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@Wunderbar98 Thanks @sweaterfish did a good job, he solved most of his problems with the 16-bits HDA2.DLL. I still hope he will publish a final configuration-file for Thinkpad X61, so I have less work next time. I am lucky you won't go further with packet driver networking in a MS-DOS window. Lately I solved the bootup problem on my H61-motherboard by adding DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\NDISHLP.SYS in CONFIG.SYS (see the earlier described Netbind-setup), AND adding to PROTOCOL.INI: [ndishlp$] DriverName=ndishlp$ Bindings=XXXX$ (for XXXX substitute the name-part of the NDIS2-drivers file-name). With this addition my NDIS5-driver is still installed according to Network Neighborhood, but will not load if NETBIND.COM has been running before Windows starts. Only the NDIS2-driver seems to be used in this case, also while connecting to the internet with a Windows browser. Choice can be easily introduced with Menu items in CONFIG.SYS/AUTOEXEC.BAT

Running Links for dos in Real mode MS-DOS will be faster at least (so far). Just for the record: I do not consider myself as a Win9x driver expert. My driver experiments are all about using 16-bits drivers in a Win9x environment. Still needed if there are no native Win9x drivers available.

So far I have experimented with four NIC's: RTL8139C, Accton EN1207D, Compaq NC3121 (PCI-cards), and RTL8168 (onboard). For the Realtek NIC's there is only a NDIS2-driver available for use in Win9x). The other two cards have Win9x-drivers too. I found running NDIS2 + packet driver shim's inside a MS-DOS window NOT possible with Win9x-drivers installed (on my second test-motherboard Windows 98SE even refuses to start in case of the NETBIND-setup). But both Win95 drivers have the possibility to switch to their 16-bits NDIS2-driver (using the Adapter-properties in Network Neighborhood). After a full reboot PROTOCOL.INI in the Windows directory can be edited to add the packet driver binding (same as earlier). By trial and error I found that DIS_PKT.DOS (or DIS_PKT9.DOS) can be loaded by editing the Transport-key in the Real Mode entry in the Registry. Just search for Transport and add ",dis_pkt.dos" to the value of the key (without qoutes, the comma is the separator). Further DIS_PKT.DOS must be copied to the Windows directory. Afterwards a full reboot is needed! In this setup there are no NDIS-related lines in CONFIG.SYS anymore. In AUTOEXEC.BAT Windows Setup will add C:\WINDOWS\NET start WINPKT 0x60 (same value as used in PROTOCOL.INI) should be added AFTER the "NET start" entry (is working on two motherboards). If you want to try: I found a Win95 Linksys-driver with (as it seems to me) the same possibility: http://www.opendrivers.com/download/driver-14852.html (LNE100TX.INF -signature="$WINDOWS 95$"- in lne100w2.exe, only the backup server is still working).

Last week I tested a real packet driver, available for a RTL8139 NIC: RTSPKT.COM. The packet driver is NOT working in a MS-DOS window! So it seems only the NDIS2-driver setup with the two shims DIS_PKT.DOS (or DIS_PKT9.DOS) and WINPKT.COM is possible. Which is sad, because the real packet driver is about 50% faster in Real mode MS-DOS! I searched the 'whole' internet to find a solution, but find nothing regarding running a real packet driver in a MS-DOS window. So, even wanted, no assistance available.

Just like Arachne 1.97, I found Links-2.21 is running in Windows 98SE MS-DOS window (mouse services and DPMI are already delivered by Windows). Needed: a packet driver setup. Further the virtual packet driver WINPKT.COM, must be loaded AFTER the Real mode packet driver is loaded, but BEFORE booting Windows. At last WATTCP.CFG, placed in the Links-directory. Values needed in WATTCP.CFG can be found in Real mode with help of DHCP.EXE, coming with the mTCP-suite (see @Wunderbar98's other thread). First: SET MTCPCFG=[drive:][path]TCP.CFG (normally same directory where DHCP.EXE is located). Than copy SAMPLE.CFG to TCP.CFG. The line packetint should have the right interrupt, if not set earlier to another value, normally packetint 0x60 Only static IP's are working in a DOS window. A good domain name server should be added, I found 9.9.9.9 fastest. My WATTCP.CFG (bold=local LAN-specific values!) ----------------------------------------------- WATTCP.CFG ----------------------------------------------- my_ip=192.168.2.25 netmask=255.255.255.0 nameserver=9.9.9.9 nameserver=192.168.2.254 gateway=192.168.2.254 ----------------------------------------------- Really amazing is that almost all video modes are possible in a DOS window, even with the Standard VGA 640x480 16 color driver! With my 1920x1200 LCD, highest mode possible in LINKS.BAT is 1600x1200X16m32 (my monitor refuses 1920x1200!). Speed is much lower than in Real mode, but for many sites acceptable. During scrolling through a webpage, pictures are loaded in the background. So not really disturbing (except wallpaper-sizes). First time: just run LINKS.BAT, later LINKS.PIF will be found and can be edited.

