Installing Two Soundcards

S

sondriven

New member
Here we go :

I have a HP 900mhz, Win98
I finally got my computer to recongize the stock soundcard that shipped with it. And installed it. Everything installed great and works. The midi and sound.

Well heres what i want to do. I want to use my M-Audio card for sound and the stock one for its midi.

After the stock soundcard is installed and everything is good, i try to install the PCI M-Audio card. It installs and then i reboot. I look in my Device Manager and then the old card is completely wiped and only the M-Audio is in place.

Is there a way to install the M-Audio card without taking out the original one?

Oh, and i have tried to install only the midi port MPU 401, after i install the M-Audio. The MPU401 installs but in the driver details, it says that the hardware is not present or not functioning.

Thanks for your help.

john
 
Yes you can use both cards, but I dont know why your system is kicking out your stock card. Are both cards showing in device manager in multimedia? Do a new hardware search and let me think about it a bit.
Is your stockcard onboard audio or PCI card?
 
sondriven said:
Here we go :

I have a HP 900mhz, Win98
I finally got my computer to recongize the stock soundcard that shipped with it. And installed it. Everything installed great and works. The midi and sound.

Well heres what i want to do. I want to use my M-Audio card for sound and the stock one for its midi.

After the stock soundcard is installed and everything is good, i try to install the PCI M-Audio card. It installs and then i reboot. I look in my Device Manager and then the old card is completely wiped and only the M-Audio is in place.

Is there a way to install the M-Audio card without taking out the original one?
Click to expand...

As with Stealth, I find that odd.

There's a few things I think it could be...

1. Somehow, the BIOS understood that a new soundcard was being installed and disabled the onboard sound card (which, given that its a HP, is likely to be onboard). Therefore a simple accessing the BIOS and switch anything by the lines of "sound = disabled" to "enabled" (Of course we know life isn't that easy)

2. Both cards for some reason want's to have the same IRQ and/or DMA (the wonders of plug and play) and your M-Audio card seems to be winning the fight. Solution: If possible, or available, check for jumpers that may force IRQ/DMA and change them appropriatly. Maybe even IRQ settings for your original card were set in the BIOS.

3. Your PCI bus is screwed up someway that won't let the 2 run in harmony - Try other slots

4. Your operating system is pooched in one way or another.... reinstall it :p (yeah, am I the only one who wouldn't mind doing this? :) )

As with many computer problems, it really could be so many things.

One thing to keep in mind is that in some cases, branded computers usually have some sorta configuration tool which is a program that comes with your puter. Instead of your typical BIOS where you press DEL at startup. Just another way for them to really annoy us Techies out here. So if you can't find a BIOS, try finding a config proggy in your PC.

Oh, and a simple answer to your original question... Yes. (Well, at least your supposed to be able to run both cards.)

Good luck
 
Yes its an onboard soundcard that came with the HP.

I checked the BIOS. When the onboard soundcard is installed, i can enable it and disable it. But after i install the M-Audio PCI card, the feature to enable and disable is not there.

I did try 2 different slots. Same results.

About the jumpers thing. How do i change this. I havent messed with them before and what do i have to do to change the IRQ for the sound devices?

Thanks for the replies.

Frustrated,

john
 
sondriven said:
Yes its an onboard soundcard that came with the HP.

I checked the BIOS. When the onboard soundcard is installed, i can enable it and disable it. But after i install the M-Audio PCI card, the feature to enable and disable is not there.

I did try 2 different slots. Same results.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm... Okay, so I guess HP is up to its "101 ways to annoy a techy" tricks.

See people! Let this be a lesson to you. When I say Dell/Gateway/IBM/Compaq/HP/emachine/etc... is not a great idea. This is one reason why. I will always favour a roll-your-own PC.

Now thats off my chest.. Seeing that you say that the enable/disable disappears when the card is installed describes my first guest. The BIOS sees the sound card and eliminates the other one. I'm guessing this is to benefit the user so new sound cards are easier to install. heh... Well, anyways. The best I can tell you is either check up on your manual for some sorta overide feature. That may lead to a jumper... but I'd figure HP manuals are also not the lowest levels of manuals.


About the jumpers thing. How do i change this. I havent messed with them before and what do i have to do to change the IRQ for the sound devices?
Click to expand...

If you wanna search for a jumper, and you found no reference in the manual, you can grab your flashlite and scour every inch of the motherboard for any labels that dictates jumper settings. If theres nothing of the sort printed on the board, Go to HPs website and look up any technical documentation or FAQs. Last resort, just email HP or call their 1-800 number if they have one.

As far as IRQ's go... some cases, IRQ's are forced in the BIOS, otherwise, you *sometimes* can change them in Device manager under system properties inside the properties of the choosen device. - Though, after what you've described to me, I don't see this as an issue..... YET... :)


Frustrated,
Click to expand...

Like I said, things that shoulda been easy; never are. I'd be fustrated too.

Heh, when I used to service computer, I'd sometimes turn away customers that bring in brand name computers... just to hell to deal with IMO.

Good luck, let me know how it goes with HP (yeah, I see it going that far)
 
Wildfire,

Thanks for the indepth reply, but what do i do with the jumper after i find the thing?

My HP manual sucks so bad, its not even funny. It only tells me how to hook up to the net and crap like that.


THanks, and yeah should of went with a custom built PC.

JOhn
 
Screw it!

I went ahead and ordered a midisport. USB in so i can have stupid midi. $50 is worth not having anymore headaches.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Later,
John
 
sondriven said:
Screw it!

I went ahead and ordered a midisport. USB in so i can have stupid midi. $50 is worth not having anymore headaches.
Click to expand...

Heh, now theres an outside the box idea :)

... For your future reference with anything to do with jumpers... think of them as on/off swtiches. Jumpers are 2 pins with a little plastic cover thingy that shorts them. ... shorted=connection made=on. likewise, not shorted=off

There should be some indication what each option should do. Don't play with jumpers you don't know.

Hope your USB expereince is less headache prone :) (they generally run smooth)
 
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