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Tue 19 Aug, 2003 08:53 pm
I have a custom built (year 2000) CPU with an integrated systemboard (M598LMR Super Socket 7) from pc 100 SystemBoard. The mainboard uses the SiS530 chipset, and includes a built-in PCI 3D Sound System supporting 24-bit digital audio and a 4-way speaker system. The mainboard supports all the usual functions. The processor is 450 and the RAM is 256. The OS is WIndows 98 first edition, upgraded with everything available and current, according to Windows Update.
Periodically I have had sound issues that have come and gone and I have no knowledge of the whys and wherefores. I have again lost my Windows sound and my Call Wave answering machine insists that I can't retrieve my messages as my "sound" is being used by another application. That is not the case. I have even yanked Windows Media Player off in the hopes that might solve the problem. It didn't. I have the required and up-to-day Microsoft audio codex 6.something. As a matter of fact, I have so many audio components, whose uses I have no knowledge of, that I wonder if there isn't a conflict.
How do I resolve this? Is there a place to go to evaluate my sound components? If the sound card has gone bad, being an integrated unit, am I looking at having to replace the entire mainboard?
Any and all ideas/suggestions would be gratefully received.
sumac
Ima bit weary of puters so hopefully someone else can give you more detail but sound cards can have a low limit for available channels. Some integrated boards will not allow multiple applications to use the soundcard at once. And it's not just things like media player. Windows users sound, a popup blocker can use sound etc etc...
If your sound on the mobo is gone then you should be able to disable it and use a card which is not onboard as from what I understand you are using onboard sound. Craven is correct in saying any application can cause sound problems as 2 applications trying to use the same channel just won't work. basicly check what is running and if nothing is running you need to do a diagnostic on the board.
Which version of the M598LMR motherboard are you running? (There are 6 different versions!)
Once you ID which version your board is, go
here and download the latest BIOS update and install it.
Once that is done go to C-Media's WWW site (They make the sound chip your MB uses!) and download the latest drivers for the sound system frrm
here and download and install that. Your MB uses the C-Media "CM8738" Sound chip btw.
Let us know what happens with those updates in place.
I always assume ppl understand they need the latest updates lol....although I know they forget because I have made alot of extra cash just updating.
A part of the problem is that people have begun to rely entirely on Microsoft's automatic updates and device maker's don't always submit driver updates to MS. MS also doesn't check the system BIOS version at all since that can't be updated through Windows.
She may actually have the most current versions since they are a few years old but ya never know!
Yes I know that is a problem lol ppl get lazy and do not educate themselves on the machines they are using. How do you think MS got so big lol praying on ppl who don't understand that Linux with a GUI can be just as easy if not easier and more stable. Hell even the Military is running winblows now WTF lol
Thanks, everyone. It is version 1.3 S5T/June 1999. I have the latest C-MEDIA driver, PCI doesn't want to communicate with end users, my techies, since I moved out of state, can no longer support me, I have nothing running in the background from the startup but engage as needed. I have, in the past, had no problem with accessing my CallWave messages. I was thinking conflict also since I have so many audio components and don't know the hows and whys and if really needed and where did they come from in the first place.
Thanks, fishin', for the links. Will try updating my BIOS, which my techie people insisted I shouldn't mess with when I recently asked them.
Will try again, to get through to PCI.
Any other ideas? Just how would I, or the usual run of the mill local computer people, be able to assess and recognize conflict?
Interesting idea about inserting a separate sound card with greater multi-application capabilities. It is over my head, though, on where to put it and how.
sumac wrote:Any other ideas? Just how would I, or the usual run of the mill local computer people, be able to assess and recognize conflict?
If it is a resource conflit (ie: IRQs or DMAs) those are usually not difficult to spot. Check it out in the device manager. In Win98 it:s under My Computer properties->Hardware tab. Many sound cards use IRQ 5. IRQ and DMA resource conflits aren't very common in new systems though.
sumac wrote:Interesting idea about inserting a separate sound card with greater multi-application capabilities. It is over my head, though, on where to put it and how.
It connects to a PCI slot is all. From there it's just plug n play driver installation.
sumac wrote:Thanks, fishin', for the links. Will try updating my BIOS, which my techie people insisted I shouldn't mess with when I recently asked them.
Those techies & fishin' are both right. BIOS updates have the potential to cause some nasty problems. Built-in hardware not working properly is a pretty good reason to attempt a BIOS update.
heres how you install a card: unplug computer......set on desk on it's side....open case...make sure lil metal plate is off of the PCI slot you are going to use on the back......slide card in and push down you should hear clicking and see the card is snug......screw it in....your done. Bios update shouldnt hurt anything unless you screw with the settings.
Thanks guys. Will go hunting for a more sophisticated sound card. Nearest Best Buy or Circuit City, or other computer-related place is 30 miles away though. Don't think I will find anything local but will check it out.
WIll report back with results and/or progress.
fishin'
I downloaded the latest BIOS associated with my version as a zip file, and then unzipped it to c:unzipped, but can't open it because I have no idea what to open it with. It is a .ROM file. What do I do now?
PC Chips doesn't seem to offer a BIOS upload program for your BIOS. Who's the BIOS manufacturer? I think PC Chips uses AMI, is that right? Maybe someone can dig up a generic program that's should work with all AMI BIOS's. (You can see the BIOS maker's name on the first screen of your CMOS setup program.)
OK I found it on
www.driverguide.com
Since it's not from the source, install at your own risk!
log in to driverguide with user name "drivers" password "all", then the following link will work:
http://www2.driverguide.com/uploads/uploads13/14318.html
download the zip file from there, which includes "ami.exe" (it also includes a different BIOS update for your motherboard, but you can use the .rom you already downloaded if you prefer.)
copy ami.exe to a Win 9x or ME boot floppy along with the .ROM file you wanna use.
boot to the floppy, then if you want to first backup your bios data, type:
ami /Sold.rom
which would save with the name old.rom
then type:
ami (whatever file name).rom
..and press enter to update.
Thanks monger. I jumped the gun a little as I hadn't yet gone to BIOS to see if I noticed any difference. I may have had the latest version already. The WinZip was to unzip and install, but since I hadn't seen anything happen that indicated an install, I thought I better double click it to see what happened. And yes, it is AMI.
Hi Sumac,
Double-clicking the update won't work, as your BIOS can't be flashed from Windows. You'll have to use the instructions I wrote in the last post, if like you said you're not already using the latest version.
Two things:
CallWave is sending me to someone at ExpertCity to evaluate the sound-related functionality of my computer, but I have to wait until 1 pm my time. Maybe something will be determined.
Also, I inquired at OfficeMax and was told that they had one sound card. Mad Dog. Anyone know anything about it?
Going to look at BIOS now.
Mad Dog has a few cards, if you can get the model I may be able to help. I know Mad Dog Performer 2.0 PCI 2-Channel Sound Card is worthless and popular lol PREDATOR 5.1 DSP is good though.
Befuddled and stymied now. Expert City guy did a screen share bit, looked around, said that I didn't have a sound card (of course I do), or must have a corrupted driver as Windows wasn't recognizing it (no other tabs in Sound under control panel). Went to driverguide.com, redirected to pcchips.com. When I click on North America I am redirected to pcwave.com, and their opening page doesn't quite open and then my system freezes. If I go to Global at pcchips site, they list PIV, PIII, and K7. I am AMD K6. Couldn't find my driver. However, I was looking for SiS 530, not the C-Media. Will go back and try to find C-Media ID for CM8738. Meanwhile, I had removed C-Media Mixer in case that was also corrupted. Oy.
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