My ESS Solo-1 cards requires a configuration file called ESSOLO.INI placed in C:\ when using it in pure DOS, guess the Allegro also need it's configuration file in C:\.

Looks like that fixed it, thanks!

Hi i recently acquired this exact laptop model from a random thrift shop and wanted to give it a go with some old games.
Windows games ran fine no problems there but dos games didn't get any sound as explained in the first post here.

I'v spend a few hours on the internet trying to find appropriate drivers to no avail.
I'v also tried what seems to be the solution for "Cuba200611" but then it prompts with an error about the config file.
I also tried a different file i found on the net but while this gave no errors there was absolutely no sound when i tried to boot Quake (1) and the setup of duke nukem 3d flatout froze the whole machine when i attempted to test the sound.

I was hoping if you could perhaps give a more detailed explanation how you ended up solving the issue on your machine.
(ps i'v installed Windows 98SE on the machine as main operating system)

Even tried this one? http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=60&menustate=0

Kamerat wrote:

Even tried this one? http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=60&menustate=0

I have yes.

I'v followed the instructions that come with the relevant driver to the letter but the result is that my games still run without audio (even tho there are no errors)

dutchdosgamer wrote:

I have yes.

I'v followed the instructions that come with the relevant driver to the letter but the result is that my games still run without audio (even tho there are no errors)

Which mode does the initializer show, DDMA, TDMA or PC/PCI? Do you boot directly to DOS (F8 or edited MSDOS.SYS to BootGUI=0) or do you exit to DOS after booting Windows first?

You can also try the DOS mixer utility for the ES186x cards after initialazion to see if the audio are muted (utility worked on my Solo-1/ES1938S for adjusting volume): http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=616&menustate=0

I'v tried booting it in all the ways you mentioned (using F8 at startup, in windows its self and after quiting from windows)

As for the mode it says its "DMA Mode is TDMA"

dutchdosgamer wrote:

I'v tried booting it in all the ways you mentioned (using F8 at startup, in windows its self and after quiting from windows)

As for the mode it says its "DMA Mode is TDMA"

Not sure if the chipset of your motherboard works with the sound"card" in TDMA mode, but DDMA is out of the question. Too bad the thread starter doesn't hang around.

You can try this modified INI file, I changed the Sound Blaster IRQ from 5 to 7. Just a shot in the dark. 😉

Thanks again for your help but sadly that didn't result in any sound output either 😵

On the bright side however i struck gold at an other flea market today and got myself a Toshiba Satellite Pro 4600 laptop for which i had the exact same problem and found out about the VMDSound sound blaster emulator.
I ended up fixing the dos sound for both of them using that which i found here : Win9x + VDMSound **ALPHA**

Only downside is that it only works while running in windows but at least it works so i can enjoy my quake and other dos games properly with sound 😀

Was there any solution to enable sound from ESS Allegro under pure dos? Bought Compaq Evo n400c, and planning to install DOS for some games.

I did it! Now i've got sound on my Compaq Evo N400C in pure dos!

Downloaded archive from here http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=60&menustate=0
Unpacked content from ES198X.zip\ES198X to C:\
Did WIN+R, typed Sysedit and then followed instruction ES198X

Into config.sys I added :

1DEVICEHIGH=C:\ESSAUDIO.SYS

Into autoexec.bat I added:

1LH C:\ESSAUDIO.COM
2:: SET BLASTER=A220 D1 I5 T4

Then i rebooted my PC, F8, command prompt only, tried Duke Nukem 3d and GTA 1. Both with Sound Blaster 16, both had sound under dos!