RE: Need sound driver for Windows 98 SE

[stevephil]

Hello folks,
This is my first post and I hope someone can help me out. I just installed a 98 SE OS on my new internal hard drive, and everything is fine except I have no audio. I've searched the web looking for a sound driver for my machine but so far I've come up empty. My motherboard is a Winbond W83627HF-AW. If anyone can help me find a sound driver so I can get my audio back, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks. Steve

[street1]

CT5880 drivers is what my search led me to.


Go to majorgeeks and download Everest free edition and run it.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/driver/dvr/spt_dvr_list.php?part=1&kind=3&CHIP=3&COM=&Page=2&num=0

[Mayet]

winbond is usually a brand of chips on the motherboard but not the model or make of the motherboard. Usually you can find the name/model of motherboard written betwen the white pci slots. If not download the following Everest program and install it. It will then tell you what brand motherboard you have got.

Everest Free home site - original download link
http://www.lavalys.com/products/download.php?dlid=4&lang=en < accept agreement and download


I am presuming you have onboard sound and not a separate soundcard.

Everest might even tell you what audio you have. Post audio/motherboard here and we will help find the driver.

[markduren2458]

try this

http://www.bcmcom.com/tech/IN810EP/IN810EPdrivers.asp

[stevephil]

Thanks for the responses - Mayet - Everest says my Motherboard is a Biostar M6TWL. It also indicates that the PCI/PnP Audio is an Intel Onboard AC97 Audio Controller with STAC9700 Codec. I ran a search on the Intel Support and Downloads website and came up empty. I hope you can help. - Steve

[markduren2458]

try this...

http://www.biostar.com.tw/support/driver/model.php3?name=M6TWL&os=

[Mayet]

Thanks for the responses - Mayet - Everest says my Motherboard is a Biostar M6TWL. It also indicates that the PCI/PnP Audio is an Intel Onboard AC97 Audio Controller with STAC9700 Codec. I ran a search on the Intel Support and Downloads website and came up empty. I hope you can help. - Steve

Your Motherboard Driver Page
http://www.biostar.com.tw/support/driver/model.php3?name=M6TWL

soundmax win98se direct link ac 97 codec
http://driver1.biostar.com.tw/support/driver/audio/soundmax/wdm3k.exe

aureal
http://driver1.biostar.com.tw/support/driver/audio/aureal/wdm/350013.exe

[stevephil]

Hi Mayet,
I downloaded the following from the site:
- codec driver
- sound driver
- chipset driver
When I try to install SoundMax 2 from my 2ndGenDrv folder, I get the following message:

INSTALL SETUP

An error occurred during the move data process: -113

Component: System Files
File Group: System Files
File: C:\Windows\Desktop\2ndGenDrv\Sys\s11thk.32.dll

In my wdm folder, there doesn't seem to be an install option.

What have I done wrong? Help! Steve

[Mayet]

if you have done this and it doesnt work try going to control panel/system/ hardware/device manager.. and click the sound driver and update driver then browse to the folder where the opened exe is

footnote

after checking street1's usa biostar link he gave it seems they have different file sizes for the drivers. Althoguh i have always used taiwans site for biostar boards I am in Australia and the usa site might be a better option for you

heres the links to try

AD1881_512_WIN98SE2K.EXE (ftp://ftp.biostar-usa.com/drivers/Audio/AD1881_512_WIN98SE2K.EXE)
Analog SoundMAX AD1881 AC97 codec5.12.1.3000Win98SE/2K2,905KB7-18-01

AU8810_410_WIN98SE2K.EXE (ftp://ftp.biostar-usa.com/drivers/Audio/AU8810_410_WIN98SE2K.EXE)
Aureal AU8810 hardware sound driver

[Mayet]

Another option

the earlier builds of win98se (the non hollographic cd's) prefered to use the plain old win9x drivers at times.



aureal 9x
http://driver1.biostar.com.tw/support/driver/audio/aureal/win9x/322013.exe

[stevephil]

Hi Mayet,
I downloaded both the AU and 9x options but SoundMax 2 install from the original 2ndGenDrv folder still doesn't work. Do I have to uninstall the original install for either of the other two downloads to work?
Also, could you explain this part of your post?

if you have done this and it doesnt work try going to control panel/system/ hardware/device manager.. and click the sound driver and update driver then browse to the folder where the opened exe is

I don't have anything called "sound driver" or "update driver" in my device manager. I have a "PCI Multimedia Audio Device" which my system doesn't seem to recognize. When I double click and then click on "Reinstall Driver", it says it cannot locate a driver, and then says "Unknown Device." I don't know where the update driver is, and I don't know which folder to go to to find the opened exe or what to do once I get there.
Please try again Mayet - something's got to work.

Steve

[Mayet]

the pci multimedia dvce is your sound driver. click it go to properties then update driver when it gives you the option to browse to where your driver is stored (which defaulted to desktop) browse to that wdm folder and highlight the file that says .inf

then click the next button and it should install it

[street1]

I found your onboard chipset with AOpen and several others as the motherboard companies that used the chip.




http://www.digit-life.com/articles/i815moboroundupjun2k1/i815-mobo-roundup-jun2k1-table.html

biostar m7vkb motherboard with Creative ct5880 sound this did happen.

You may want to give the CT5880 driver another look at below site.

