Sound Blaster 16 and cdrom

[mrob]

I've got a Compaq Prolinea 4/25s which had a hard drive failure. This computer has
a Sound Blaster 16, model CT 2230 card connected to a Creative MPC2 cdrom drive.
When the drive failed, the SB driver was lost along with any configuration data.
The operating system is DOS 6.22/Win3.1. Where can I find the proper SB driver and
what commands should be put in the autoexec.bat and config.sys files on the new hard drive?

[GaryRouth]

. . . your best chance with older hardware such as that would be to try at http://www.driversguide.com ["drivers"/"all" to logon] . . . I'm not sure that the hp/Compaq site will have the downloads back that far, but you could try their support search just in case = that would yield the exact files you need.

Is that an old 486 box?
. . . Gary

Late Edit: by golly, they still have the drivers at the hp/Compaq site: you might want both the DOS and Win3.1 http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/fi.../model/18.html ]
Another Late Edit: . . . followed that link, oops: they have all the drivers EXCEPT the audio! Figures. Some of the 4/25s were Local Bus boxes - really cramped inside those pizza boxes. Probably back to driversguide for the best chance.

[mrob]

GaryRouth,

Yes, it's a 486dx2. I've tried Drivers Guide but the selection is so large I don't know which to download. I don't plan to use the SB features of the setup, just the cdrom. I'd like to be able to use the cdrom to read data CD's mainly--sound would be nice but not vital.

[GaryRouth]

Hi again

That may have been a European version of a SoundBlaster MultiMedia Kit: the tech specs for the sb16:
http://www.embeddedlogic.com/TH99/i/C-D/53581.htm

I found this Win3.1 driver for the SoundBlaster listed at driverguide - the download should fit on a floppy. Scan the download for viruses just to be on the safe side. To access the drivers, you'll have to use the same "drivers"/"all" login as before: http://members.driverguide.com/index...2&sm=b&jmd=and

To get the right CD-Rom driver, you'll have to look and see what make/model it is (it will be listed on a sticker on the drive - it will be either a Sony, Mitsumi, or Panasonic). You can search the CDROM drivers by make/model number to reduce the number of links listed.

Best of luck!
. . . Gary

[p.s. ... if your CD-ROM turns out to be the Sony CDU-33A (a very popular model - I had one on my 486) then here's a driver for that, also from driversguide http://members.driverguide.com/drive...driverid=24705 ]

[tacoeater]

if you are able to do this the windows setup for 9x could possibly set up your sb16 and the creative cd.
Method 1
put the hard drive in another computer and copy the cab files from the cd (for example the Win98 directory on the cd) to a folder named Win 9x on the hard drive.
put the hard drive back into the Compaq Prolinea and
boot with a windows bootdisk (floppy should be working) and choose start windows without cd rom support.
when you have A:\ prompt change directory to the new folder you made on the hard drive (C:\Win9x) and run setup. Have the product key ready. I have set up many a computer this way when you have a cd running off of a sound card and at least half of those times it worked and set up the sound and the cd rom. sometimes it will set up only the controller on the card and you have already said you didn't care about the sound.
Method 2:
does not always work on older 486 machines but often does.
install a cd rom you know to work as a slave to the hard drive.
enter bios and detect. save out of the bios screen.
boot with boot disk and choose with cd rom support.
just forget you have the other cd and sound card problem for now and run setup from the temporary cd rom drive.
of course you DO have the card and the cd hooked up so that they will be detected and set up. works most of the time.
alan

[mrob]

Originally posted by GaryRouth Hi again That may have been a European version of a SoundBlaster MultiMedia Kit: the tech specs for the sb16: http://www.embeddedlogic.com/TH99/i/C-D/53581.htm I found this Win3.1 driver for the SoundBlaster listed at driverguide - the download should fit on a floppy. Scan the download for viruses just to be on the safe side. To access the drivers, you'll have to use the same "drivers"/"all" login as before: http://members.driverguide.com/index...2&sm=b&jmd=and To get the right CD-Rom driver, you'll have to look and see what make/model it is (it will be listed on a sticker on the drive - it will be either a Sony, Mitsumi, or Panasonic). You can search the CDROM drivers by make/model number to reduce the number of links listed. Best of luck! . . . Gary [p.s. ... if your CD-ROM turns out to be the Sony CDU-33A (a very popular model - I had one on my 486) then here's a driver for that, also from driversguide http://members.driverguide.com/drive...driverid=24705 ]

Thanks for the links, I will check them out. The CD-ROM is Creative MPC2. It is connected to the "Sony Drive" on the Sound Blaster card. This is the only connection available on the card.

[mrob]

Originally posted by tacoeater if you are able to do this the windows setup for 9x could possibly set up your sb16 and the creative cd. Method 1 put the hard drive in another computer and copy the cab files from the cd (for example the Win98 directory on the cd) to a folder named Win 9x on the hard drive. put the hard drive back into the Compaq Prolinea and boot with a windows bootdisk (floppy should be working) and choose start windows without cd rom support. when you have A:\ prompt change directory to the new folder you made on the hard drive (C:\Win9x) and run setup. Have the product key ready. I have set up many a computer this way when you have a cd running off of a sound card and at least half of those times it worked and set up the sound and the cd rom. sometimes it will set up only the controller on the card and you have already said you didn't care about the sound. Method 2: does not always work on older 486 machines but often does. install a cd rom you know to work as a slave to the hard drive. enter bios and detect. save out of the bios screen. boot with boot disk and choose with cd rom support. just forget you have the other cd and sound card problem for now and run setup from the temporary cd rom drive. of course you DO have the card and the cd hooked up so that they will be detected and set up. works most of the time. alan

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure your methods would work on this machine, it has only 8MB of memory, probably not enough for Win95. I will look into it anyway.

[GaryRouth]

Hi again

The Creative MPC2 sticker refers to a set of multimedia characteristics that qualified for that distinction - sort of like qualifying for "Dolby" or "THX" [it doesn't refer to the actual model of the cdrom, but to what it can do].

I think it's a fair chance it's the CDU-33A (even if the model # is under another sticker). Those two used to be paired in some multimedia kits. To be absolutely sure, you could pull the drive out & look for an exact model #.

Good luck with your project!
. . . Gary

[. . . p.s. ...on a board of that era, you might have EDO SIMMS for memory. If you have a couple of slots still open, I have a few sticks I was about to recycle - drop a PM if you'd like me to send them along ]

[glc]

A 486 with 8mb ram will run Win95 original just fine, as long as you have about a 200 meg hard drive and don't plan on installing too many programs.