Just tested the card in Windows 95 to make sure it's ok and it's working perfectly so just DOS is the issue.

Ok got a little further. Well, almost there.

When I installed the Windows drivers, it also installed the DOS drivers to C:\ drive (ESSOLO.COM, ESSOLO.SYS, ESSCFG.INI).

I modified my config.sys and autoexec.bat to point to the drivers sitting in the root of C: and bingo! the card came alive in DOS. All games working perfectly. The only problem now is ESSVOL.exe does not detect the card. I got a funny feeling Phils ESSDOS drivers are borked (but surely someone else would have complained?) or not compatible with my particular ESS Solo 1. Going to do some more investigating...

zuldan wrote on 2024-04-30, 08:02:

The only problem now is ESSVOL.exe does not detect the card. I got a funny feeling Phils ESSDOS drivers are borked (but surely someone else would have complained?) or not compatible with my particular ESS Solo 1. Going to do some more investigating...

ESSVOL.EXE isn't a part of the official Solo-1 driver pack. Phil took it from one of the ISA card drivers, probably an ESS 1868F.

That utility can work with some Solo-1 cards, but not all of them. It depends on the chip revision. See here: ESS Solo 1 different versions

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2024-04-30, 08:08:

zuldan wrote on 2024-04-30, 08:02:

The only problem now is ESSVOL.exe does not detect the card. I got a funny feeling Phils ESSDOS drivers are borked (but surely someone else would have complained?) or not compatible with my particular ESS Solo 1. Going to do some more investigating...

ESSVOL.EXE isn't a part of the official Solo-1 driver pack. Phil took it from one of the ISA card drivers, probably an ESS 1868F.

That utility can work with some Solo-1 cards, but not all of them. It depends on the chip revision. See here: ESS Solo 1 different versions

Thanks for the info Joseph. After a long read, it appears I have a newer revision of the Solo 1 so ESSVOL will not work. Are you aware of any method to unmute the line-in when ESSVOL doesn’t work? I’d like to be able to use my SC-55 with some games.

zuldan wrote on 2024-04-30, 09:50:

Thanks for the info Joseph. After a long read, it appears I have a newer revision of the Solo 1 so ESSVOL will not work. Are you aware of any method to unmute the line-in when ESSVOL doesn’t work? I’d like to be able to use my SC-55 with some games.

Unfortunately, I don't know of any way to do that.

But alternatively, you could plug the line out of your Solo-1 to the line in on the SC-55. Or possibly get an external mixer.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2024-04-30, 10:01:

zuldan wrote on 2024-04-30, 09:50:

Thanks for the info Joseph. After a long read, it appears I have a newer revision of the Solo 1 so ESSVOL will not work. Are you aware of any method to unmute the line-in when ESSVOL doesn’t work? I’d like to be able to use my SC-55 with some games.

Unfortunately, I don't know of any way to do that.

But alternatively, you could plug the line out of your Solo-1 to the line in on the SC-55. Or possibly get an external mixer.

Damn! Not too keen on using line in on the SC-55 or a mixer. I think I’ll put the Solo 1 on the shelf and put the AWE64 back in the machine for the time being. I’m building a 1997/98 DOS/Win95 machine with a Voodoo 2. I figured the Solo 1 would be a little more period correct than the AWE64.

A little off topic now, is there an sound card for for the period 97/98 with DOS support you would recommend?

zuldan wrote on 2024-04-30, 10:14:

A little off topic now, is there an sound card for for the period 97/98 with DOS support you would recommend?

Maybe a Yamaha YMF 744? Under Win9x, those cards support A3D 1.0 and EAX 1.0 (via Sensaura) as well as Yamaha XG music. The latter can be used natively by Final Fantasy 7, providing excellent results. Also, the General MIDI synth of the card is very pleasing, and sounds relatively close to an MU-50. It can be used for DOS games too, as long as you run them from within Win9x.

In pure DOS, you get SBPro support and genuine OPL3, but no General MIDI. Game compatibility depends on the chipset of your motherboard and how you connect the card. Best results can be achieved by using SB-Link, if applicable.

zuldan wrote on 2024-04-30, 07:32:

Does anyone know what these jumpers do on this particular Solo 1 card?

Jumpers.JPG

Switch between speaker and line level output

zuldan wrote on 2024-04-30, 09:50:

Thanks for the info Joseph. After a long read, it appears I have a newer revision of the Solo 1 so ESSVOL will not work. Are you aware of any method to unmute the line-in when ESSVOL doesn’t work? I’d like to be able to use my SC-55 with some games.

Necroposting since this is a top hit in Google for the error message in the topic.

sbmix.exe works on these later Solo-1's (with the "Kxxx" revision): https://www.bttr-software.de/products/sbmix/

I use it with the /L15 option to passthrough a PicoGUS to the ESS's line-out.