asdf53 wrote on 2023-09-02, 17:00:

These cables are single pole, they have no polarity. Any markings and colors are just a guide to help you connect each pin to it […]
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These cables are single pole, they have no polarity. Any markings and colors are just a guide to help you connect each pin to its matching other end. The connector on your motherboard and on your CD drive is L-G-G-R, and the color coding is usually:

Left channel=White
Right channel=Red
Ground=Black

Because your cables have random colors, you cannot use this color coding, but for functionality, this doesn't matter. It does not matter which side you turn the 2x connectors, they just have to connect each motherboard pin to the corresponding pins on your CD drive.

But... The 2mm header are dual, and they have positive-negative/positive-negative as you have seen, so... If i use them like normal cables the polarity isn't counted? I don't understand, can you please make me a drawing?
I'm... Kind of bad with electronics, my friend.

They have these markings because they were originally used for another purpose. But in this case, it does not matter.

Here's the motherboard manual page: https://theretroweb.com/motherboard/manual/um … 02677928153.pdf (Page 25)

Just connect your 2x headers to the motherboard like this: Black-White-Green-Brown (Left-Ground-Ground-Right)
And then the other end to your CD drive:
Black-White-Green-Brown if your drive is L-G-G-R, or:
Brown-Green-White-Black if your drive is R-G-G-L.

You could also reverse the 2x connectors: White-Black-Brown-Green
And then connect to the CD drive: White-Black-Brown-Green

And it would still be Left-Ground-Ground-Right from the motherboard to the CD drive. You see, the orientation or color do not matter, what matters is that the left channel from the motherboard is connected to the left channel of your CD drive, and so on.

And I should add that the pinout on the back of the CD drive can differ. Usually, there is a sticker or marking above the connector that will tell you the pin layout. The most common one is for drives that have an MPC connector, R-G-G-L, so I adjusted my post above for that. But if it's an unusual or very old drive, it can also have a different pin layout such as L-G-G-R.

asdf53 wrote on 2023-09-02, 17:54:

And I should add that the pinout on the back of the CD drive can differ. Usually, there is a sticker or marking above the connector that will tell you the pin layout. The most common one is for drives that have an MPC connector, R-G-G-L, so I adjusted my post above for that. But if it's an unusual or very old drive, it can also have a different pin layout such as L-G-G-R.

It's RGGL, so i have to inverse it.

They have these markings because they were originally used for another purpose. But in this case, it does not matter.

Yeah, those are cables that are usually used in Arduino boards and such. Shouldn't be a problem, right?
I will try to test it, hoping it will not fry my motherboard.

Ok, i've tested it!
It works, perfectly... But there's a problem.
Windows 98 CD music works perfectly, but with DOS i can't hear any music. I've installed Windows 95 VIA drivers for audio, and with them it autoexecutes also the DOS ones for old SoundBlaster games, but for some reason there's no CD music. What could be the problem?

Do you have the CD-ROM drivers for DOS installed? The .sys driver in config.sys and MSCDEX in autoexec.bat?

asdf53 wrote on 2023-09-02, 19:35:

Do you have the CD-ROM drivers for DOS installed? The .sys driver in config.sys and MSCDEX in autoexec.bat?

Well, i've installed Windows 98 with a CD booting installation (copy D: files on C: and install from there), because the motherboard doesn't support floppy drives.
MSCDEX in autoexec.bat it's not present, and for config.sys i have to check but... The last time i've seen it, it seemed empty.
Tomorrow i will check, but for MSCDEX i'm sure there's nothing:

Here's what you have to do:

Download an universal CDROM driver for DOS (oakcdrom.sys or vide-cdd.sys usually work well) and put it into C:\

Then add to config.sys:

DEVICE=c:\drivername.sys /D:mscd001

And add to autoexec.bat:

C:\windows\command\mscdex.exe /D:mscd001

Then reboot to dos and see if you can now access the contents of the CD drive D:\ in DOS, and if that works, try to start your game.

asdf53 wrote on 2023-09-02, 20:03:

Here's what you have to do: […]
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Here's what you have to do:

Download an universal CDROM driver for DOS (oakcdrom.sys or vide-cdd.sys usually work well) and put it into C:\

Then add to config.sys:

DEVICE=c:\drivername.sys /D:mscd001

And add to autoexec.bat:

C:\windows\command\mscdex.exe /D:mscd001

Then reboot to dos and see if you can now access the contents of the CD drive D:\ in DOS, and if that works, try to start your game.

Thanks! Tomorrow i will try.
Mind if i ask you where i can download the universal driver? Also, would it give conflict with CD reader or there will be no problems?
Also:
>C:\windows\command\mscdex.exe /D:mscd001
What if i don't have MSCDEX? I mean, i installed Windows with that CD boot installation. Would it be possible to don't find it?

