Do any of those specifically require Windows 7 to play? If not, you're probably better sticking with XP for System 2.

RetroLizard wrote on 2025-12-15, 19:03:

Do any of those specifically require Windows 7 to play? If not, you're probably better sticking with XP for System 2.

Only the ones that are listed on the attached 'Win7 Games' screenshot image.

In my opinion, a few select EAX 5.0 games does warrant me to use Windows 7 and its X-Fi Titanium, whereas I get up to EAX 4.0 support with Audigy 2ZS inside my Win98/2K (System 2) machine.

Unreal Tournament 2004, I know isn't a Windows 7 game. Neither is the original Crysis. Or Half-Life 2.

I'd see how many of them are playable on Windows XP first before deciding.

I have applied and installed the Windows 2000 Extended Kernel 3.0e
(from https://retrosystemsrevival.blogspot.com)

https://retrosystemsrevival.blogspot.com/2020 … kernel-30e.html

Which has essentially turned my Win2K machine into an XP one.

C0deHunter wrote on 2025-12-15, 18:19:

Hello all, I have built two systems: […]
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Hello all,
I have built two systems:

System 1

MS-DOS 7.1
Win98SE
Windows 2000 Professional
ASRock H77M (Ivy Bridge)
Core i5 3470s (2900MHz)
8GB DDR3-1600
GeForce GTX 980Ti (the last good GPU that has crisp support for CRTs!)
Samsung 17" SyncMaster MB1763
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (up to EAX 4.0 support)

and

System 2

XP
Vista
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Albatron PX865PEL-800
Pentium 4 (2800MHz)
Northwood (82865G)
512MB DDR
GeForce FX5200
Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium (EMU20K2) (up to EAX 5.0 support, however very *few* games even support 5.0)(also supposedly it is backward compatible with EAX 1, 2, 3)

Both systems are connected to the same CRT monitor, keyboard and mouse (and don't have a KVM handy at the moment)

My goal is to play the following Win9X-Win2K-XP era games, but since it is a long list, I have attached a screen capture of it instead.

Also there is another screen shot of the Windows 7 era games list (the so called 'Games for Windows' unified games, and some newer games that require Windows 7)

Questions:

1) I am seriously torn and need to get your opinion on which system to use?

2) For Windows 7, it is obvious that I am going to use for said games

3) But my real concern is choosing either the Win9X/2K or XP systems, as I hate using a KVM to constantly switch between System 1 (Win9X-2K) and System 2 (XP-Win7)

4) As you can see I have done an exhaustive research and made a note of the EAX and DirectX (or OpenGL) version of the said games as well. And my goal is to enjoy the EAX games specifically, because back in the day, I never really bothered with noticing or utilizing them, even though I am sure that have own an Audigy 2ZS)

ISSUES:
When I played the original Splinter Cell on Win7 (I know, old game) the Audio radio button in the settings for EAX was grayed out, but when I played on XP, I could toggle EAX on and off. (which I am sure can be done on my Win98/2K System 1)

I really appreciate your insights and opinions.

I'm guessing you've got the operating systems swapped in your lists of specs...?

If not, they should be. I don't imagine a 980 Ti is too useful in Windows 98SE, and likewise an FX 5200 in Windows 7. Also, the Audigy 2ZS should be in the slower Win9x system and the X-Fi in the Windows XP\7 system.

My bad! I just corrected my mistake! Yes, that is correct: Audigy 2 in Win98, and X-Fi in XP/7 machine.

That Pentium 4 system with a GeForce FX 5200 is too weak to comfortably play EAX 5.0 games. For reference, we're talking about titles such as Quake 4, Prey, Colin McRae Dirt, Mass Effect and so on. Take a look at the EAX games list on the Vogons Wiki to see which games support each EAX version.

As for EAX on Vista and up, only games which access EAX via OpenAL will work there natively. For everything else, you need a wrapper such as Creative's ALchemy.

Wow! The almighty Joseph_Joestar has blessed me with his insight! I am humbled!

