mnrausch@immd4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Martin Rausche) (05/28/91)
Here is my summary about my problems with Soundblaster and my 33MHz 386 machine First of all, here is my original posting: > I have a big problem with Soundblaster on a 33MHz-386 board. > Description of the problem: > I have installed the Soundblaster (ver1.5) in my computer. Then I tried > to run the test-sbc.exe program. It stops with a window saying: Error 0400. > The manual says: DMA-conflict (Remove your scannercard or ...) SB uses > DMA channel 1 and this feature cannot be reconfigured. (Great, what can > I do? I haven't got a scanner card. Maybe I schould buy one to remove it from > my computer :-) > Then I tried parrot.bat and ... it worked !!!! > Then I tried fmorgan.bat and ... it worked !!!! > Then I tried sbaitso.bat and ... it said "HELL" and locked up the computer !!! > Description of hardware: > 33MHz 386 with C&T-chips > AT-Bus-Controller with 210MB-Seagate-harddisk > Speedstar SuperVGA > Soundblaster version 1.5 (without CMS-Chips) > I NEED HELP !!! > I tried the SB on three different computers and it worked. I hope someone > out there knows how to get that Sound%$^#$& to work on my machine. > Thanks in advance for your help. Please answer by EMail and I post a summary. > Martin. (mnrausch@immd4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de) Here are the answers I received with some additional comments. My comments begin with ***. Date: Tue, 21 May 91 22:15:55 PDT From: shaehnichen@UCSD.EDU (Social Hacker!) As a temporary fix, try taking the computer out of turbo.. It worked for me. Call the CMS BBS and get the new files; the old ones had timing problems on 33Mhz machines.. You are not alone. -Steve }>> Steve Haehnichen <<{ shaehnichen@ucsd.edu Disclaimer: UCSD and I do not share any opinions. *** This did'nt work, I tried to slow down the computer as much as I can, but it *** had no effect. Date: Tue, 21 May 91 19:47 GMT From: roger@larry.ruhr.de (Roger Schwentker) *** (This one was in German. Here is a short summary of that mail) Maybe the problem is caused by your harddisk-controller card. The programs parrot and fmorgan don't use DMA. *** (I know that B-) Try to use the jumpers on the hd-controllercard to fix that problem. *** That isn't possible The problem doesn't depend on the processor speed. +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Roger Schwentker UUCP/EUNET : ironduke@fernuni-hagen.de | | Fernuniversttaet Hagen private : roger@larry.ruhr.de | | Prakt. Informatik III EARN/BITNET : ironduke@dhafeu51.bitnet | | D - 5800 Hagen phone : +49 2331 804 2102 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Es gibt zwei Arten von Narren. | | Der eine sagt: "Dies ist alt und deshalb gut." | | Und der andere sagt: "Dies ist neu und deshalb besser." | | John Brunner, Der Schockwellenreiter, 1975 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Date: Tue, 21 May 91 15:38:20 -0400 From: Stephen M Smith <smsmith@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> It (*** the manual) also says that a diskette COPY card or a SCSI device might cause conflicts. Do you have ANY other card in your computer other than 1) a video card; 2) a floppy/hd controller card; and 3) a par/ser card??? *** My description of hardware was a complete description B-) Are you using any special memory managers like QRAM, QEMM, etc.? When I'm multitasking with Desqview (w/QEMM loaded of course) my soundblaster sometimes does the same thing, i.e. it will say the first word of a text then lock up. What is contained in your config.sys file? Any SOFTWARE conflicts??? *** I used a plain vanilla DOS, but no effect. *** Some info about soundblaster deleted here, because I see that *** posting a couple of times during the last two weeks, and this *** information is not necessary to solve my problem Stephen M. Smith \ + / <smsmith@magnus. \+++++/ " #*&<-[89s]*(k#$@-_=//a2$]'+=.(2_&*%>,,@ acs.ohio-state. \ + / {7%*@,..":27g)-=,#*:.#,/6&1*.4-,l@#9:-) " edu> \ + / BTW, WYSInaWYG \ + / --witty.saying.ARC Date: 21 May 91 17:19:04 GMT From: ong@d.cs.okstate.edu (ONG ENG TENG) Call Creative Labs for their BBS number and download a file call PROG.EXE which contain the 33MHz version of testsbc, etc. *** Not possible, because I haven't got a Modem Date: Wed, 22 May 91 10:33:11 +0100 From: Michael Traub <traub@rtf.bt.co.uk> Ok this isn't much help I'm afraid but a little extra information (which you may already know anyway). Only some of the SB programs use DMA, the rest just use the IRQ and read the data manually. Obviously you are having trouble with the DMA usage whilst everything else works ok. I noticed when I bought the S/B that the DMA was hardwired to channel 1 and thought that was a bit crappy, however I didn't have anything else using that DMA channel so it was ok. If the list of hardware you provided is complete then there shouldn't be anything else using DMA channel 1. Check your hard-disk controller first and see if that has any jumpers to alter the DMA channel (there will probably be a pair of them) if not it may be your C&T chipset, but I don't know what to do in that case (and I keep well clear of any C&T stuff as it always causes problems). *** You are right !!! I talked with my dealer and he ordered another motherboard *** for me. Now I use a Sys-board with AMI-BIOS and this thing works and is *** faster than the old Chips & Incompatibility - board. :-) *** Thank you for your advice. That's the only possible solution !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Michael Traub BT Customer Systems, Brighton Systems Centre. traub@rtf.bt.co.uk From: Stephen M Smith <smsmith@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> In addition to that last long-winded letter, here's some more info concerning Soundblaster and 386-33 machines. I posted this a couple months ago: *** A lot of info about software problems deleted, because my problem isn't *** a software problem !!! Date: Wed May 22 15:06:04 1991 From: rick@uunet.uu.net Does your machine have the AMI BIOS with extended setup? If it does, try changing the DMA speed (lower). Some machines have other mechanisms (jumpers, differant BIOS) for changing the DMA speed; some machines don't give you any control. *** see above. --rick -- =============================================================================== Rick Wagner / Always Technology email: rick@always.COM 31336 Via Colinas, Suite 101 Voice: 1-818-597-1400 Westlake Village, CA 91362 Fax: 1-818-597-1496 Don't put off 'til tomorrow, what you can do today, because if you enjoy it today, you can do it again tomorrow *** The solution to all my problems: *** Don't use those C&T-boards if you want to use a Soundblaster card *** I hope that posting is of some interest for others than me. --- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Martin Rausche | | EMail: mnrausch@immd4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de | | Trust me, I know what I'm doing -- Sledge Hammer | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
mnrausch@immd4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de (Martin Rausche) (06/03/91)
Sorry, but there was a big mistake in my previous post. The motherboard that I use now is a SIS motherboard. Bye. Martin. --- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Martin Rausche | | EMail: mnrausch@immd4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de | | Trust me, I know what I'm doing -- Sledge Hammer | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------