sound problem...i think

**DMan** · 08-31-2003 07:27 PM

Hey all, I just installed a new 160GB WD HDD with the PCI adapter and all. My old 8GB WD HDD is now out of the computer. I have everything working fine in the windows environment, but when I switch to games (namely EQ or Enemy Territory) I will get choppy sound at times and eventually my system will lock up. My mobo is the shuttle ak32a with the onboard sound. I never had this sound problem when I had my old 8GB HDD installed so now I'm thinking I may have the wrong sound drivers (I've tried installing the ones from the CD and using the default windows xp ones), or there may be some conflict with the video driver (doubtful), or could the HDD PCI adapter be causing this? So far I've only tried different drivers for the sound and reinstalling DirectX. I know the problem can be anything, but any suggestions as to where to start (i.e. easy fixes) would be appreciated.

Thanks

DMan

**MickMitani** · 08-31-2003 09:58 PM

Since you installed a new PCI card (I assume to get ATA-133, since the AK32A is ATA-66/100) with the hard drive, you may have run into an interrupt conflict. I haven't used an extra IDE controller since my 386 days so I don't know what resources your card may have taken. Check your hardware configuration to make sure that your on-board sound is not sharing an interrupt with another busy device.

EASY FIXES:

Try moving your PCI card to another slot.

Go into your BIOS, select the Plug and Play menu, and choose Reset Configuration Data, then reboot to see if it moves your interrupts around and frees any of them up.

If you don't need both or either of your serial ports use the BIOS to disable it/them and reset the configuration data again. Same thing with USB and check the setting for your printer port - if you don't need ECP (and most don't) set it for SPP or EPP.

Accept the lower speed of ATA-100, move the HD to the on-board controller and ditch the PCI card.

**DMan** · 09-01-2003 03:27 AM

Thanks, tried the resetting thing in the bios and that didn't work. So I jumped the gun and plugged the HD directly to my MB. However, it will only recognize about 137GB of the 160GB drive. So, I put the adaptor card in a diff PCI slot and am reinstalling winxp again. Worse case scenario is I plug it into the mobo and see if that works and not utilize the full potential space of the drive.

During startup, as soon as I enter the windows environment, my mouse will respond intermittently (I guess during the driver loading phase or whatever) and this normally doesn't happen (unless the system is configured improperly I guess). That's what usually cues me to an interrupt conflict (or crappy hardware) I guess...

**Shockedder** · 09-01-2003 07:51 AM

You should check the IRQ settings on the System option/tab , to see if you have conflicts ; I don't think has anything w memory alloc, your system has plenty of that .
Also do check what settings do you have on the audio board and post them .
Cheers.

**rmanet** · 09-01-2003 10:55 AM

Originally posted by DMan
However, it will only recognize about 137GB of the 160GB drive. So, I put the adaptor card in a diff PCI slot and am reinstalling winxp again. Worse case scenario is I plug it into the mobo and see if that works and not utilize the full potential space of the drive.

During startup, as soon as I enter the windows environment, my mouse will respond intermittently (I guess during the driver loading phase or whatever) and this normally doesn't happen (unless the system is configured improperly I guess). That's what usually cues me to an interrupt conflict (or crappy hardware) I guess...

just some suggestions:

that's an older board and I have problems from time to time with that onboard audio - I think that mobo may not recognize a drive that large - that's why you're only seeing 137GB and you're using the controller card right?

what type is it and did it need installed drivers?

go here and download the most current BIOS - see if that helps - if it does ditch the card unless you want to get to ata133 rather than ata100

use BIOS defaults, maybe disable one of the serial ports, and I don't know that board but just use the usb ports in the back and disable in the BIOS the front ones maybe (if that applies) - just trying to free up IRQ settings

then reboot telling it to redetect hardware

Worse case scenario is I plug it into the mobo and see if that works and not utilize the full potential space of the drive.

and whatever you do, don't default to that, there's got to be a solution better than that

then try again with XP, load VIA 4in1 drivers first, then the audio, then all your other stuff - I've tried window update driver files for audio and video devices but I'd avoid 'em at this point, don't think that's your problem

- about a 50% success rate rather than just using the most updated ones form the manufacturer site

just some thoughts - gone surfing - check back later

**DMan** · 09-01-2003 12:40 PM

Well, I haven't flashed the BIOS of the m/b yet because I hear that may cause additional problems so I started by listing the IRQ's.

