SB PCI 128 I/O port problem in DOS

Starkey

Starkey

Avenging Rooster
Hi, I have a SB PCI 128 that used to work fine in DOS. All of a sudden, the I/O address (which I set to 220 in autoexec.bat) setting locked up in "0" so that when DOS starts it gives me an "invalid I/O setting error", so the card does not work in DOS anymore.

Browsing the Control Panel I found in "System" menu, in the Properties of the "SB PCI 128 Legacy device" that the I/O port address is locked in "0", while it should be "220", as I wrote in config.sys. And there is NO WAY I can change that setting in Windows.

Anyone who has a SB PCI 128 or know anything about that problem, please tell me.

thanks
 
Maybe you changed something in the BIOS, check that.
Like not using your sound card and using the on-board sound chip.
 
IIRC you *don't* set the port in the autoexec.bat -- you have to set it with Creative's PnP software (in DOS, at least). I ran into the same problem while trying to change my SB32's MIDI port to something other than 330 a few days ago... I'd change it in the a utoexec and it would have no effect.
 
Ghost, I checked my BIOS and it doesn´t seem to have anything wrong with it.

LOAF, my SB PCI 128 CD does not have a PnP software. Their (*brilliant*) idea was to make we set in WINDOWS all the DOS configurations. In the Control Panel´s "Device Manager", by clicking on properties of the "SB PCI 128 Legacy Device", I can access two screens:
- one that reads "settings", in which I supposedly can set the I/O port, IRQ, DMA, etc. (like those that have ´automatic configuration´ and ´basic configuration 0000, 0001, 0002, etc.). In that screen I set my I/O port to 220. However, it did not have any effect on ...
- ...another screen labeled "Legacy Settings" in which are displayed all my current DOS configurations, like I/O port, Irq, DMA, etc. Those values are LOCKED and there is no way I can unlock them and/or change them. The I/O port in that screen is set to "0", so that´s because I am unable to make the card work in DOS.

Additional info:
- Reinstalling the drivers did not work.
- My BIOS, I repeat, is apparently fine.
- Creative Labs tech support sucks, they only confused me and gave me a solution to a whole different problem.

LOAF, do you think that maybe that PnP software you have would work with my sound card?

And if setting the i/o port, irq, dma, etc in autoexec.bat does not make any difference, why do they tell us to add those "set blaster=a220...." line in autoexec.bat?

Finally, to anyone that has a SB PCI, what "mode" does your card detect in DOS (it appears on startup): "Analog" or "Digital"? That could add more pieces to my puzzle.

Thanks.
 
Well... it's worth a shot. I downloaded my DOS PnP software from Creative's SB32 AWE drivers area. If you can't find it, I'd be happy to upload it somewhere when I get home tonight (post to remind me).

My experience was that the Autoexec settings did nothing -- the Creative PnP software would reset them whenever I restarted the computer. I had to manually change the settings in the PnP software to get anything to stick.

Anyway, not sure if I can do anything else. If you'd like, I'd be happy to give you one of my extra ISA SoundBlasters...
 
Thanks a lot LOAF. I´ll try to find the PnP software and if I can´t I will tell you later ok?
 
Thanks LOAF, Ghost and John for your help, I got my SB PCI 128 to work in DOS. Crazy Creative windows driver was overriding my DOS configurations and messing with my autoexec, config and sbpci.ini.

However the old problem http://www.crius.net/zone/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5476 - music squeaking in some DOS games (and ALL WC DOS games), is still there.

I think my sound card has hardware problem, it used to work fine when I bought it.

Originally posted by Bandit LOAF
Anyway, not sure if I can do anything else. If you'd like, I'd be happy to give you one of my extra ISA SoundBlasters...
Click to expand...

If your offer is still valid, how could we arrange that, LOAF? Old SB are not easy to find here...
thanks again
 
Can anyone who has a SB PCI 128 post the "sbpci.ini" file here, or send it to guipoggi@hotmail.com?

As you can read in my post below, I am still battling my sound card to make it work well in WC DOS games, but, with a good soul´s help, I shall WIN! (some day:( )
 
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