more data:

EVEREST says:

INTEL 82801CAM ICH3-M - AC97 Audio Controller (B1) PCI

Any help please?

Sorry for repeating...

Does this fit the bill?

It might ! From what I read it uses a ADI SoundMAX driver.
Both of these have a SE folder in the \SMAXWDM folder so should work with 98SE....maybe. The readme's talk about XP and 2K but as I say there is a SE folder.....
https://www.driverguide.com/driver/detail.php … driverid=840669
and from Compaq: sp21030.exe found here: https://ftp.zx.net.nz/pub/archive/ftp.hp.com/ … /sp21001-21500/

thanks to you both mates!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Indeed I just used "sp21030.exe" and \SMAXWDM also appeared in C:\compaq\... so... I just worked!!!

Now if I reboot in just plain DOS... I have to modify CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to "set" the settings of the card, isn't it?

I need its DOS drivers too...

Yes. In autoexec.bat you will need a "set blaster" line. https://retronn.de/imports/soundblaster_config_guide.html
Because it is an AC'97 codec Audio it may not work in pure DOS but should from a Win98 DOS window AFAIK.

And what does It depend on to function or not(AC97 ON PLAIN DOS)???
THANKS!!!!

jesusabc wrote on 2023-05-13, 17:56:

And what does It depend on to function or not(AC97 ON PLAIN DOS)???
THANKS!!!!

Looks like unfortunately the SoundMax stuff only supports SoundBlaster when you are running from Windows. No pure-DOS mode driver, unfortunately.

Source: Was AC'97 Support on DOS ever figured out?

THANKS to you all!!!

only thing left is the volume....I can not adjust the volume with the preset PRESARIO keys in the upper zone of the keyboard... also... i can not find PRESARIO software of these "function keys" (mail, search, volume etc...)

Any ideas?

Found the W2k/XP driver for Compaq Easy Access Buttons Software V3.00 .. SP22515.exe and SP22515.txt
This one for Win98 may work but the 2800 is not listed... Compaq Easy Access Buttons Software V2.20... SP23840.exe and SP23840.txt
https://ftp.zx.net.nz/pub/archive/ftp.compaq. … /sp23501-24000/

I tried both (SP22515 and SP23840) and no way... the first one runs but I can only map the mail, search and "forum" buttons... but the volume up / down...still are not functional

SP23840 asks me for admin privileges... and refuses to run

another "problem"... i could boot from USB previously (RUFUS and FREEDOS) and now I can not... I tried SEVERAL pendrives... from 2GB to bigger ones... same result, in BIOS i can not see the option of HDD/USB Boot i saw before...

Do Anyone knows why it happen?

REALLY strange... the pendrive boots from my Ryzen 3600 B550 MSI mobo... so it is something related to the Compaq...

jesusabc wrote on 2023-05-15, 18:49:

another "problem"... i could boot from USB previously (RUFUS and FREEDOS) and now I can not... I tried SEVERAL pendrives... from 2GB to bigger ones... same result, in BIOS i can not see the option of HDD/USB Boot i saw before...

Do Anyone knows why it happen?

REALLY strange... the pendrive boots from my Ryzen 3600 B550 MSI mobo... so it is something related to the Compaq...

Could be that your system prefers to boot first from hard disk / cd and now that you have a bootable system there, it ignores the USB-memory. If you can, try to change the boot priority from the BIOS. On older systems, your USB boot option might fall under 'other boot device'.

Solved

Last two things to do, volume buttons and dos drivers for sound
...
But i think think last thing is not solvable because It is a sound Max....

Maybe you should try this: SBEMU: Sound Blaster emulation on AC97

Could work, maybe.