Then again I could be wrong, just tested Warcraft II - Beyond The Dark Portal.
Same error, can't get soundblaster emulation to work, only Adlib emulation for midi/music.

[vEX] wrote:

install.scr (install script)
and does haven't got anything to do with the main game itself after installation

Yes, but we're looking for anything different. I've attached the install script from mine.

Any game that you know that doesn't work with XP's built in SB emu but works with VDMSound ?

They're definitely a few out there.

Amazing Spiderman
ApplePC 2.52b (Apple II emulator with some Mockingboard emulation)
Grandest Fleet, The
Wrath of the Demon (AdLib)

I also noted that on some titles that the install/setup program wouldn't recognize the soundcard in native XP, but (fortunately) the game itself did.

Black Knight v1.5 works on both, but the SBPro from the native emulation is horrid compared to SB16 on VDMSound.

http://vdmsound.sourceforge.net/compat

Hmm, they got it to work with native support ? Damn, I can't get it to work with nor without VDMSound 😒

Think you could attach those .vlp files & your DRIVERS\DIG.INI & DRIVERS\MDI.INI ?

UPDATE: Ok, I've compared the two files using UltraEdit32 and the only difference is this line:

INFO "The Albion CD contains information about other Blue Byte products, including playable Settlers II and Battle Isle 2220 Demos. You can access this information using Windows."

I miss one word and it's "Demos" other than that they are identical.

I hope the VLP's and INIs, when he uploads them, solves the problem, [vEX]!

Hm, this was a most [vEX]-xing thread. Hehe.

[vEX] wrote:

Hmm, they got it to work with native support ? Damn, I can't get it to work with nor without VDMSound

It? You mean Black Knight?

Think you could attach those .vlp files & your DRIVERS\DIG.INI & DRIVERS\MDI.INI ?

Done. Note that it was installed to D:\Albion , so the files will point there.

I miss one word and it's "Demos" other than that they are identical.

Ok, looks like that's a dead end.

Originally posted by [vEX]
Hmm, they got it to work with native support ? Damn, I can't get it to work with nor without VDMSound

Oops, should have mentioned that I meant Albion.
Going to try the vlp & inis now. I mean since it works for you it outgha work for me, right ?

UPDATE: Nope, didn't work 🙁
Seems like VDMSound just don't want to work for me. The only thing that works is the AdLib emulation which means I can get music, but no digital audio effects 🙁
vladr: Any idea why the SoundBlaster/MIDI emulation doesn't work while the AdLib one does ?

This is VERY strange. The same copy of Albion, more or less. The most current version of VDMSound (I'm assuming). PLUS, he's running Windows XP with Service Pack 1!

Hm. I read the MDI.INI and DIG.INI. What happens if you hard-code them by hand to set up for VDMSound? IO_ADDR, IRQ, DMA_8_BIT, DMA_16_BIT, etc.

Still, it's very weird, the auto-detect should work...

[vEX] wrote:

Oops, should have mentioned that I meant Albion.

Ok, I thought I had mentioned it running fine in both Native mode and with VDMSound before.

...since it works for you it outgha work for me, right ?
UPDATE: Nope, didn't work

Didn't think it would, but I've just about run out of ideas.

Any idea why the SoundBlaster/MIDI emulation doesn't work while the AdLib one does ?

Have you tried it out with other DOS titles? Do NONE of them work?

For some "quick and easy" titles to test, you might try the CHAMP games at http://www.champ-em.com/

They're small Soundblaster/PC speaker only titles that seem very easy to run on XP. They work fine with sound; with or without VDMSound in XP.

If you're not getting any digital audio from VDMSound it sounds like something's interfering like a hardware monitoring program that uses giveio.sys to work. Anything like that running? That will conflict with VDMSound.

Stiletto wrote:

This is VERY strange. The same copy of Albion, more or less. The most current version of VDMSound (I'm assuming). PLUS, he's running Windows XP with Service Pack 1!

Yup, running VDMSound 2.0.4 + update1

Stiletto wrote:

Hm. I read the MDI.INI and DIG.INI. What happens if you hard-code them by hand to set up for VDMSound? IO_ADDR, IRQ, DMA_8_BIT, DMA_16_BIT, etc.

Tried that from the very start and numerous times after that, won't work.

Nicht Sehr Gut: Okay, going to try some off those games now.
And I can't think of any program messing with that file, unless ZoneAlarm or 3Dfx Tools do something naught behind my back.
No hardware monitoring programs though.

UPDATE: Does games doesn't work either, with or without VDMSound. This is what I get:
Initializing sound card...
Unable to initialize Soundblaster...

Could it be that Microsoft can't write drivers that works with my soundcard (Voyetra Turtle Beach Montego II) ? Although there is no official ones, the last ones were for 98/NT4 and they wont install.