@Wunderbar98 nice the setup is working for you. Sorry to hear about your low speed, with both DOS-setups. I tested DIS_PKT9.DOS too, no difference on my system. After downloading 33MB of the 100MB.ZIP, Links reported an average speed of 180KB/sec. But my ISP seams to be faster than yours, in Windows 10 & Firefox I downloaded the file with 7MB/sec (on another machine). I can't explain the difference with Windows 98SE & Opera 12.02. I found another nice speedtest loading pictures. If I change the homepage in LINKS.BAT to https://www.reuters.com/news/pictures it took 5-6 seconds from start to the OK-message in Links. During the loading of the 2.4MB I saw Links reporting speeds up to 800KB/sec. The pictures seems to be on different servers.

In a MS-DOS window Arachne can't connect to the Real mode packet-driver, unless a virtual packet-driver is installed (installation in Real mode too, before booting Windows - same intvec as the real packet driver, so in most cases the command will be: WINPKT 0x60). WINPKT.COM delivers virtual mode packet services. Arachne will find now a packet-driver, with the Arachne packet-driver setup. That's all, no external TCP-stack needed, further just like in Real mode! Can't find my setup anywhere - connecting Arachne to a virtual packet-driver in a Win9x MS-DOS window - it's experimental. The famous Winsock 3.0 TCP uses WINPKT too. Winsock is still no-nag shareware, but WINPKT.COM is free - as far as I know. Arachne really needs browsing with a web-proxy like proxycrime.com. Without you're lost. Most stable without pictures; pictures sometimes seem to load indefinitely. But after fizzling with the Setup options, things are much better. Posting on msfn goes through a textbox with nice green fonts. No such limits like Links-2.21. By the way: I found Links-2.21 is running in a Windows 98SE MS-DOS window too, needs more modifications. I will report in your Links-thread when I'm finished.

I can't compare, but downloading with Links-2.21 in dos with NDIS2+shim is about 200KB/sec. In my Windows 98SE setup, where I have to use NDIS2 for RTL8168 (only NDIS2-driver possible, no shim involved of course) my download speed with Opera 12.02 is about 450 KB/sec. I use always following url for testing: http://speedtest.tele2.net/100MB.zip

Test: posting with Arachne 1.97 with help of proxycrime.com Running in a fullscreen Windows 98SE DOS window. Needed a DOS packet-driver as described by Wunderbar98. Further "WINPKT.COM 0x60" (no quotes) loaded before Windows starts.

MSClient is needed to provide Network services like TCP/IP. Not needed here. The MSClient-installer has a bug, to connect to the internet additional files have to be copied manually (I learned the hard way during a project to connect Windows 3.1 to the internet using MSClient). You can test the packet driver on your NIC if there is a NDIS2-driver available. Don't forget to REM-out your current packet-driver in LINKS.BAT. PROTMAN.DOS is using 6KB conventional memory, DIS_PKT.DOS 3KB and my NDIS2-driver 42KB. NETBIND.COM is unloaded afterwards. By the way, your color-setting gave a scrambled screen on my 24" 1900x1200 LCD, but 1024x768x16m32 is quite acceptable for pictures. Regarding load-speed: on my Gub4Dos Memdrive loading CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT took 4 seconds, 2 seconds for LINKS.BAT up to the homepage.

