That XP's "build-in" driver you mentioned only partially supports A3D 2.0 (may be only 1.0 part which was used by Vortex 1 fully works). That's why some newer games can't get A3D support.

The A3D API is now almost obsolete, and its hardware manufacturers canceled their supports for years before the time of XP. So (fortunately?) there are only a few custom XP driver that were made by some geeks around internet. Here are what I found. (I own MX300, but didn't use it with XP, so I haven't test these drivers yet)

http://www.ssstjy.com/drivers/repair/Aureal%B … B7%A2%B2%BC.rar
This one looks to be in chinese. (you should rename it on download)

http://www.ssstjy.com/drivers/putao/MX300forxp.rar
For Diamond, but might work with Terratec.

In my opinion, there are only 2 reasons to continue using these cards:-
1) you need to play A3D only supported games. (most games that support A3d also support EAX which was used by almost every creative's PCI cards including Audigy 2, and Audigy 2's EAX sounds much better than A3D, I think.)
2) you really need real wavetable MIDI. (that's why I keep MX300)

I have one TB montego II installed in windows 2000. I managed to fix some issues with guides on the internet, this one IIRC;
http://www.quantexzone.com/faq/vortex_faq.htm

Most files on the site are missing now... but I have the essentials backed up. I am at work, so I can not currently look at what I saved.

I haven't used A3D much, can't tell if it worked on windows 2000.

Any au8830 is fine AFAIK. Just choose according to board layout and available connectors. (There are a few with au8830's with a different revision number told to have less CPU usage)

@Vinx
additional reasons:
3- Good Dos compatibility
4- Functional Waveblaster header
5- Good sound quality/SNR

Yep. I know, but Silent Loon seems doesn't care (or does?) about DOS; in fact, only for DOS, ESS Solo-1 (I have one) is better because it doesn't need any TSR to initialize DOS SB-Pro compatibility so you don't need to allocate your valuable 35kb DOS mem for it, its FM synthesizer is real (not just OPL emulation like in SB PCI), mine also has waveblaster connector and it seems to have better DOS compatibility (for my system, MX300 doesn't work with many games while Solo-1 goes very well) -- no TSR means it's compatible with SB pro by hardware; doesn't use any software trick.

Yes, that Waveblaster connector is the same reason to my #2 (anyone need real WT MIDI must have that connector on card to put on such wavetable daughter board like Waveblaster).

I must agree with #5 reason, but too bad, despite its very good audio quality, my MX300 sounds not so loud. So I must rely on speaker's amplification a lot; so it will be little noisy with average quality speaker. (how about other AU8830 cards?)

OK.. I seemed to argue a lot in using Votrex 2 cards, to speak the truth, I just love it, but I only want to show the opinion of using it with modern OS and machine. Nonetheless, for DOS and Win9x, It's a great audio device indeed.

gerwin, TB Montego II used to be audio card in my dream. I like its compact size and shape compare to MX300, too sad thare was no Montego II for sale in my country. 🙁

Vinx wrote:

gerwin, TB Montego II used to be audio card in my dream. I like its compact size and shape compare to MX300, too sad thare was no Montego II for sale in my country.

This photo should appeal to you then 😉

I agree, the Montego II's are very nice sound cards. At first I would have rather used an MX300 for it seems easier to swap midi daughterboards on that one. But since I have solved that in another way the Montego II is just fine.
Many Montego II's are offered under this name: Dell 5931D Vortex 2 PCI.

About the ESS Solo-1. I have one of these too, but never tried it, maybe I should? I preferred the yamaha DS-XG...

😲 Wow.. that GS 4mb WT daughter board looks much like the one came with MX200(dream chip and ROM), and that I/O module looks so nice in color, and that CD-ROM looks interesting, mm..'Home Studio', there must be a lot of cool software in it, heh?, all these came in the box?

Yeah, right, that really arouses me, thanks. 😁

The Yamaha XG is in my belonging too, it's one of my favorite; supports XG (more drumsets & MIDI features than GS); excellent for anything above Win95. But for DOS, no even GM support; only mere OPL3 synth. you get from it(except your card is X-Wave 5000/6000 which comes with wavetable). And even cards from Yamaha itself(WaveForce 192XG) are the same: rather noisy. Don't try it with DOS, you will be disappointed. But with windows 9x up, it's really worth trying (despite noisy, MIDI capability is powerful), I also have its (XG Capable) software: Relaxation music & Yamaha Classic 100; these are irreplacably nice apps, you shouldn't miss it if you want to try DB-XG(YMF724/740/744/754).

