Installing soundcard in Compaq, HELP!!

I

Ibrow

New member
I know a few of you guys must have installed a soundcard in your computer. I bought the SBLive X-gamer. I am installing in a Compaq Presario. I disable the current drivers. Then I install the card. The computer sees it, then tries to install software to run it. Then it gives me an MSGSRV 32 illegal operation error and goes into free run until I power the computer down and take the card out. Someone must have worked with a shitty Compaq. Anyone know what the hell to do to get this thing working?

Any help would be great. THanks in advance.

Ibrow
 
Throw the Compaq in the garbage and get a real computer.

All joking aside, I would recommend contacting the manufacturer of your sound card. Whether it be by phone, email or internet, they should be able to help you due to having to have their cards work with many types of computers. If they are not able to help, you could always try Compaq.
 
Hey now,
Compaqs are some of the most rock-solid computers I work on. I personally think they're about the best built. Anyways, what OS are you using? That will be a start. Oh and if you have the model of your PC it will help.
 
Hard2Hear, you are referring to Compaq servers and not the presario workstations. Please tell me it's so.

Ibrow - Check with the soundcard manufacturer if there are any problems with AMD k6-2 processors and the X-Gamer. The sounblaster site says "Genuine Intel" processor in the system requirements.

/Ola
 
Ola- Yes, it's mostly Proliants, but I really Like Deskpro's too. I have a Deskpro 733EN that I will put up against any computer there is. That thing is a rock. But, no, I'm not especially fond of Presarios.
I agree with Ola, looking at the spec sheet now...being a K6 you may have some compatibility issues if it requires genuine intel.
 
What is the exact message, and can you select details or is it just locked? I did a bit of internet searching, and found many references to msgsrv32.exe errors, related to C-media sound cards. I makes me wonder if it's a C-media soundcard (if that's what it is) that's built onto your motherboard causing the problems. Can you disable the built-in sound through the BIOS? Probably not, knowing Compaq. I would try taking the X-Gamer out, rebooting in safe-mode (Hit F8, a second before you see "starting windows 98) you may not see this at all on the Compaq, just hammer away on the F8 key until you get to a menu, select option 3 - safe mode.

In safe mode, take a look and see what devices are listed under 'sound,video,game controllers' (right click 'my computer' select properties', device manager) Remove what is listed under that heading ONLY. Reboot, let windows redetect your built in sound. You may need to reboot again. Go do device manager again, under 'sound, video, game controllers', for each device, select properties, and check the checkbox 'disable in this hardware profile'. Go to creative labs, download the latest drivers for the X-Gamer, unzip them into a directory if it's not a self-installer. Shut down, install the X-Gamer card. Power up, when it asks for a the driver disk, either point it to the directory you unzipped them in, or hit cancel and run the setup utility.

Don't know if this will help at all, but it is what I might try.

BTW, if you find you can disable the onboard sound in BIOS.

-Disable it in BIOS
-Reboot in Safe Mode
-Remove all traces of the built-in sound and the X-Gamer from Device Manager
-Reboot, and use the latest drivers from Creative.
 
Well I was on the phone all morning with a guy from SB and then with a guy from Compaq. Pretty much the same conclusion, I'm screwed. :) I was on for an hour with each of them. The Bios for the presario, from what I can tell, doesn't allow you to disable onboard sound. I asked the Compaq guy, Abdul, if we should mess with the BIOS and he said just disabling in Device Manager should work. The SB guy, Phillip, and I tried everything he could come up with. One of the first questions he asked was what computer and what processor. He didn't even blink when I told him it was an AMD. Who knows? I will go download the Newest drivers and hope that helps. Here's exactly what happens step by step...

I have the card installed and the computer's off. I power up the comp. Goes to Win98 screen, then shows desktop. When it tries to find software for Creative SB16Live it either freezes up or gives me the MSGSRV32 error. You guys are really a great help.

I'm pretty close to giving up. I spent $10 on the phone call to SB support. Who doesn't have a toll-free support number? :( Anyone have any recommendations for a soundcard around or under $100 that they have actually installed on a system with an integrated soundcard and an AMD processor? :) Any help would be great.

Thanks.

Ibrow
 
I don't know about this stuff but I can tell you my experience. I have a Compaq Presario 5000 series (I designed the specs). I installed an Aardvark Direct Pro 24/96 in it and I had no problems at all. My soundcard cost a lot more than $100 dollars but from the combination of my experience and what I've just read it sounds like you'll be okay with just about any soundcard but the one you tried.

Many knowledgeable people badmouth Compaqs but my experience has always been positive.

Just wait, tonight I'll go home, turn on the computer, and it will explode.
 
Hard2,

Line in would be a nice start. :) Just generally want to record singing into a track on the computer. I have a Mic in on this piece of shit, but from what I've read and experienced, you need to use line in for a good sound. I have only mixed down once and put that track on CD. When I listened to it on the CD, MY GOD THE HISS!!! SOMEONE MAKE IT STOP!!!:) I think I need a new soundcard.

LI,

Is that an AMD proceesor in yours? Also what were the instructions for installation exactly? I hear everyone bad-mouth the Compaq but this is really the first trouble I've had with it. I've added and extra drive and a CD burner with no trouble. You just have to use the cable select jumpers instead of master/slave. Most instructions don't tell you to do that and I think that's where most of the aggrevation with Compaq's stem from. I wish this problem were this easy. :)

Anyone know if Best Buy takes souncards back with the receipt? Also, is it true that Guitar Center will match online advertised pricing? I need a Microphone but don't want to wait for it to arrive. Has anyone done it? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Ibrow
 
Ibrow-

I have a Pentium III 667. There are clear directions for installing additional cards in the instruction manual that came with the computer. I followed them (sorry but they're not with me right now).
 
Well I got the card to work. I was in BIOS and disabled the integrated card and put the new card on IRQ5. Unfortunately, the thing still didn't work until I "reserved" IRQ5 and IRQ7, the printer port. Soundcard works like a charm. By reserving IRQ5 the card bounced to IRQ9. Unfortunately, the printer never bounced and is totally fucked. :) I uninstalled the soundcard, released the reserved IRQ's, and tried to go back to the way it was before I started messing with it. I absolutlely cannot get the printer port to accept the driver for it. It keeps asking for the win98 CD and when I put it in it still doesn't find what it's looking for. Damn thing. It looks like I may just use the soundcard and say to hell with the printer. I shouldn't have to but it looks like that's my solution for now.

Anyone know anything about IRQ conflicts like this? It looks like I may have to reformat my drive to get this thing working correctly again. Then I could let the installer at Best Buy worry about the damn IRQ conflicts.

Thanks in advance,

Ibrow
 
Dammit Windows 98!!
See, I work on ALL NT and 2000 boxes here at work. No 98, we hate it. But you shouldn't have to re-format your drive.
Did your printer come with a setup disk? Sometimes, there is an exe on it that will do all the work for you. And it usually works better than letting Windows do it.
Sorry I don't know more about W98. :(
 
i had a problem like that when i first started recording with computer which the sound card was connected to the motherboard what you have to do is find out what kind of motherboard you got go online and find the spec for that motherboard look at the spec and find the jumper pins to disable the in board soundcard then you can use any other soundcard without the motherboard soundcard and the other soundcard conflicting with each other.
 
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