AWE64 in DOS - "Parity check 20000" and it freezes \ VOGONS

AWE64 in DOS - "Parity check 20000" and it freezes

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First post, by RJRC

Posted on 2024-05-25, 20:12

RJRC Offline

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Posts: 22
Joined: 2022-05-04, 18:02

I have a Win95 box which I've been trying to make the AWE64 I have in it work in DOS mode for games using GM or MT-32 emulation. I have it doing SB16 music no problem. But for games that don't have a specific AWE32 or AWE64 option, I can't seem to make it work.

I run AWEUTIL with the /EM:GM or /EM:MT32 switches and I get it saying "Parity check 20000" and it freezes.

What do? Why is it like this? How do I make it be not like this? I never had an AWE back in the day so I really have no idea.

Reply 1 of 3, by maxtherabbit

Posted on 2024-05-25, 20:49

maxtherabbit Offline

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Location: Richmond, VA

There was a thread or two recently about this and IIRC there was no real resolution. The NMI mechanism that AWEUTIL uses in DOS just doesn't play well with certain motherboards.

Since you have a win95 box I'd suggest running the games inside windows and using the AWE Control Panel instead, it's a much smoother UX

Reply 2 of 3, by RJRC

Posted on 2024-05-25, 21:13

RJRC Offline

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Rank: Newbie
Posts: 22
Joined: 2022-05-04, 18:02

The board is an SE440BX-2. The problem, though, is that there's That One Game (in this case, Strike Commander) that refuses to run in Win9x via a DOS prompt. I've got that working with a specific DOS config in the .pif to go with it, but only using FM synthesis. Now FM synth has a certain crunchy charm, but I got an AWE64 because at the time I assembled this box it was one of the few wavetable cards that wasn't silly expensive...

Reply 3 of 3, by theelf

Posted on 2024-06-02, 11:38

theelf Offline

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Joined: 2011-09-25, 19:39

I dont know the game, but if dont support awe native, and your motherboard dont work with aweutil for midi emulation you are out of luck

Anyways looks like a protected mode game, even if aweutil works, will.not work with your game exept you use dos32awe

And if aweutil is a hit and miss... more miss than hit... plus dos32awe.. uff

if game dont support awe maybe is a update, is your only chance

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