Sound problem - Help

[netdragonx]

Hey all.
It's me again. Well, i've fixed the video card problem (May 24th) by getting it replaced, but now I need your help with another problem. This one isn't as involved as the last one was (I hope), so here it is. When I start my computer, windows loads (Win 98) but the sound does not work. Now when this happened, I ventured towards the Windows Help section and discovered a way to fix the sound from one of the Troubleshooters (Start > Help > Troubleshooting > Win 98 Troubleshooters > Sound > "The Sound appears to play, but I do not hear anything"). This had me go to the Control Panel, and from there to the Multimedia section where I did the following:

Devices tab (inside Multimedia) :

Loaded 'Media Control Devices' > Double-clicked 'Wave Audio Device' > Set to 'Use this Media control Device' > Clicked Ok!
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Loaded 'Audio compression codecs' > Double-clicked 'Microsoft GSM 6.10 Audio CODEC' > Set to 'Use this Audio codec' > Clicked 'Settings' > On the configuration panel I clicked 'Auto-configure' > Clicked Ok!
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Closed 'Multimedia' > Proceeded to 'Add new hardware' > Clicked 'Next' a few times 'til I got to 'No, Select my own devices' (which I chose, and it brought my to the devices selection screen) > I hit 'Sound, Video, and Game controllers > Then I scrolled down to 'Microsoft MCI' in the left frame under Manufacturers > I selected Microsoft MCI > Then 'Wave Audio Device (Media Control)' under models > Clicked Next > then Finish.
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Restarted computer (yes.. when I was prompted)


Hehe, I know I didn't need to type all that (it's pretty much following directions in the troubleshooter), but when you don't have any sound, the sound of the keys on the keyboard strut up quite a lovely tune. (Just kiddin). Aight, back to details.

Now, after the computer restarts.. Voila! The sound returns! I look at the Sound devices in the system Device Manager (Windows Key + Pause/Break), and it seems that only one of the three devices that were originally there, is listed:

PCI288-Q3D II PCI Audio

Ok, so yeah, the sounds coming from the speakers is much more enjoyable then my fingers tapping away at the keyboard, but perhaps it is fate that lovliness such as this ends so quickly. When I restart my computer, I am hurt that the sound that has brought so much enjoyment fails to procure from within the mystical speakers. So, thinking quickly, I immediately load the System configuration panel. I jump towards the 'Device Manager' at lightning speed... and what should await my effervescent return but all three (3) of the original audio devices!

::Small Break -- Drinks 7Up, and consumes some 'Butter Lovers' popcorn::

Ok, i'm back. Well, there you have it. After I restart my computer, the original device drivers are back in place, but my sound does not return. What's that you say? Which device drivers? Have patience my elustrious friend. Hehe, actually you don't need any more patience, because here they are:

Original devices (back in place after restart):
1. PCI Audio Direct Input Driver
2. PCI Legacy Audio
3. PCI288-Q3D II PCI Audio

Perhaps this is a good time to give the stats of my computer. Yes, I believe it is. Ready? Aight. >>

700Mhz AMD Athlon
Windows '98 4.10 (Build 2222)
128Megs DRAM
20Gig HD 7200 RPM
nVidia Riva TNT2 Pro @ 1152 x 864, True color (32bit)
MultiSync FE700 Monitor
12x DVD-ROM (30x CD)
8x4x32x CD-RW
48x CD-ROM (Not connected, I installed the DVD-ROM and ran out of the connector cord thingy. So it's just sitting there)
Altec Lansing Speakers (if you were wondering)
Want my modem too? Hehe
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I must be overly bored or something. Have of that stuff isn't even relavent. Ok. Well now, here's the big moment. The time when I say Au Revoir to this post and give it to the expert hands of all the internet gurus (like yourself) out there. Thank you for taking the time to read this unnaturally large post. Perhaps next time I'll just leave you with a 'Sound broke. Can't fix.' kind of post. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

Until next time -

P.S. I know that as soon as I submit this post, i'm going to remember something I forgot. LOL


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- Mr. Dragon

[Paleo Pete]

Only thing I can think of at a quick look is boot into Safe Mode, open Device Manager and remove ALL sound devices shown. Reboot and reinstall the card and drivers, see if it works.

What that does is remove any "ghost" drivers that windows may still be trying to use, and that's probably why the showed up again...In normal mode the only one shown will be the last card installed, Safe Mode shows them all, even the ones that have been removed. The drivers for those are still there...

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So many idiots, and only six bullets...
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[netdragonx]

Hey Pete man. Well, I tried what you said, and it didn't fix anything. Sooo, I played around with it a bit, and to my unscrupulous joy fixed it! Yeah, it works now. Perhaps i'll describe just what I did so anyone else out there who has a similar problem will know what to do.

First I removed all the drivers (like Paleo Pete suggested), and restarted the computer. This reinstalled all the drivers, but in the end didn't change anything (for the computer's sound was still broken).

Then I thought that perhaps the 3 drivers were overlapping each other, and causing the sound to cancel out. So what I did was, instead of removing the drivers from the System Device Manager, I disabled them! After this I ran through the Windows 98 troubleshooter once again to fix the sound like I had previously done so many times. Not to my surprise, the sound was working once the computer restarted (after troubleshooting). The only thing that I wasn't sure of was if it would continue to work after I had performed a regular restart/shutdown. (F.Y.I. - The Q3D II PCI Audio driver was the only one in the Device Manager at this time.) Then the time for the test began. So I restarted my computer, and to my joyouse surprise, found that the sound worked ::TADA::!! I took a look at the Device manager and found that the other two sound drivers that had caused me to stress out on this were (once again) reinstated by Windows into the same place. The only difference was that they were still disabled. So.. yeah! LOL - Thanks Paleo Pete.

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- Mr. Dragon

[Bill Russell]

Many PCI sound cards today are resource hogs and it's common for them
to use TWO IRQ's. Especially damnable is the insistence on providing
"legacy" Sound Blaster emulation which no one uses (whoops! there goes
another IRQ!) What you did is ok for a band-aid fix but there may be
some sound apps which won't work without ALL the devices in proper
order. If this happens you'll have to track down your IRQ useage, see
if you have any free, and possibly move the sound card around to dif-
ferent slots to get a proper solution.