My PS/2 mouse is on 12.
WinXP Promise Ultra100 TX2 (tm) IDE Controller is on 5.
CMI8738/C3DX PCI Audio Device is on 7.
VIA AC'97 Enhanced Audio Controller (WDM) is on 7.
On IRQ 11 I have: NIC, GeForce 2 MX, and 3 USB ports.
No other devices are sharing IRQ's.

Nothing seems to be sharing the IRQ the mouse is on but it's definately stuttering and so is the audio at times.

**Shockedder** · 09-01-2003 03:32 PM

CMI8738/C3DX PCI Audio Device is on 7.
VIA AC'97 Enhanced Audio Controller (WDM) is on 7.

So you have a onboard sound and a sound card ?
Deactivate one of them my good fellow.
I think that is your cause for choppy sound.
As for the drive , take a utility that knows large disks ( Partition Magic comes to my mind ) , and make your partitions , after that see what happens.

1.Your bios should detect the full size of your drive at boot-up , does it ?
2.If not remove the controller and link the hdd on the cables from your mainboard integrated controller, post the results .

Best of luck to ye.

**DMan** · 09-01-2003 05:33 PM

Ok, I disabled the onboard sound and am now using a PCI sound card. I moved the adapter card to a PCI slot that has no PCI cards on either side of it. Seemed to help a bit. Mouse is no longer stuttering during startup sequence and the intro music in Enemy Territory doesn't stutter, BUT it still locks up. Gonna try the driver thing again.

If I plug the HDD directly to the m/b it will only recognize it up to 137GB. I haven't tried flashing the bios yet, but I may do that now...

**DMan** · 09-01-2003 06:51 PM

Just tried Enemy Territory with the sound card disabled and it still locked up. Gotta be the adapter I think. At least the mouse and sound are not stuttering any more though. Maybe the western digital website will have more info.

Adapter IRQ is now 5 and is sharing with 3 USB ports (although I don't have any USB devices). Would disabling my USB ports make a difference?

Sound card, NIC and video card are all on IRQ 11.

**Shockedder** · 09-02-2003 03:18 AM

DMan if you do not have any USB devices diSable the USB ( yes it does make a difference even if you don't have any USB devices plugged in )
Also be sure that the IRQ used by the PCI controller for the HDD is not shared by any other device.
Glad to hear that your mouse and sound are back to normal.
Please tell me how did you partition the drive ( with what utility , partition size ).

**DMan** · 09-02-2003 07:22 PM

Originally posted by Shockedder
Please tell me how did you partition the drive ( with what utility , partition size ). [/B]

It's not partitioned (i.e. there's only one partition) so I'm using the entire 160GB as one drive. I just formatted the entire drive using the XP cd and installed windows from there.

I'll try disabling the USB devices and see if that helps with the lockups. Thanks again for the advice.

**Shockedder** · 09-03-2003 01:06 PM

If nothing else works , try making two partitons .

**Shockedder** · 09-03-2003 04:17 PM

Look , I think i have an answer to your problem with your drive .
I went to Promise's site here http://www.promise.com/support/downl...ry=bios&os=100

and found this remark :
"NOTE: If you have a drive larger than 137 GB you must also use Windows driver version 2.00.0.29 or newer."

So check your driver version and post .
Also is advisable to upgrade the bios of the controller card .

Sidenote : Only do a upgrade of bios IF , and only IF you are sure of the power supply ( you have a continous one , or an UPS) because if you have a shortage when you do it

But try this ; download the driver for the controller from here : http://www.driverscollection.com/?H=...TX2&By=Promise
and install it .
Post if there are more problems .

**DMan** · 09-06-2003 10:40 AM

Yup I have driver 2.0.0.29 now and still the same problem. I think I may just reformat and hook the HDD directly to the mainboard foregoing the controller card and taking the "hit" in terms of maximum storage capacity just to see if the controller card is causing the problem.

**DMan** · 09-09-2003 12:21 AM

Well, more bad news. I took out the new hard drive and plugged my old 8GB in. Guess what....same results. Found this link:

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/cont...pic/2833/?o=20

Maybe it's just an incompatibility issue between AMD chips and NVIDIA's like the others are saying.

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