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/driver/dvr/spt_dvr_list.php?part=1&kind=3&CHIP=3&COM=&Page=2&num=0

[stevephil]

Hi Mayet and Street1,
I haven't given up so I hope you can still help me. I got in touch with the company that built my computer for 5 years ago and they sent me all the audio driver stuff that accompanied the computer. Well, I've installed everything and I get the following messages when I restart the computer and it goes through its driver configuration settings:

"Please wait while Windows searches for a new driver for this device"

Windows driver file search for the device:

Soundmax Integrated Digital Audio

Windows is now ready to install the best driver for this device. Click back to select a different driver, or click Next to continue

Location of driver:

C:\Windows\Inf\Other\Smw95.inf

--->When I click one last time thinking everything is going to be fine, the follow message pops up on my screen:

"The audio hardware is not responding correctly. Run Setup and reset your hardware configuration."

--->The problem seems to be with my PCI Multimedia Device. Note: It no longer shows up under Device Manager. Where did it go and how do I reset it?

I'm hoping you know the answer to this one.

Stevephil

[CCT]

This site is German biut has ALL the possible downloads for your mobo: http://tinyurl.com/jnh4v


I note that there is an 'inf patch' also on that list. You should ensure that you get win98 drivers only since, as you will see, each platform seems to have something unique.

[Mayet]

CCT.. we have already pointed him in the direction of his motherboard drivers.

C:\Windows\Inf\Other\Smw95.inf
Steve, the file you mentioned aboved appears to me to be a windows 95 inf file. Did windows 95 first accompany your computer?

If so that driver cd will not help unless it has a folder for win98. Did you try the standard windows 98 drivers, not just the 98 se driver? Note above what I said about earlier copies of windows 98se.

Basically in the process of all this you appear to have dropped some important windows audio files for your pci multimedia ...ie soundcard. It is asking you to run the windows 98 setup again over the top of the current installation to try and pick up the dropped files.

[stevephil]

Hi Mayet,
Is it safe to run the Windows 98 setup again over the top of the current installation? Do you recommend it? Will it solve my problem?

Stevephil

[Mayet]

Did windows 95 first accompany your computer?

If so that driver cd will not help unless it has a folder for win98. Did you try the standard windows 98 drivers, not just the 98 se driver?


as to wn98 how much stuff have you put on the hard drive? Maybe it would be best to format and reload.

[stevephil]

Hi Maya,
No, Windows 95 did not originally come with my computer - its always been 98 SE. I did try the standard Windows 98 drivers, but again, no audio. I have loaded quite a bit of stuff onto the drive, so I'm reluctant to start all over - is it possible just to download the files in question? - of course I'm not sure what files they are. Maybe I should just buy a sound card - I assume that would work. What do you think?

Steve

[Mayet]

Well yes installing a new soundcard MAY work. But i am always reluctant to waste money where its not necessary.

See a new soundcard may not work if you have "borked" sound files from the win 98.

You can install windows 98 over the top of what you have now and you will only lose my documents folder and outlook express files. So empty my ddocuments and back up your mail folders first from outlook express. Create a folder on c: called documents and put all the backups in there or burn them off onto cd.

Another way to try to get the pci multimedia stuff back is to do a system file check. Click start/run then type command at the c prompt type sfc /scannow

insert your windows 98 disk in drive and it will attempt to recover lost or damaged system files. I have tried this with a similiar problem to what you describe with no luck though.

[stevephil]

Thanks Mayet,
I just want to make sure i understand. I can move my files from my My Documents folder and subfolders and put them in a new folder called Documents and that way I won't lose them if I reinstall Windows 98 SE? Or will I lose them no matter what? By the way, I ran the sfc routine and it failed to identify any problems. What does that mean? - is it good news?

Steve

[Atodini]

"The audio hardware is not responding correctly. Run Setup and reset your hardware configuration."
Stevephil

When you get this message it normally means go into BIOS setup, not windows setup. Could be your onboard audio is either disabled or not correctly configured in BIOS....

Worth a quick look!!

John

[xpuser357]

Thanks Mayet,
I just want to make sure i understand. I can move my files from my My Documents folder and subfolders and put them in a new folder called Documents and that way I won't lose them if I reinstall Windows 98 SE? Or will I lose them no matter what? By the way, I ran the sfc routine and it failed to identify any problems. What does that mean? - is it good news?

Steve

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you have a cd burner? or a floppy? When I had 98 SE I could go to back up which was in tools and use my floppy`s to back up. You could save your driver packs in floppy`s if you do not have Cd burner. then you can have them handy and not lose them if you formatted and reloaded win 98SE

[stevephil]

Hi John,
I checked the PCI/PnP configuration Settings and this is what I have:

Reset Configuration Data - Disabled
Resources Controlled by - Auto (ESCD)
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop - Disabled

If I understand things correctly, these are the default settings, so I guess they're okay.
I also found a setting for AC97 Audio under Integrated Peripherals. Its set at Auto. Is this okay?

Steve

[CCT]

Your mobo manual can be downloaded here:
http://www.biostar-usa.com/docsmain.asp


The Integrated Peripherals section has a setting for 'AC97 Audio' for enabled, disabled, auto - try setting to 'enabled' if now 'auto' just to bypass the auto-sensing circuitry.

Make sure 'Onboard Audio Device' is enabled here also.

The AC97 was originally a Sigma Tel codec package as noted.


You will note that the 'inf-patch' I mentioned earlier is also mentioned in the manual and is fundamentally the Intel chipset setup driver package. I would think that was a necessary install.


gl

[stevephil]

Thanks CCT,
One question - on the German site that you recommended earlier I can't find something called "inf-patch" but I did find something called Intel Chipset INF Update Utility - is that the one? Or is it the Aska Intel i810/810E INF Utility, the QDI PlatinX 8 (or 8/333) Intel Inf Update? - stevephil

[CCT]

The update I believe - gonna have to swim from here my boat is leaking. :)