soundcard/printer problem (long post)

[nottatuma]

i am trying to install the Audigy Platinum EX soundcard on my system (see sig). i'm not sure i fully disabled the onboard audio, but i got the card working.

then i went to print something on my Lexmark Z52 USB printer. it printed ok, but instead of hearing the familiar 'printing started' message, there was just a gawd awful noise from the speakers. then the sound card stopped working. i un-installed both the soundcard and printer. re-installed the soundcard (worked ok), then re-installed the printer, the install didn't even finish and the program 'Lexepps' caused an error and wouldn't load. i seem to be able to get one working but not the other. there are no conflicts showing in the device manager.

any ideas ?

and also, how do i COMPLETELY disable the ESS onboard audio?? i went into device manager and unchecked 'exists in all profiles'
when i run msconfig there is the following:
in Config.sys there is "DEVICE=C:\ESSAUDIO.SYS
in Autoexec.bat there is "C:\ESSAUDIO.COM" (listed twice actually)

do i have to uncheck these as well ?

thanx.


Comcrap Presario
AMD-K6 w/3D Now! 534Mhz
256 MB PC-100
Windows 98se
SB Audigy Platinum EX

(edit: sig wasn't coming up)

[awforrest]

Onboard audio is disabled in the BIOS. Usually under a setting like "Integrated Peripherals" or something to that effect. Once this has been done, if there is still a listing under device manager then delete the listing for ESS sound, but there shouldn't be.

As far as the ESS software goes, see if it's listed under add remove programs and uninstall it that way. Otherwise remove references to it in the autoexec.bat and config.sys files.

Hope that helps

[nottatuma]

thanks, i poked around in the BIOS before (as per the instructions for the soundcard) but didn't see any reference to the ESS stuff. i'll look again.

[dmoltrup]

You didn't post which model Presario you have, I am assuming it is a 5000 series.

If you check out Compaq's online tech support, they have hundreds of questions about the ESS onboard audio. The answer is:

"To disable the audio chip in Windows 98 take the following steps:

1. Right click on My Computer and select Properties, Device Manager tab.
2. Click on the + next to Sound, video and game controllers and highlight the entry for your audio, then click on the Properties button.
3. Check the box labeled "Disable in this hardware profile." Then reboot."

Mind you, the answer above was to the question, "How do I disable onboard audio in the BIOS?"

Every single time someone has asked how to disable it in the BIOS, they get the above question. One person asked, "My sound card manufacturer told me my onboard sound card MUST be completely disable from the BIOS. How do I do this?"
They still got the above response. Compaq seems to completely ignore the BIOS thing. It looks like a Compaq isn't capable of properly running an advanced audio card.

[nottatuma]

thanks, the only thing even remotely close that i could find in the BIOS was "compaq audio device" and all i could do was change the IRQ. it's a Presario 7479. i had a lot of problems with it until i removed all the compaq ****, then it ran fine.

i guess i was just concerned because even after doing the procedure you described, there still seemed to be some ESS stuff loading at startup. though the sound was not working.

i'm going to try the install again right now. wish me luck

[nottatuma]

ok. install took what 10 min? did everything EXACTLY like i did it the first time. everything works, including the printer. and sounds fantastic. i don't know what the hell went wrong the first time. but being confused is kinda a natural state for me!!


thanks for the replies !!