RE: Need sound driver for Windows 98 SE

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stevephil

"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

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 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

---

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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

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

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

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

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