My config.sys is blank. My autoexec.bat reads this "SET BLASTER =A220 I5 D1 T4". Also, I went back into setupds.exe, and I was only able to get soundblaster 8bit sound, missing both 16bit and fm sound.

You need this in autoexec.bat:
SETUPDS /S
to initialize it.

So I went ahead and checked my autoexec after I ran the install.exe. Here is what I get on startup.

That looks correct now. Without booting into Windows, do all the tests in setupds now work?

You can either mash F8 to do a selective startup and have it manually ask about each line in config.sys and autoexec.bat or set Windows 98 to not load into Windows by default.

So I booted using step by step confirmation and did not load into windows but stayed at the command prompt. From there, I ran the setupds utility to test the sounds again., and I am still only getting sb 8bit sound, no 16bit or fm.

Based on those screenshots, you seem to be using DOS drivers v3.14. Try version 3.16 instead.

You can download it from Phil's website.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2021-03-10, 08:29:

Based on those screenshots, you seem to be using DOS drivers v3.14. Try version 3.16 instead.

You can download it from Phil's website.

I am away for a couple of days but will be sure to try this when I get back. Outside of trying that, I wonder if it has to do with the variant of my yamaha soundcard. I have done some more cursory reading about the ymf744B-R, and it seems to be lacking an SB-Link header. I do not fully know what that entails, but I am wondering if there is some functionality missing due to this feature. If not that, I wonder if Sony somehow whitelisted the device to not be able to use vxd sound drivers? It just all seems very strange because it seems like everything should be a good fit.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-03-09, 05:10:

Post the contents of your config.sys and autoexec.bat files

I will be back sunday, and will post them then!

Brute389 wrote on 2021-03-10, 08:22:

So I booted using step by step confirmation and did not load into windows but stayed at the command prompt. From there, I ran the setupds utility to test the sounds again., and I am still only getting sb 8bit sound, no 16bit or fm.

Did you run
setupds /s

Or just
setupds

If the second, then the card is not initialized.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-03-12, 05:12:

Did you run setupds /s […]
Show full quote

Brute389 wrote on 2021-03-10, 08:22:

So I booted using step by step confirmation and did not load into windows but stayed at the command prompt. From there, I ran the setupds utility to test the sounds again., and I am still only getting sb 8bit sound, no 16bit or fm.

Did you run
setupds /s

Or just
setupds

If the second, then the card is not initialized.

So I did not do that to begin with, but I just went back and ran the command. It gave me
SB: Port:220 IRQ: 5 DMA: 1
FM: Port: 388
MPU401: Port: 388 IRQ: 5
Joystick: 201

I then hop back into the setup utility, and the 16 bit and FM sound do not work still, 8 bit does.

Check the volume mixer in setupds.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-03-12, 05:12:

Did you run setupds /s […]
Show full quote

Did you run
setupds /s

Or just
setupds

If the second, then the card is not initialized.

When first installing the card, I've never ran "setupds /s" before actually running setupds, and it has always worked for me just fine (on compatible motherboards, of course).
I add "setupds /s" in autoexec.bat only for subsequent "automatic" initializations.

Based on my experience, his issues are most likely related to the motherboard / internal PCI slot connection. On a desktop these problems are usually easy to overcome (by switching PCI slots, changing BIOS PCI/IRQ settings), but on a laptop... his options are limited.

I've recently faced a similar issue on a KT400 motherboard, when using PCI slots 5 and 6, even if all settings were properly configured. No matter what I tried, FM would refuse to work (and, incredibly, 8 bit digital sounds played just fine - under normal conditions these are the ones that fail to work, while FM should work without any issues). Anyway, the problem was fixed by simply installing the card in any of the first three PCI slots.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-03-14, 06:44:

Check the volume mixer in setupds.

I am posting the pictures from my latest look at the setupds utility. I looked at the volume mixer and everything seems in order but to be honest I don't know.

bloodem wrote on 2021-03-14, 08:00:

When first installing the card, I've never ran "setupds /s" before actually running setupds, and it has always worked for me jus […]
Show full quote

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-03-12, 05:12:

Did you run setupds /s […]
Show full quote

Did you run
setupds /s

Or just
setupds

If the second, then the card is not initialized.

When first installing the card, I've never ran "setupds /s" before actually running setupds, and it has always worked for me just fine (on compatible motherboards, of course).
I add "setupds /s" in autoexec.bat only for subsequent "automatic" initializations.

Based on my experience, his issues are most likely related to the motherboard / internal PCI slot connection. On a desktop these problems are usually easy to overcome (by switching PCI slots, changing BIOS PCI/IRQ settings), but on a laptop... his options are limited.

I've recently faced a similar issue on a KT400 motherboard, when using PCI slots 5 and 6, even if all settings were properly configured. No matter what I tried, FM would refuse to work (and, incredibly, 8 bit digital sounds played just fine - under normal conditions these are the ones that fail to work, while FM should work without any issues). Anyway, the problem was fixed by simply installing the card in any of the first three PCI slots.

For some reason, I never saw your comment update on the thread. I appreciate the insight, and it at least gives me an idea of what is probably going on. From what your saying, it seems like vxd drivers will be a no-go unfortunately due to how the motherboard is set up. Is there no other way for dos compatibility outside of just using dosbox with the wmd drivers?

Ok.. so I have been working on my XG-29 this evening (found an exact replacement screen from a different model). After I installed the new screen, I was looking through the .inf files for the driver installers that were already on that laptop.

Apparently the driver installers on that laptop are specifically for the Sony VAIO laptops.

