Shponglefan wrote on 2023-08-17, 00:38:Unfortunately my GoldLib appears to have died. :( […]
Show full quote
Unfortunately my GoldLib appears to have died. 🙁
I was testing it in a 486 DX-33 build. Initially it worked and I was able to detect and configure it just fine.
I'd been adding and testing other sound cards. At the time I was mainly working with the AWE64 and Yamaha Audician 32. Then went back to try the GoldLib again, and it wasn't working anymore. The Adlib Gold setup program won't detect it.
I tried removing everything and just testing the Goldlib, but it still wouldn't detect it. I tried it my other 386 DX-40 system, it won't detect there either. I tried the control chip reset instructions listed here (three times in both systems). Didn't help.
I also confirmed that my original Adlib Gold card works in both setups (386 and 486). So it doesn't appear to be a system specific issue.
I did a cursory inspection for any physical damage, but didn't see anything immediately obvious.
Any suggestions on anything further to try?
Did you change the AdLib Gold port to something other than 388h? If you did, and have the jumper config in single port mod, the AdLib Gold software won’t find the card anymore and it will feel that the card is dead. I had to do one of 2 things:
- Either change the card for dual port mode, where the card will respond on 2 different ports (the one you set the card to and fixed 388h) by changing the jumper to the middle and lower pin;
- Patch the software you want to use for that new port address you set your card to, there’s just no other way;
I always thought the card’s software would look to the SET GOLD environment variable, but that never helped me and seems to happen only when the jumper is set to dual port mode.
I finally decided to have my card on 398h with IRQ 4 and now the card co-exists peacefully with a Pro Audio Spectrum just fine. Main drawback is that i ran out of DMA channels, making me wish i had the MMA also wired to DMA 0 which would require the 16 bit connector part to exist.
Patching the software wasn’t a huge drawback to me since most game support for the GOLD is via sound libraries such as the AIL2, DIGPAK, HMI SOS etc… Cool thing about the AIL2 drivers is that I still have digital sound without a DMA channel set, but alas, other libraries can’t play without DMA. That’s a consequence i was ready to accept.
Dune is an excellent test for the Gold because the game IMO was very well programmed and it follows the instructions you give to it. When you provide the base address of the Gold to the game it really uses THAT range. When i changed my card to 398h and the Gold drivers stopped finding the card i tried Dune with the port I set it to and the card was working fine. That’s when i realised what was going on.
I recommend you set the jumper to the bottom position to set the card to dual port mode and try the AdLib Gold drivers before trying anything else.