Audio preferred playback greyed out

**wan999** · August 6th, 2004, 07:21 PM

I have been trying to install sound on a WIN98SE system with a Shuttle AS45GT motherboard. After installing either the built in Avance AC97 or a PCI MAD DOG MM Predator 5.1 [only one at a time - I disable the built in on before trying the Mad Dog] the preferred playback and record settings are greyed out in the Audio tab of the Multimedia Aplet with "no playback device" showing in the selection block. Both cards do show up as appropriate under Multimedia/Devices. Both are also shown as functional Sound devices under the System Aplet. I have installed, uninstalled repeatedly using both the Uninstall feature of Windows and through Norton Smart Sweep, both in Safe mode and standard mode. Drivers for both are the latest from the appropriate Manu's site. Help! this is driving me crazy. BTW I also reinstalled Windows and updated the install.

**NooNoo** · August 7th, 2004, 04:31 AM

Welcome to Windrivers Wan999

This problem is usually because 98se says it can use wdm versions of drivers, but something goes horribly wrong and it doesn't. The easiest cure is to use the 95/98 vxd drivers - having first uninstalled everything to do with sound in safemode. this is the reference driver for your motherboard use the driver marked 95 only.

**wan999** · August 7th, 2004, 02:12 PM

Thank you,

Tried to get the latest driver from the Realtek site you listed, but it keeps giving me "This page cannot be displayed" message. Was able to come up with an older version of the WIN95 driver and used it. Thanks again.

**NooNoo** · August 7th, 2004, 04:02 PM

So that's a fix?

**wan999** · August 7th, 2004, 04:16 PM

Yes. Solution worked with both the built in and pci sounds.

**btcarnovale** · August 24th, 2004, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by wan999

I have been trying to install sound on a WIN98SE system with a Shuttle AS45GT motherboard. After installing either the built in Avance AC97 or a PCI MAD DOG MM Predator 5.1 [only one at a time - I disable the built in on before trying the Mad Dog] the preferred playback and record settings are greyed out in the Audio tab of the Multimedia Aplet with "no playback device" showing in the selection block. Both cards do show up as appropriate under Multimedia/Devices. Both are also shown as functional Sound devices under the System Aplet. I have installed, uninstalled repeatedly using both the Uninstall feature of Windows and through Norton Smart Sweep, both in Safe mode and standard mode. Drivers for both are the latest from the appropriate Manu's site. Help! this is driving me crazy. BTW I also reinstalled Windows and updated the install.

------------
Don't have a solution, but can tell you that I have been through almost exact same sequence of events trying to install a mad dog 4.1 prowler under XP Pro. Also tried using a new card (after returning first one to store), and moving to different PCI slot. Mad Dog tech support staff friendly and receptive, but had no ideas other than to simply return card for refund.

**NooNoo** · August 25th, 2004, 08:45 AM

btcarnovale

XP does not use vxd drivers... only wdm, so you don't have a choice.

**btcarnovale** · August 25th, 2004, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by NooNoo

btcarnovale

XP does not use vxd drivers... only wdm, so you don't have a choice.

Not certain that I understand your comment. (Mostly because I'm not nearly as knowledgeable about drivers as I'm afraid that I will be by the time I'm done with this.) Choice of what? I've tried to install card using provided drivers (which are claimed to work on XP) and also letting system do self install with it's own drivers.

thanks,

**NooNoo** · August 26th, 2004, 05:59 AM

XP only uses the wdm driver type whereas 95/98 uses the VXD driver type. 98se/ME can use either.

you have tried their drivers online?

Since the chipset is CMI 8738 MX/SX DSP
have you tried the reference drivers?

**btcarnovale** · August 26th, 2004, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by NooNoo

XP only uses the wdm driver type whereas 95/98 uses the VXD driver type. 98se/ME can use either.

you have tried their drivers online?

Since the chipset is CMI 8738 MX/SX DSP
have you tried the reference drivers?

First tried the drivers provided on CD that came with board. Then downloaded latest from Mad Dog's web site and tried those. Have downloaded the cmedia driver, haven't tried them yet .

Think now that it may be an IRQ problem. The machine in question was a server in it's "previous life" (pair of 2.4 gig processors, 4 gigs memory). The IRQs are set up a little differently than they would be for a standard desktop. One IRQ is allocated to the RAID controller. Only thing is that there is no RAID now. So I think I need to look at the IRQ assignments and see what happens to them when I just let the OS install it's own drivers. Even if those drivers don't work, I might be able to deal with the IRQ conflict first, and then install the correct drivers after.

thanks

----------

NOT an IRQ problem. Am using the WDM drivers from the CMI website. Saw another forum thread where someone had success turning hardware acceleration OFF for the device. Haven't tried that yet.