Windows 98 Audio Problems

[Steve_Hengen]

I keep seeing different suggested solutions for Sound in Windows 98 VMs, but they are all different and all seem to be for older versions. I haven'r found anything that works. The Creative 128 Drivers cause a blue screen. What drivers should I be using to get the Sound to work in Windows 98 in Workstion 6?

[MillKa]

I've got excellent results with the "Ensoniq Audio PCI" drivers for Windows 98 SE. Go to the Creative's UK support site: , select SoundBlaster / Others / Ensoniq AudioPCI, click next, then click "search archives now", select Windows 98 SE. Then you should get a list with 5 driver files and 3 application files. Here is a direct link (that might work or not): .

First I installed file #4 (Standalone driver for Creative Ensoniq Audio PCI on Win 95/98). I dont know if that step is required or not.

Then I installed file #1 (SoundBlaster PCI cards Web Update for Win 98SE/ME/2K/XP). Now you should get sound.

If you only want to play wav and mp3 files, you're done.

I was curious how deep the emulation of the soundchip goes, so I installed the 3 Waveset files (2/4/8 MB) too. In the device manager, you can select which Waveset the emulated soundcard should use to play MIDI files (dont forget to switch to "SB PCI Synthesizer" in ControlPanel/Multimedia/MIDI). I think I hear different sound quality depending on the selected waveset. In Mixer/Playback/Advanced try Spatial and Treble/Bass settings.

Next I installed Steinbergs CubasisVST3 (an audio/midi sequencer) and Roland VSC-MP1 (a software Synthesizer). Both work fine. I would have never expected that kind of sound from an emulated device !

[KevinG]

For Windows 9x you need to download the sound driver from Creative Labs.

The Sound Blaster PCI 128 driver is now located in Creative Labs archives

http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/download.asp?sOSName=Windows+98®ion=1&Product_Name=Sound...

[asiw]

I've encountered the same problem. win98se guest blue screens with the sound blaster pci128 audio driver. This feature used to work.

Test scenario: vmware workstation 6.0.3 on vista-64 sp1. Fresh install win98se. Then install vmtools. Then download and execute SBPCI128Setupus_w9x.exe. win98se blue screens during driver installation.

Since I remember seeing this work before, I'm rolling back vmware workstation and vista releases to see where the breakage occurred.

[asiw]

The not so great answer is: use workstation 6.0.0 (VMware-workstation-6.0.0-45731.exe).

Looks like VMware has work to do.

VMware workstation 6.0.0 for Windows is good. 6.0.1 and later did not pass the earlier test scenario; w/ vista-64 sp1 host, guest is win98se, and audio driver install file is SBPCI128Setupus_w9x.exe. Fresh installation is necessary to get the Win98 BSOD. The audio driver runs ok sometimes if the driver was previously installed successfully in the VM w/ 6.0.0 and then migrating to 6.0.1.

[dolphans1]

The trick with windows98 and the audio drivers is, you have to install the drivers that originally came with your system.

If you have your installation CD that came with your system, you need to search through the Cd and install your sound drivers.

It took me a while to do it, but I have installed windows 98 probably over 20-30 times and I go through the same issues searching for the audio drivers.

You can also try installing "VMware" tools after you have installed windows 98.

d-1

[Steve_Hengen]

Thanks for the info. I guess it's a clean install, and reinstall all of the software. Oh well. Migration from MS Virtual Server/Virtual PC has been very ugly

[Steve_Hengen]

My system doesn't have win98 drivers. So... I guess I'm SOL.

[asatoran]

You do not install the drivers that came with your system, unless your system came with SoundBlaster 16 PCI sound card.

From the Creative Labs webiste, Support, Download, SoundBlaster, Other, Archive Products, 16 PCI, Next, Search Archives Now,

This all assumes a USA-English version of Windows. I've used the PCI128 drivers successfully on 98se, (USA-English). If you're using a non-USA version, you may want to try downloading the USA-English drivers instead of your localized version. Or you can try 64 PCI drivers as well.

[dolphans1]

My system came with sound blaster, but all I am saying is, its a lot easier to do that, then to go around looking for audio drivers that will work with your specific intergrated sound card or speakers.

I have done it a minimum 20-30 times.

I have a box I use to run a scanner that only works with windows 98, don't ask me why I do it, I guess I like the torture.....

d-1

[asatoran]

>

My system came with sound blaster, but all I am saying is, its a lot easier to do that, then to go around looking for audio drivers that will work with your specific intergrated sound card or speakers.

