Home Trending Latest threads New posts Developer diaries

Mr. T - For Help with Sound Issues?

Jump to latest Follow Reply
  • We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Show only dev responses
Originally posted by Alva
Mr. T - the last time I tried to downgrade DirectX from 7 to 6, I've crashed comprehensively; later I got it from Microsoft sources that it's not really possible to uninstall DirectX without reinstalling Windows. I've also had some DirectX uninstall utility hanging around but that's "at your own risk" kind of thing. Please confirm whether you want me to try to put DirectX 8.0 from EU2 on top of 9.0 (far as I know it shouldn't even work) or use some uninstall tool first - given that the problem originated under DX 8.1.
Click to expand...
I confess that I haven't attempted this but that two other people have successfully done it and reported no problems afterwards...but I agree that it can often result in a real mess and I can't guaranty that this won't result in a similar series of problems to the ones you experienced with the 7-->6 overwrite.

For some reason I'd thought that you had said earlier that you hadn't, but if you did create a saved restore point prior to the 8.1-->9.0 upgrade then use the "revert/restore" tool instead (I know how to do this in XP but I don't recall at the moment how to do it in 98. I just looked back through this thread and couldn't see that you'd said one way or the other, so I'm now crossing my fingers that you did.

The one thing that I would really love to be able to find is a version of sound driver that would work for you without having to revert to an older DirectX, but it seems as though we've exhaused those possibilities already. I suppose we could try one other possible solution first and hope that MS has a driver that is more recent. You could uninstall your sound drivers completely and then use the "add hardware" wizard to see what Windows thinks is the most current compatible driver. My guess is that you'll end up with the same one you've got now.

Before taking the DirectX overwrite plunge, you might consider contacting the tech support people at nVidia to see if they can suggest a newer driver with more direct support for 9.0 features since I'm 99% sure that this is where the problem lies. I don't know whether they will be supporting that or not, though.
 
I am actually thinking of installing WindowsXP, possibly formatting the hard drive in process. The alternative is to let Win98 run in a little partition somewhere just in case I need the stuff installed under it. Then I'll be able to throw in the current drivers and the problem should go away automatically. What do you think of this solution - does it sound like a stable setup to you?
 
Originally posted by Alva
I am actually thinking of installing WindowsXP, possibly formatting the hard drive in process. The alternative is to let Win98 run in a little partition somewhere just in case I need the stuff installed under it. Then I'll be able to throw in the current drivers and the problem should go away automatically. What do you think of this solution - does it sound like a stable setup to you?
Click to expand...
Yes. I think you'll be very happy with XP (even the Home edition) once you've got it up and running. Be sure to back everything up first, of course.

I wouldn't bother keeping a '98 partition unless you have some older things that you simply can't run under a new OS. XP is pretty good as far as backwards compatibility, though, so I doubt you'll run into too many problems.

Make sure you download and install the numerous "critical updates" (particularly SP1) and also most of the "recommended" ones too since there are some graphics fixes in there that addressed one problem I was having with XP SP1.

As far as stability of games goes, I've had far, far fewer problems since upgrading to XP...even with my crappy old laptop. My desktop just purrs. And of course the most mportant point is that you will be able to install all of the latest drivers which I'm pretty sure will get rid of your EU2 problems.
 
Well, Mr. T., I am glad to say that that you can put a little tick mark opposite this thread in your little black book :D

Installing XP fixed everything and I am quite happy about improved performance in many other areas. Well, took them 10 years to figure out an operating system of course, but better late than never.

Thanks for your help,

Alva
 
My pleasure. :)

I think you'll be very happy with XP but you'll likely find that it's a bit of a pig on RAM so the most noticeable preformance improvement you can make now is to bump that dramatically (256Mb is really the effective bottom end of what's acceptible and 512Mb or more is far superior).

Enjoy! :)

Edit: Oops...just checked back in the thread and noticed you already have 512Mb. You will find a huge improvement over Win98 pretty much across the board now. I have only had one hard crash under XP since upgrading...compared to Win98 where I was beginning to worry about my monitor developing a blue screen of death burn in. :D
 
One note regarding winXP.

Just make darn sure that your system doesn't exhibit infinite loop lockups in either win98 or win2K, that are caused by the VIA 4in1 drivers.

With win98 and win2K you still have the option of NOT installing those buggy VIA drivers. With winXP they come build into the OS.

This one single fact prevents me from ever installing XP on my current hardware :(

Jan Peter
 
Interesting tip, thanks.
 
I had the exact same audio problem (sounds playing once) following an upgrade during which I changed my sound card to a SB 128 Vibra. Changing drivers wasn't an option since there hadn't been any driver updates for my model (CT 4750). However, the problem disappeared after I turned hardware acceleration down. I'm off to test 1.06 and, since it's past midnight, will probably be still hunched here when dawn breaks, putting down numerous revolts in-game and out-game, so to speak.
 
Hope you enjoyed. :)

There are many sound drivers that can cause some interesting and totally unpredictable side effects which is one of the reasons we often recommend that a customer tries reducing acceleration if they're having a problem. If it weren't for the 1,000,001 different drivers and 1,000,000,001 different configurations out there (not to mention at least 4 common OS still in use) it would be so much easier to program games to have no problems or conflicts at all. One day, in that ideal computer world out there, everyone will be running a standardized OS and driver system that is non-hardware dependent....and pigs will fly. :p
 
Boggles the mind, doesn't it. :eek: :p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back