For example vide-cdd.sys from here: http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=1456&menustate=0

MSCDEX is always installed with Windows 98 at this location, so it should find it.

asdf53 wrote on 2023-09-02, 20:44:

For example vide-cdd.sys from here: http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=1456&menustate=0

MSCDEX is always installed with Windows 98 at this location, so it should find it.

Ok. I've managed to add that stuff. I've copied the vide.sys file into C directory, and i've put all the directories in the config and autoexec, but it still doesn't work. Should i have to configure also the adresses (IRQ and such?)

You shoud configure line-in (cdrom) sound levels.
See my screenshot where /VL90 means Volume Line-in 90%
Maybe you shoud configure other switch VIASBCFG for CDROM-in volume (read the docs).

Babasha wrote on 2023-09-03, 05:58:

You shoud configure line-in (cdrom) sound levels.
See my screenshot where /VL90 means Volume Line-in 90%
Maybe you shoud configure other switch VIASBCFG for CDROM-in volume (read the docs).

Isn't VIASBCFG a separate file which has to be downloaded?
Anyway, i'll try it, but... Judging by this guide it is useful when you have no SB option in BIOS, but i have it.

SavageKurtain wrote on 2023-09-03, 08:39:

Babasha wrote on 2023-09-03, 05:58:

You shoud configure line-in (cdrom) sound levels.
See my screenshot where /VL90 means Volume Line-in 90%
Maybe you shoud configure other switch VIASBCFG for CDROM-in volume (read the docs).

Isn't VIASBCFG a separate file which has to be downloaded?
Anyway, i'll try it, but... Judging by this guide it is useful when you have no SB option in BIOS, but i have it.

I use it just for volume control in my rig.

Could this also be useful? Because i've noticed that DOS mode lacks a MIXERSET program in my configuration:
https://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=65

I have just tested this with my own motherboard, it is slightly older than yours (KT133A), but the principle is the same. It also has the CD-in connector and uses the same VIA DOS sound drivers. I used a DOS CD player (sjgplay) to test it with a music CD and it worked. It was not necessary to use any tools to adjust volume levels. I know this doesn't solve your problem, but I just wanted to verify that it works in principle. To rule out that it's a problem with the game you are playing, can you test it with sjgplay and a music CD? Run sjgplay.exe and press ENTER to play the CD.

asdf53 wrote on 2023-09-03, 11:34:

I have just tested this with my own motherboard

You mean the universal CD-ROM driver or the VIASBCFG?

asdf53 wrote on 2023-09-03, 11:34:

it is slightly older than yours (KT133A), but the principle is the same. It also has the CD-in connector and uses the same VIA DOS sound drivers. I used a DOS CD player (sjgplay) to test it with a music CD and it worked. I know this doesn't solve your problem, but I just wanted to verify that it works in principle. To rule out that it's a problem with the game you are playing, can you test it with sjgplay and a music CD?

Ok, i will try that program and see if the music works by itself, or if it is a game problem.

I used the universal CD driver (vide-cdd.sys), the same that you used. I did not use any other tools such as VIASBCFG. The only difference is that I used an older version of the VIA DOS drivers (1.11), because the newer versions do not work with my motherboard.

And if it still does not work, did you try the suggestion from Babasha to adjust the volume level with VIASBCFG? I did not have to use it, but your motherboard chipset is different, so it's worth a try, it might solve the problem.

asdf53 wrote on 2023-09-03, 11:49:

I used the universal CD driver (vide-cdd.sys), the same that you used. I did not use any other tools such as VIASBCFG. The only difference is that I used an older version of the VIA DOS drivers (1.11), because the newer versions do not work with my motherboard.

I've tested the program (sjgplay), but in DOS mode the CD doesn't start and when i click help for information it doesn't work. It doesn't seem to stuck the computer, anyway, because i can reset with CTRL+ALT+DEL.
Could it be that vide-cdd doesn't work because i've put in uppercase first letter?

Can you press "H" to open the help screen in sjgplay? The help screen also contains some info about the CD (drive letter and CD ID number). If this is missing, it would mean that it could not detect your CD drive. Edit: Sorry, I have now read that help screen does not work for you.

What is the output of "DEVICE=vide-cdd.sys " in your config.sys? Press F8 to bring up the Windows 98 start menu at boot, then choose "Confirmation" mode. I don't remember what it is called exactly, but this mode allows you to step through the lines in config.sys and see possible error messages.

Can you list the directory contents of a normal CD-ROM with "dir"?

You could also try another DOS CD driver, oakcdrom.sys is another popular one. I found it here: https://archive.org/details/dosdrivers
And you could try different versions of the VIA DOS drivers, available here: https://archive.org/details/via_dos_audio (I used version 1.11).