jtchip wrote on 2024-07-24, 22:39:

The audio is on a separate daughterboard so that can be replaced on its own

That's good news, in this case I recommend take it out from the slot and put it back. Sometimes contacts could shift over time, I repaired 3-4 laptops this way.

careful application of deoxit might also be fruitful.

i found another of the same laptop cheap on ebay, going to see if i could swap sound devices....

one apart, i'll clean with deoxit

So i ended up with 4 of these models for whatever reason, on a whim, i loaded up windows ME on the one the sound didn't work in dos, and low and behold i got working sound! Baffled why DOS is a no go.....

magestic wrote on 2024-08-23, 00:49:

So i ended up with 4 of these models for whatever reason, on a whim, i loaded up windows ME on the one the sound didn't work in dos, and low and behold i got working sound! Baffled why DOS is a no go.....

I had no sound in DOS too, and ended up buying 2 more units for part swapping but in vain. I almost gave up until I realized it requires a very specific driver.
It's a great machine tho, here's a review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGMdhc9x2ww

Download Dell XPI CDdriver:
download/file.php?id=181958
Run the ESSCFG file and it should list the resources it uses.
The IRQ is hardwired to 5 on mine and I would guess it might be the case for yours as well. So, don't try any other IRQ, it will mess it up and you will have to reboot, otherwise it will look like it's not working.
You can change the other resources (again do not touch the IRQ).
Then you only need to set the Blaster environment variables: e.g: SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4 P330. I hope this helps.