Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum - Win98 Problems

[pmaddock]

Forum,

I am having a difficult time with the Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum card software and/or drivers install using Win98SE. I am running a dual boot system (through the use of System Commander), WinXP and 98SE. The sound card and software works fine in XP mode, so I know that the card is not defective. I can't get through a driver install in Win98SE mode. It keeps locking my system up at the 97% (Updating Drivers - new hardware found - Creative Audigy Audio Processor - "Windows is installing the software for your new hardware") section of the Creative install. If I stops things and reboot, I get a "sound card is improperly installed" message, calling for me to re-install the sound card. I have already formatted my hard disk and started over several times, with always the same dissappointing result. I have decreased my ram in Win98 mode from 1GB to 256MB, using msconfig. I have tried installing patches from the Creative web site. I have disabled on-board sound in my bios. Nothing works. I have seen mentions on the web of possible IRQ conflicts, suggesting placing my sound card in another PCI slot. I didn't really want to try this, except as a last resort. As I said earlier in this message, everything works fine in the WinXP mode. I software and sound. I just can't get anything in the Win98SE mode. It is also a pain to move the sound card, due to the extra cables involved (cd rom sound cables, fire wire cables, game port cables, etc.), so I only want to do it if we can't find another solution. Does anyone out there have any similar experiences with this sound card in Win98se, and have any suggestions. My patience is wearing thin with Creative. I have emailed their tech support and checked out their web site, to no avail. I think that they are open for telephone support in an hour, but I'm hoping that someone from these forums might have some ideas. As usual, this web site is the best.

PM

[BFD Deadeye]

Couple things to try:
Do a Google search of your problem. Many times a Google search will steer you to forums discussing this very same thing. OR, you could look into 16 bit DOS emulation. You may need to disable it, or rename the DOS emulator. This will not effect it running in Windows, just in DOS. I had a similar problem with a Sound Blaster Live and DOS emulation. Read it here. Try to rename that file like I did, if you have it.

[BFD Deadeye]

Well, I guess that emulator thing won't work, seeing as how you can't get it installed. Oops! Try booting into safe mode, and installing the DRIVERS ONLY from there. You may have to copy them from the CD to your hard drive, because you will not have CD access in safe mode. Then, if you have trouble on the next reboot, follow those instructions in the link above.

[pmaddock]

BFD,

Thanks for the response. I'm hoping that Creative support can help me soon, otherwise, I'll try your suggestions. I have done many google searches, finding out some possible fixes. I have also seen that many individuals have had problems with the Audigy sound card. Almost makes me wish I had ordered the simple Sound Blaster Live version only or perhaps Turtle Beach.


PM

[BFD Deadeye]

I hear ya. I've always had problems with Sound Blasters. I don't know why in the hell I keep buying them! Next build will have a Turtle Beach card.

[pmaddock]

Forum,

FYI, I finally got my Audigy sound card working in Win98SE mode in my dual boot (XP/98) new computer build system. I sent a previous reply out on this forum, which somehow got lost. This message itemized exactly the whole day of activities that I had to do to my computer to achieve "sound" success. Between spending 3 hours on the phone with Creative, bios changes, OS re-installs, software re-installs, exact optimum order of addition on setting up my system, and physical RDRam removal (going from 1GB to 512 MB) and various other things, I finally achieved success. If anyone wants an exact list of what I did to get this Audigy card working with Win98, let me know. Perhaps my more itemized message of 1/2-hour ago will surface somewhere. As a result of this day long process, I ended up with much more computer knowledge, extra RDram, and the purchase and familiarity with "Drive Image" software.


PM