OK, yes that is the reason that I *occasionally* will be playing Windows 7 era games on the System 2 (Win7)

I should rephrase my request:
Should I use the XP OS (on the same machine as Win7, which conveniently gives me the option to also play Windows 7 games using my multi-OS menu at system startup), or switch to Win98/Win2K machine?

I think skip doing multiboot (XP and 7 have a big overlap in compatible games, after all) and just choose 7 for system 2.

98SE for System 1; 2000 has problems with some games.

C0deHunter wrote on 2025-12-15, 19:32:

My bad! I just corrected my mistake! Yes, that is correct: Audigy 2 in Win98, and X-Fi in XP/7 machine.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2025-12-15, 19:48:

That Pentium 4 system with a GeForce FX 5200 is too weak to comfortably play EAX 5.0 games. For reference, we're talking about titles such as Quake 4, Prey, Colin McRae Dirt, Mass Effect and so on. Take a look at the EAX games list on the Vogons Wiki to see which games support each EAX version.

As for EAX on Vista and up, only games which access EAX via OpenAL will work there natively. For everything else, you need a wrapper such as Creative's ALchemy.

C0deHunter wrote on 2025-12-15, 20:10:

Wow! The almighty Joseph_Joestar has blessed me with his insight! I am humbled! […]
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Wow! The almighty Joseph_Joestar has blessed me with his insight! I am humbled!

OK, yes that is the reason that I *occasionally* will be playing Windows 7 era games on the System 2 (Win7)

I should rephrase my request:
Should I use the XP OS (on the same machine as Win7, which conveniently gives me the option to also play Windows 7 games using my multi-OS menu at system startup), or switch to Win98/Win2K machine?

The issue is that the list still shows the sound cards on the wrong systems... but Codehunter already restated which systems they are going in as quoted here. In other words, I don't know why you guys are arguing about an obvious typo. 😅

EDIT: I see it's been fixed now. Crisis averted. You're both welcome. 😆

What is this 'OpenAL' or a 'EAX Unified' drivers and where would I find them for certain games, on their websites?

So buy the KVM and keep both. Seems like the only solution without massive compromise.

C0deHunter wrote on 2025-12-16, 08:46:

What is this 'OpenAL' or a 'EAX Unified' drivers and where would I find them for certain games, on their websites?

The latest EAX Unified standalone installer can be found here. And Creative's last official version of OpenAL is here.

Back in the day, games which used these shipped them on the disc, usually as just DLL files.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2025-12-16, 08:59:

C0deHunter wrote on 2025-12-16, 08:46:

What is this 'OpenAL' or a 'EAX Unified' drivers and where would I find them for certain games, on their websites?

The latest EAX Unified standalone installer can be found here. And Creative's last official version of OpenAL is here.

Back in the day, games which used these shipped them on the disc, usually as just DLL files.

Many thanks! I just grab them and install them then?

C0deHunter wrote on 2025-12-16, 10:53:

Many thanks! I just grab them and install them then?

Yes.

Just be sure to install EAX Unified and OpenAL after your sound card drivers, and not the other way around. The reason being, some driver CDs contain older versions of these files.

Many thanks for your kind inputs:

1) What is the real benefit of keeping the X-Fi Titanium (EMU20K2) in my XP machine, and not replacing it with Audigy 2ZS (EMU10K2)? Would EAX 5.0 support would be that important to warrant not using ZS 2 on my XP machine?

2) Also what does Win9X / Win2K OS offer that Windows XP OS does not? It seems that XP was THE replacement (at least its 32bit variant) for anything from 1998 up until 2009ish?

3) Would I be better off to keep the XP/Win7 machine only, and simply install Win9X/Win2K era games on XP, and all other 'newer' 7 era games ('Games for Windows, Live, etc.) on Windows 7?

4) If I keep both systems, how can I install Creative Alchemy on Windows 7 machine? Is there is separate installer for Alchemy?

Many thanks I really appreciate it!

It really depends on if you want them to be playable out of the box or if you want to spend extra time with applying patches and fixes just to get the games to work.