I am using RTGND.DOS, with other NDIS2-drivers I believe only the file name has to be substituted everywhere (untested)! Relevant entries (directory as you like) -------------------------------------------------------------- CONFIG.SYS -------------------------------------------------------------- . . DEVICE=C:\DRIVERS\NDIS2PKT\PROTMAN.DOS /I:C:\DRIVERS\NDIS2PKT DEVICE=C:\DRIVERS\NDIS2PKT\RTGND.DOS DEVICE=C:\DRIVERS\NDIS2PKT\DIS_PKT.DOS . . . -------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- AUTOEXEC.BAT -------------------------------------------------------------- C:\DRIVERS\NDIS2PKT\NETBIND.COM . . REM AFTER YOUR PATH STATEMENT (PATH ...., or SET PATH=.... ) set Path=C:\DRIVERS\NDIS2PKT;%PATH% . . -------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- PROTOCOL.INI -------------------------------------------------------------- [protman$] DriverName=protman$ [RTL8168] DriverName=RTGND$ Medium=_auto Interrupt=11 IOBase=0xe800 [PKTDRV] DriverName=PKTDRV$ IntVec=0x60 ChainVec=0x65 BINDINGS=RTL8168 -------------------------------------------------------------- In PROTOCOL.INI instead of [RTL8168] AND BINDINGS=RTL8168 the right NIC-code should be used twice, but is not necessary in my opinion, as long they are identical. Needed is to substitute the name-part of the filename of the NDIS2 driver in DriverName=RTGND$ ($ at the end, no extension!). Do NOT change the [PKTDRV] entries. For other NDIS2 driver-specific entries needed in PROTOCOL.INI study the INF/INI/NIF-files coming with the NDIS2-driver, or take a look in %WINDIR%\PROTOCOL.INI if NDIS2-driver is installed in Windows 9x (for my NIC RTGND$ uses: Medium=_auto / Interrupt=11 / IOBase=0xe800). Shim in use is DIS_PKT.DOS 4733 Bytes 05/01/1998 The files PROTMAN.DOS and NETBIND.COM are part of MSClient. How to get them and the shim see: http://wiki.freedos.org/wiki/index.php/Networking_FreeDOS_-_NDIS_driver_installation Although the wiki states otherwise, the PROTMAN.DOS /I switch, pointing to the directory where all files reside, is needed - in my setup at least. BTW: don't install MSClient. Further: I am not sure if the path-entry is needed, my setup is already 2½ years old. Update: the PATH-entry isn't needed on my system!

Nice! Because my (BIOS Legacy USB1.1)USB flash drive was a bit slow, I tested running from a 420MB 502MB Grub4Dos Memdrive. With LINKS.BAT loadtime for duckduckgo homepage is only 2 seconds. Do you want me to add my RTL8168 NDIS2/shim setup in this thread?

@Wunderbar98 Thanks a lot, everything is working as expected. My only problem was the packet driver. My RTL8168 provides for a NDIS2-driver, but nowhere a packet driver around. Luckily I found an old Windows 3.1 project on my harddrive which uses a shim to connect to the NDIS2 driver. (-: Posted with Links-2.21

@sweaterfish Thanks for testing. Setting only VolumeWidget in HDACFG.INI to $04 should give WAVEOUT.EXE full control. So the default of 48kHz is NOT the best choice. All in all the standard Output verbs sent by HDA2.DLL are the best choice. In that case their is no reason to maintain the $004-verbs in HDAICOUT.HDA and the Widget lines in HDACFG.INI can set to their original $04-values. Not only sound quality matters, the $011707C0 verbs is ment to activate the headphone amplifier needed to drive a low-impedance device (see the AD1984 datasheet). I don't know if their are any risks involved without, but that's all yours. I am not liable for it, I even never advocated use of HDA2.DLL! On my ALC662 codec (Realtek) enabling the headphone amplifier introduces noise, so I use 70740 only. Good! In my drawing the verbs for Aux are included (CD/DVD - not standard on Thinkpad X61 I believe, but an extension for the slim Ultrabay). On my system analog CD/DVD-audio redirected through the codec sounds much better than digital CD/DVD-audio. No, HDA2.DLL is playback-only by design. Although ADC can be enabled on the codec level and will be sent to the Azalia Link, nothing else will happen. The Runtime error you mentioned is the main reason to be very careful using HDA2.DLL. It can have very bad consequences. After a soft/hard reset Windows sometimes will use auto-scandisk. ALWAYS let the program finish and watch carefully SCANDISK.LOG afterwards. In general I don't agree switching Autoscan off in MSDOS.SYS. Scandisk is your best friend, but like best friends his comings and goings are not always desirable. Stability issues are reported while copying files together with audio playback. Also during simultaneous downloading of files and running DOS-boxes (the Windows command-line CONAGENT.EXE is involved too). But these issues are also dependent in de video card used! Know stability measures are: setting SYSTEM.INI [vache] MaxFileCache=1024 AND MinFileCache=1024, set [386Enh] MinTimeSlice=100. Also using SMARTDRV.EXE /X /L /V /B:57344 can be helpful (and speeds up file reading operations to compensate for the ultra low vcache setting - by design SMARTDRV.EXE can only be used on partitions 128 G(i)B max). During software installations / big copy-operations I always switch HDA2.DLL off with a semicolon before the HDA2.DLL wave(hda)-entrance in SYSTEM.INI and reboot Windows.