[vEX] wrote:

Okay, going to try some off those games now.
And I can't think of any program messing with that file, unless ZoneAlarm or 3Dfx Tools do something

Don't think they would, but to be on the safe side, you might try killing off all unneeded programs when testing VDMSound or XP's audio emulation.

UPDATE: Does games doesn't work either, with or without VDMSound. This is what I get:
Initializing sound card...
Unable to initialize Soundblaster...

Ok, at the risk of stating the obvious, something's "whacked" on your system. Even with the crummy audio chipset that I'm using, XP will give me basic SoundBlaster digital audio (FM frequently fails).

Are you getting good sound from Windows? MIDI and MP3 files play properly?

Could it be that Microsoft can't write drivers that works with my soundcard (Voyetra Turtle Beach Montego II) ? Although there is no official ones, the last ones were for 98/NT4...

Came across this:
"Aureal Inc., the designers and manufacturers of the Vortex2 chipset used on this card, have filed chapter 7 in the US, and are no longer trading or developing drivers for this chipset. As a result no further SonicVortex2 driver updates are possible. Windows 9x and NT drivers are complete, stable and bug-free. However Windows 2000 drivers are available in beta form only, and will not be developed further"

Also came across this http://www.vortexofsound.com/drivers/drv_wxp.htm

Where they recommend XP's built-in audio drivers, then they say:

(Note: Microsoft has since updated the drivers for the Aureal Vortex-based sound cards and put these new drivers on the Windows Update site. User feedback has been negative in regards to these new drivers, so it is recommended that you not update to this new version.)

You might also read the text there under Why is the Windows XP support so bad?, in any case it doesn't look good.

This may, indeed, be your sound card. You could try Chris Day's control panel which is also linked there (Probably won't help, but I'm out of ideas...other than buy a new card).

The soundcard works perfectly except for with VDMSound and I'm using the recommended drivers (already looked at that).
And I tested the game today over at a friends, worked fine (he has a Sound Blaster Live/P4/gf3/lot's of good stuff).

Seems like I have to give up till I can afford a new PC. 🙁
Ah well, thanks for helping.

[vEX] wrote:

The soundcard works perfectly except for with VDMSound and I'm using the recommended drivers...

Well, if the built-in SB emulation isn't working, then it isn't working "perfectly".

Seems like I have to give up till I can afford a new PC.

*gack* Well, you shouldn't have to get a whole new PC. Just replace the sound card (presuming that is the true source of the problem).

Yeah, but this PC is not worth the trouble. I've filled those fields in the profile out with detailed info for those who's interested.

Hmm, if I'm not mistaken I have SB64 AWE laying around somewhere, should try that one (not that I believe it will work).

[vEX] wrote:

Yeah, but this PC is not worth the trouble. I've filled those fields in the profile out with detailed info

Understood. 400 MHz is a bit on the weak side for XP. I remember it feeling sluggish on an AMD950.

...have SB64 AWE laying around somewhere,

Give it a try. Your system just cries out for a dual-boot setup. With an AWE64 and DOS or Win9x, you would have one of the most all-around compatible sound setups (DOS games like ISA soundcards).

Of course, that's more effort and time again...

400MHz is just fine with XP, as long as you have enough memory.
I was running a dual boot with 98SE/2k before upgrading to XP and I won't go back since XP works the best with my PC.

Going to test the SB64AWE later tonight or tomorrow, depends on when I get time. Should I use Microsoft's built in drivers, or Creative's ? (Have no idea what 64AWE card it is, but most likely the value one)

[vEX] wrote:

... I won't go back since XP works the best with my PC.

Reason I said that was because there are still titles out there that don't want to run in XP or won't run at all, but they still run fine in Win98.

Should I use Microsoft's built in drivers, or Creative's ?

Just let the OS choose it for you. Creative has no AWE drivers for the XP and recommend that you use XP's.

There should have a CT#### on it somewhere, that will ID the card if you so some searching.

Just a note, there were no "value" versions of Creative cards before the Live! series.

Found it 😁
Nicht: Yeah, it sais CT4380, going to search for it now.
Snover: You sure ? Because I believe they had Sound Blaster AWE 64 value/gold or does my memory fail me ?

UPDATE: Just found drivers for the Sound Blaster AWE 64 Value on http://www.soundblaster.com which means it exist. And yay, it the example where you search for cards by model number it used mine. 😉

[vEX] wrote:

UPDATE: Just found drivers for the Sound Blaster AWE 64 Value on http://www.soundblaster.com which means it exist. And yay, it the example where you search for cards by model number it used mine.

I did the same # search and came up with "Sound Blaster AWE 64" (no Value), and the only entry for AWE for XP still says "Supported by native drivers supplied in Window XP". Proceed with caution.

Good news, sort of. Switched the soundcards so now I'm running on my AWE64. The good news is that now I can select "Sound Blaster 16" for usage with MIDI sound, but I still can't select any soundcard for digital sound (with and without VDMSound).