To add: I just found out that I cannot access the EAX console or anything else while using the VXD drivers on the Audigy 2 ZS disc!

Well after a fresh install and following the instructions here (except for the DOS drivers part:) Guide: Installing Windows 9x and DOS drivers on Audigy cards (version 3.1) , Privateer 2 still screws up. It is simply not compatible with VXD drivers. However, after setting up my AWE32 using the built-in drivers and changing the playback to use it, Privateer 2 works perfectly. It is a minor inconvenience as it takes only a few seconds to change the device. I wonder if it is possible to create a batch/script that will change the playback device, run the game, and then switch back to the Audigy 2 ZS upon exiting the game..?

I had a similar issue a couple of weeks ago with a different games. In my case it was a problem that the ISA sound card was installed first (by Windows) and the ZS later. I could therefore not select EAX in certain games. When I removed the ISA card and reinstalled Windows and added the ISA card AFTER the ZS was installed with drivers I could enable EAX in those games. Disabling the ISA card in Windows did not help in my case.

Yoghoo wrote on 2024-05-10, 08:01:

I had a similar issue a couple of weeks ago with a different games. In my case it was a problem that the ISA sound card was installed first (by Windows) and the ZS later. I could therefore not select EAX in certain games. When I removed the ISA card and reinstalled Windows and added the ISA card AFTER the ZS was installed with drivers I could enable EAX in those games. Disabling the ISA card in Windows did not help in my case.

Windows 9x and many motherboards seem to be very fickle. Even though I installed my AWE32 physically after setting up the ZS, it wouldn't work due to IRQ conflicts, despite both working in a previously attempt. I had to go into the BIOS and reserve a couple IRQs and DMA 1 for the ZS, AWE32, and an MPU-IPC-T to all work in tandem. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't use the AWE32 under Windows 98, at all - I usually have it just for DOS games, and thus usually disable it. During my research into this matter, I came across a thread on Vogons where someone was having a similar problem with VXDs and older Windows 9x game. The thread ended without resolution, so this must be a rare problem with a very select number of games.

If I run into any issues by having both sound cards running without the AWE32 being disabled, I will probably install Windows 95 OSR2 on a separate CF card and use the AWE32 with that with all of the pre-EAX games while not even installing the drivers for the ZS and simply disable it, and do the opposite on a CF card with Windows 98 SE. I may still do that anyway, just for the period correctness and nostalgia of running Windows 95, and I am creating "cartridges" for certain eras and games.

Scythifuge wrote on 2024-05-10, 17:00:

Yoghoo wrote on 2024-05-10, 08:01:

I had a similar issue a couple of weeks ago with a different games. In my case it was a problem that the ISA sound card was installed first (by Windows) and the ZS later. I could therefore not select EAX in certain games. When I removed the ISA card and reinstalled Windows and added the ISA card AFTER the ZS was installed with drivers I could enable EAX in those games. Disabling the ISA card in Windows did not help in my case.

Windows 9x and many motherboards seem to be very fickle. Even though I installed my AWE32 physically after setting up the ZS, it wouldn't work due to IRQ conflicts, despite both working in a previously attempt. I had to go into the BIOS and reserve a couple IRQs and DMA 1 for the ZS, AWE32, and an MPU-IPC-T to all work in tandem. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't use the AWE32 under Windows 98, at all - I usually have it just for DOS games, and thus usually disable it. During my research into this matter, I came across a thread on Vogons where someone was having a similar problem with VXDs and older Windows 9x game. The thread ended without resolution, so this must be a rare problem with a very select number of games.

If I run into any issues by having both sound cards running without the AWE32 being disabled, I will probably install Windows 95 OSR2 on a separate CF card and use the AWE32 with that with all of the pre-EAX games while not even installing the drivers for the ZS and simply disable it, and do the opposite on a CF card with Windows 98 SE. I may still do that anyway, just for the period correctness and nostalgia of running Windows 95, and I am creating "cartridges" for certain eras and games.

Problem will be that Windows 98SE will probably install the (SB16?) drivers for your AWE32 during setup. It least it does that with SB16 and AWE64 sound cards. So maybe it's a good idea to physical remove it during installation of Windows 98SE.

Yoghoo wrote on 2024-05-10, 17:09:

Scythifuge wrote on 2024-05-10, 17:00:

Yoghoo wrote on 2024-05-10, 08:01:

I had a similar issue a couple of weeks ago with a different games. In my case it was a problem that the ISA sound card was installed first (by Windows) and the ZS later. I could therefore not select EAX in certain games. When I removed the ISA card and reinstalled Windows and added the ISA card AFTER the ZS was installed with drivers I could enable EAX in those games. Disabling the ISA card in Windows did not help in my case.

Windows 9x and many motherboards seem to be very fickle. Even though I installed my AWE32 physically after setting up the ZS, it wouldn't work due to IRQ conflicts, despite both working in a previously attempt. I had to go into the BIOS and reserve a couple IRQs and DMA 1 for the ZS, AWE32, and an MPU-IPC-T to all work in tandem. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't use the AWE32 under Windows 98, at all - I usually have it just for DOS games, and thus usually disable it. During my research into this matter, I came across a thread on Vogons where someone was having a similar problem with VXDs and older Windows 9x game. The thread ended without resolution, so this must be a rare problem with a very select number of games.

If I run into any issues by having both sound cards running without the AWE32 being disabled, I will probably install Windows 95 OSR2 on a separate CF card and use the AWE32 with that with all of the pre-EAX games while not even installing the drivers for the ZS and simply disable it, and do the opposite on a CF card with Windows 98 SE. I may still do that anyway, just for the period correctness and nostalgia of running Windows 95, and I am creating "cartridges" for certain eras and games.

Problem will be that Windows 98SE will probably install the (SB16?) drivers for your AWE32 during setup. It least it does that with SB16 and AWE64 sound cards. So maybe it's a good idea to physical remove it during installation of Windows 98SE.

That is what I did when I reinstalled this last time. I took out every card and extra drive, except for the MPU-IPC-T, leaving just the Voodoo5 and the ZS. When I successfully installed the ZS and shut down, I installed the AWE32 and booted up, However, I had to "Add New Hardware" to add it. I theorize that Windows 98 will auto install everything present during install but will not auto-install a second sound card added later (or perhaps just an ISA card) if there is already an installed card present. It was tricky, but I did manage to get the cards to coexist without disabling either one, but at significant trial and error with this particular system. The last time I tried something like this, it was with a Live! and the same AWE32, the same Voodoo5, and a Voodoo 1 and 2 in the same system and it went well the first try, but it was with a Tabor II or III 440BX Slot 1 board, rather than the Super Socket 7 I am tinkering with, currently.