Like I said, you only use the drivers that came with your system if they were Sound Blaster. The OP's system did NOT come with Sound Blaster, so his sound card drivers will NOT work for the virtual machine's sound.

[dolphans1]

I see what you are saying, If your purchased a PC in 1998 and it came with windows version 1 or whatever, chances are that machine was probably a pentium 1 machine and you're not installing VMware on that original box.

All I am saying is, I have used the sound drivers on my original 1998 restoration CD to grab the sound drivers off of it and install on other boxes, not the original.

If I recall. they're creative-lab sound drivers.

Maybe I got lucky, 20-30 times straight, who knows.

I only state the above in an effort to possibly help stop someone from pulling their hair out and help find a reasonable and quick solution to a simple problem.

d-1

[asatoran]

...Maybe I got lucky, 20-30 times straight, who knows....

You got lucky because your CD happens to have Sound Blaster drivers. They match the virtual sound card in the VMWare virtual machine so they work. If the drivers that came with your physical system were not Sound Blaster drivers, then they will NOT work in the virtual machine. This is because the virtual sound card has nothing to do with the physical sound card other than the output of the virtual sound card is directed to the host's sound card. But what the guest OS sees is NOT your physical sound card model. What the guest OS sees is a Sound Blaster PCI.

For example, my physical motherboard has a Realtek sound chip. Thus I cannot use the drivers that came on my CD for the virtual sound card because it is NOT the drivers for a Sound Blaster PCI.

Basically, as far as the virtual sound card is concerned, it does not matter what model of sound card your physical host has. The host's sound card is "only the speakers."

[dolphans1]

Thanks for the reply. I have tried to install Windows98 on virtualbox (so slow because you can't install guest additions), and man-oh-man, what a waste. Going back to the original topic, yeah I figured if it worked for me, so then it would work for anyone else.

Thanks for letting me know.

d-1

[Steve_Hengen]

I understand all that, It's just that none of the 98 drivers work, and the ones from the Creative website make it blue screen. I was thinking that perhaps there is just a conflict with something left over from the original drivers on the system (Currently I'm dealing with a captured physical box.)

[admin]

OK Windows 98SE not a problem, section of my vmx is

sound.present = "TRUE"

sound.fileName = "-1"

sound.autodetect = "TRUE"

sound.virtualDev = "es1371"

You can see driver versions I hope, the sound works fine -- I'm having a nightmare getting it to work in Windows 95 (I just want to be able to go back to the old days - my wfw 3.11 works fine .sound network graphics -its just 95 and sound ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[asatoran]

I don't know what more to tell you. All posts on the forums say you need to install Sound Blaster PCI Drivers for the virtual sound card. No one is posting that any other recommendation that works. Other than the usual troubleshooting tips. Don't assume. Try a different Win98 CD or ISO, preferably Win98se. Create a new VM. (Don't assume either are working correctly.)

My former boos used to say "think stupid." Meaning observe if you're making the same stupid mistakes over and over and not realizing it. He realized this when troubleshooting a printer. He tried changing cables, then deleted and reinstalled drivers. Reinstalled the OS from scratch. He figured it "must be" a deffective printer, until we tried a brand new unopened printer cable. That worked. The 3 other printer cables he tried were all defective. So one assumption cost my boss two days of work instead of the 2 minutes that it should have taken him.

So start over, go slow and observer all that you're doing. Good luck! :smileyblush:

[asiw]

Did you try driver SBPCI128Setupus_w9x.exe in win98se guest with VMware workstation 6.0.0 for Windows? That was the only combination with those drivers that worked for me without blue screening.

As a followup, driver SBPCI_WebDrvsV5_12_01.exe did work with VMware workstation 6.0.3 for Windows. There was no need for me to edit vmx files, and my vmx file has no mention of sound.virtualDev. The sound drivers are WDM, rather than VXD. However, this driver apparently did away with Sound Blaster 16 emulation for Windows 98, which was important in my case.

[dolphans1]

There was another post that read that covered the sound driver issue with windows 98m If I see it again, I will post the link.

I am having an issue installing VMware 6.03 on the new Mandriva Spring 2008 Linux operting system I get an error message during the vmware-config.pl script.

d-1

[BannerPL]

Hi,

I had this same problem, but I've found solution.

Driver ES1371 for Win98SE. I did not check it in others system (95, ME), but i have hope it will work fine.

During installation can be some problems with misting some files, but this files can be skipped.

And in the end, i sorry for my english.

C'ya!