Vinx wrote on 2009-04-16, 06:03:

That XP's "build-in" driver you mentioned only partially supports A3D 2.0 (may be only 1.0 part which was used by Vortex 1 fully […]
Show full quote

That XP's "build-in" driver you mentioned only partially supports A3D 2.0 (may be only 1.0 part which was used by Vortex 1 fully works). That's why some newer games can't get A3D support.

The A3D API is now almost obsolete, and its hardware manufacturers canceled their supports for years before the time of XP. So (fortunately?) there are only a few custom XP driver that were made by some geeks around internet. Here are what I found. (I own MX300, but didn't use it with XP, so I haven't test these drivers yet)

http://www.ssstjy.com/drivers/repair/Aureal%B … B7%A2%B2%BC.rar
This one looks to be in chinese. (you should rename it on download)

http://www.ssstjy.com/drivers/putao/MX300forxp.rar
For Diamond, but might work with Terratec.

In my opinion, there are only 2 reasons to continue using these cards:-
1) you need to play A3D only supported games. (most games that support A3d also support EAX which was used by almost every creative's PCI cards including Audigy 2, and Audigy 2's EAX sounds much better than A3D, I think.)
2) you really need real wavetable MIDI. (that's why I keep MX300)

These Links are dead. Anyone has the MX300forxp.rar file?

DaCiRO wrote on 2021-10-17, 05:55:

These Links are dead. Anyone has the MX300forxp.rar file?

Seems I don't have it...
My archived stuff mentions that for windows XP it is best to use the v5.12.2568.0 drivers.
you can find that on the net with search string "Aureal_AU8830_2568"

Also there is this:
Quantex Zone Aureal downloads
http://www.dayc.vispa.com/download/aureal.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20080919064134/ht … load/aureal.htm

gerwin wrote on 2021-10-17, 23:56:

Seems I don't have it... My archived stuff mentions that for windows XP it is best to use the v5.12.2568.0 drivers. you can find […]
Show full quote

DaCiRO wrote on 2021-10-17, 05:55:

These Links are dead. Anyone has the MX300forxp.rar file?

Seems I don't have it...
My archived stuff mentions that for windows XP it is best to use the v5.12.2568.0 drivers.
you can find that on the net with search string "Aureal_AU8830_2568"

Also there is this:
Quantex Zone Aureal downloads
http://www.dayc.vispa.com/download/aureal.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20080919064134/ht … load/aureal.htm

Thanks Gerwin
This is gold!, and it fixed the control panel issue in WinXP. I also installed the 3.12 A3D drivers, but in the Aureal demos in the Aureal Control panel I don't think that A3D is working, I would say even that in Stereo mode the sound is better, in A3D I can't tell that positioning is working...
Another point I noticed is that in the MIDI tab of the Aureal Control panel there is no longer the window option to select WAVETABLE or MPU-401, the only option available is WAVETABLE, so I guess that it is not possible to use to use either BD cards or external sound modules after applying the XP fix.
BTW, the first link ( http://www.dayc.vispa.com/download/aureal.htm) is broken, do you have a mirror to this and any other Aureal resource sites that you can point me to?

DaCiRO wrote on 2021-10-18, 07:13:

gerwin wrote on 2021-10-17, 23:56:

Also there is this: Quantex Zone Aureal downloads http://www.dayc.vispa.com/download/aureal.htm https://web.archive.org/web/200 […]
Show full quote

Also there is this:
Quantex Zone Aureal downloads
http://www.dayc.vispa.com/download/aureal.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20080919064134/ht … load/aureal.htm

Thanks Gerwin
BTW, the first link ( http://www.dayc.vispa.com/download/aureal.htm) is broken, do you have a mirror to this and any other Aureal resource sites that you can point me to?

You can access that dead URL on the WayBackMachine here: https://web.archive.org/web/20080919064134/ht … load/aureal.htm
If you encounter any other broken or old redirecting URL's, it's likely that the site would have been archived on the WayBackMachine via the Internet Archive.