They are only version 2006 but I had updated to 2019 at some point but since I wiped the drive and did a fresh install tonight and don't remember if I did anything special to upgrade them so I will have to do some testing.

Before I wiped it, I did notice that SETUPDS that was being used was 3.11. I backed up all the driver folders so I have everything.

SETUPDS was working with the 8-bit and FM tests in DOS, but I wasn't getting anything from the Native 16-bit test. Might just be how these laptops are set up but I am going to try again and with headphones as well.

Once I get it all figured out again, I'll put together a driver pack and instructions and put it up on my Google drive and post the link here for you to test.

Edit:
Looking at your current screenshots, your settings appear to be a bit off.
IRQ mode should work in S-IRQ or ISA mode.... ISA mode will most likely be better.
DMA mode should be set to PC-PCI.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-03-18, 05:37:

Ok.. so I have been working on my XG-29 this evening (found an exact replacement screen from a different model). After I install […]
Show full quote

Ok.. so I have been working on my XG-29 this evening (found an exact replacement screen from a different model). After I installed the new screen, I was looking through the .inf files for the driver installers that were already on that laptop.

Apparently the driver installers on that laptop are specifically for the Sony VAIO laptops.

They are only version 2006 but I had updated to 2019 at some point but since I wiped the drive and did a fresh install tonight and don't remember if I did anything special to upgrade them so I will have to do some testing.

Before I wiped it, I did notice that SETUPDS that was being used was 3.11. I backed up all the driver folders so I have everything.

SETUPDS was working with the 8-bit and FM tests in DOS, but I wasn't getting anything from the Native 16-bit test. Might just be how these laptops are set up but I am going to try again and with headphones as well.

Once I get it all figured out again, I'll put together a driver pack and instructions and put it up on my Google drive and post the link here for you to test.

Edit:
Looking at your current screenshots, your settings appear to be a bit off.
IRQ mode should work in S-IRQ or ISA mode.... ISA mode will most likely be better.
DMA mode should be set to PC-PCI.

I am glad you have been able to look into it with a similar setup, and I hope you are able to figure it out as it is driving me nuts. It is promising you are at least getting FM to work as well. Although I posted the screenshots with those settings, I will say that I did try every setting imaginable, using ISA, S-IRQ, as well as selecting PC-PCI, and going through everything with no avail.

Did a bunch of testing and not 100% sure that I was getting sound in Windows with 2019 as I couldn't get 2019 to even install fully without forcing it.

The 4.06.2006 version I have the install for it the official on for the Sony VAIO notebooks.

I have uploaded it and included the installer for the DOS setup version 3.14 as well.
http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?file … menustate=55,38

Uninstall the current Yamaha driver from Add/Remove Programs so it will get rid of stuff like the current Yamaha mixer program.

Reboot and then cancel out of the hardware detection.

Then unzip the file and then run setup for the Windows driver. You should have sound once you reboot.

Then go ahead and clear out the SETUPDS and SET BLASTER stuff from Autoexec.bat and the folder you have the DOS stuff in (default is C:\DS-XG) and then run the install in the realdos folder.

Once you reboot, it will go into SETUPDS so you can set the configuration and test and then exit and save.

I don't think you will get anything out of the 16-bit Native test. I couldn't with any version but maybe it is specific to this laptop model.

The FM test takes a second or two to start playing.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-03-19, 00:44:

Did a bunch of testing and not 100% sure that I was getting sound in Windows with 2019 as I couldn't get 2019 to even install fu […]
Show full quote

Did a bunch of testing and not 100% sure that I was getting sound in Windows with 2019 as I couldn't get 2019 to even install fully without forcing it.

The 4.06.2006 version I have the install for it the official on for the Sony VAIO notebooks.

I have uploaded it and included the installer for the DOS setup version 3.14 as well.
http://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?file … menustate=55,38

Uninstall the current Yamaha driver from Add/Remove Programs so it will get rid of stuff like the current Yamaha mixer program.

Reboot and then cancel out of the hardware detection.

Then unzip the file and then run setup for the Windows driver. You should have sound once you reboot.

Then go ahead and clear out the SETUPDS and SET BLASTER stuff from Autoexec.bat and the folder you have the DOS stuff in (default is C:\DS-XG) and then run the install in the realdos folder.

Once you reboot, it will go into SETUPDS so you can set the configuration and test and then exit and save.

I don't think you will get anything out of the 16-bit Native test. I couldn't with any version but maybe it is specific to this laptop model.

The FM test takes a second or two to start playing.

I just have to say that everything worked exactly like you said it would. After waiting a couple of seconds, I finally got FM audio to play in setupds. I can't thank you enough for being able to help with this! However, I also could not get 16-bit native audio to work, which is very interesting. I will continue to look into the settings and see if I can get it to work because I find it weird that two different machines, although same manufacturer, can't play 16-bit sound. Thanks again!

You're welcome. I think it is just in DOS that the 16-bit is not working. I'm not even sure if there are any DOS games that directly support the Yamaha chips so it probably doesn't even matter.

The only thing I can think of that might is AIL / Miles Sound System which would make it a problem but then you would just use the Sound Blaster Pro option instead.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-03-19, 16:49:

You're welcome. I think it is just in DOS that the 16-bit is not working. I'm not even sure if there are any DOS games that directly support the Yamaha chips so it probably doesn't even matter.

The only thing I can think of that might is AIL / Miles Sound System which would make it a problem but then you would just use the Sound Blaster Pro option instead.

Okay , I did not know it was not that big of a deal, and I did not know that DS-XG was not directly supported. I just have one further question. Are there any vaio vxd drivers that support the ymf754 cards?