🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <kum1amINN9mc@news.bbn.com> saustin@bbn.com (Steve Austin) writes:
>I have a Sounblaster (V1.5 with the 2.0 software) in my no-name
>386-33MHz system.  The problem that I am having is that it hangs
>when using digitized sound.  I have taken everything out of the
>bus except the video card (Super VGA) and the HD/FD controler.
>Everything is fine, however, when emulating the Adlib.
>
>My suspicion is centered on the DMA, since I have tried all
>IRQ lines and IRQ7 does no seem to be used by anything else.
>Is it likely that either the video card or the disc controller
>are intefering with the Soundblaster?
>
>When playing short sounds (such as the Windows *.WAV files
>in 3.1), the Sounblaster only crashes the machine sometimes,
>but when playing longer sequences of sounds (e.g. intros to
>games), it crashes fairly regularly.

I went through some of these EXACT scenarios.  I carefully
removed drivers, TSRs, etc., (EVERYTHING) out of my autoexec.bat
and config.sys.  I pulled different boards and tried all the
variations of the jumper settings.  After several calls
to Creative Labs (can you BELIEVE how busy that phone line is?), 
I finally got a hold of someone who shed some light on my problem.
They have found that there are difficulties running the SoundBlaster
with the 486, particularly at high speeds.  They are supposedly
looking into software fixes to the drivers.  Evidently, the CPU
overruns the card.  I truly wonder if the problem is correctable
using software only.

Anyhow, the guy to whom I spoke recommended taking my machine OUT
of its turbo mode (50 MHz) which I believe puts me at 33MHz.
Sure enough, things HAVE improved, but still do not work 100%.

Like you, I found that a Sierra game ("Space Quest IV") failed
to recognize my board (which is supposedly backward compatible
to the SoundBlaster non-Pro).  Not only did it fail to find
the board, but my machine hung.  However, when I specified AdLib
it seemed to like that fine.  The Creative Labs guy mentioned
some driver (S486???.DRV) on their bulletin board that might
help.  Also, by the way, there are NEW drivers for Windows 3.1.

I have DSP level 3.02 of SoundBlaster Pro.  However, if I don't
see a fix soon, I just may return the thing...


-- 
Lance Hartmann - lance@devnull.mpd.tandem.com              "Not the Momma!"
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DISCLAIMER:  All opinions/actions expressed herein bespeak those of my VERY OWN
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