the upper memory space but I didnt know how.
From where do I get EMM386?

I will have to get it and have a look at it.
Would that work with the Microsoft mouse driver and Creative drivers I have or do they need to stay in the first 640k?

EMM386 comes with DOS. If you have a look at the link SScorpio posted (Phil's Computer Lab), it lists out some configurations for CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT.

The easiest is to start by loading EMM386 with "DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS" in the CONFIG.SYS, and then using DEVICEHIGH and LH to load other device drivers / programs into upper memory.

Typically you would use it for things like mouse and CD-ROM drivers. Sound card programs during startup are usually used to initialize the card, but don't necessarily remain in memory. The exception might be if there is some sort of emulation program or mixer that stays resident in memory, but I don't think that's the case with SB16 drivers. DOS games typically include and load their own sound card drivers.

Pentium 4 Multi-OS Build
486 DX4-100 with 6 sound cards
486 DX-33 with 5 sound cards

Reply 86 of 88, by ElectroSoldier

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I tried to play Sega Outrun on it and it has the same problem as HeroQuest had, it only plays through the onboard speaker.

Is this normal for games that use the Sound Blaster for sound or is there a config file in every game you have to edit?

Reply 87 of 88, by Shponglefan

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ElectroSoldier wrote on Yesterday, 15:28:

I tried to play Sega Outrun on it and it has the same problem as HeroQuest had, it only plays through the onboard speaker.

Is this normal for games that use the Sound Blaster for sound or is there a config file in every game you have to edit?

IIRC, Outrun for DOS only supports PC Speaker and Tandy sound. No Sound Blaster support.

For games that do support Sound Blaster, usually it will either be a config file, setup program, or command line switches. And some games just autodetect sound options.

Pentium 4 Multi-OS Build
486 DX4-100 with 6 sound cards
486 DX-33 with 5 sound cards

Reply 88 of 88, by theelf

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ElectroSoldier wrote on Yesterday, 15:28:

I tried to play Sega Outrun on it and it has the same problem as HeroQuest had, it only plays through the onboard speaker.

Is this normal for games that use the Sound Blaster for sound or is there a config file in every game you have to edit?

For outrun the easy way to have better music is to build a cheap parallel dac, aka covox, and use temu and a tandy patched outrun

Heroquest have sb and even mt32 support, not only speaker