@sweaterfish Thanks for your comments. I made a simple drawing of the Functional Block Diagram for AD1984. Left I added the basic HDAICOUT.HDA with some possible extensions. I'm not fully sure about the Input Mixer connections, I believe there is an error in the datasheet. The original scan was 6 MB, so 256KB will not give the same quality anymore. Would you do me the favor to test the basic part of HDAICOUT.HDA with all three widgets in HDACFG.INI set to $FF? I want to know if the verbs in HDAICOUT.HDA can control everything (already tested on my H61 board and in Virtual Box). If sound is okay, I also would like to know if WAVEOUT.EXE is working without the right VolumeWidget in HDACFG.INI.

Please

Yep, see Windows 98 Resource Kit "Appendix C Windows 98 INF Files" and "Appendix D Msbatch.inf Parameters for Setup Scripts". Files with an ini-structure are easy, CONFIG.SYS/AUTOEXEC.BAT are complicated.

@sweaterfish Congratulations, you deserve it! Just for the record: Was pushing the physical volume buttons needed? Was commenting out the 'Codec reset'-verbs REALLY needed? Are Headphones/Speaker both working, and is the speaker muted if you plugin headphones? Is it possible to change volume with WAVEOUT.EXE? Further: would you be so kind to upload HDALOG.TXT and HDAICIN.TXT, so I can see what's going on myself? Could be useful for future troubleshooting of other laptops (I don't have access to laptops with High Definition Audio codecs, although there are a few in my reach - I possess no admin rights whatever on these machines, can't even boot from USB ).

@sweaterfish Good testing, strange your HDACFG.INI is now populating in all modem variants. Please describe the crackles in detail: are there three during booting Windows, or when starting an audio file in a media player? Further: EAPD is a laptop ´thing´, but I searched for Thinkpad X61 only. Keep both possibilities in all your tests to be sure. I do not understand why Takashi Iwai wants to use DAC_1, but there is a sidenote (typo is made by him): "* FIXME: * For simplicity, we share the single DAC for both HP and line-outs * right now. The inidividual playbacks could be easily implemented, * but no build-up framework is given, so far." Be aware the default connection of Mixer 07 is to DAC-widget 03, Mixer 0A to DAC-widget 04. But there appears to be Selector widget 22 who can set Mixer 07 to DAC-widget 04. It's in the datasheet, but in this AlsaInfo.txt more in detail. You only have to 'read' the Codec information (compare with output of various buttons of INTELHDA.EXE's widget Tab): http://launchpadlibrarian.net/176533849/AlsaInfo.txt Yeah, last hexadecimal value (four bits) should be zero for power state D0 (fully on). That's our only concern here. The SET-verb can only set one of the power states, but the GET-verb can provide more states for 'software' (more details in Intel' High Definition Audio Specification page 151-159). I am not sure about the values of INTELHDA.EXE, a version of HDA2.DLL is part of this program. A few things for further I experiments for now: 1) Don't forget to test if pushing the physical volume buttons gives any difference. 2) First I'd like like to see HDAICIN.TXT after commenting out the first to verb-lines in the 'debug' version HDAICOUT.HDA I made you (commenting out with a semicolon). So without Codec Reset, but with a full new boot (first fully switching off the machine for a minute or two). 3) Change lines in HDAICOUT.HDA one by one, Reboot to MS-DOS/Exit to Windows in between is much faster, you won't lose your other codec-settings. If the GET-verbs give same output before, and after a SET-verb, that SET-verb is unnecessary. Comment those verbs out, they will not be shown up in HDAICIN.TXT anymore. Editing using 'Run' is fastest in my opinion (Ctrl+Esc => Run => C:\Windows\Notepad HDAICOUT.HDA and same procedure for HDACFG.INI).

@sweaterfish I made a first draft of a Thinkpad X61 specific version of HDAICOUT.HDA so just rename and put in your Windows folder. It's partly based on a Linux plugin for your codec brand. https://review.clip-os.org/plugins/gitiles/clipos/src_external_linux/+/21949f00a022e090a7e8bc9a01dfca88273c6146/sound/pci/hda/patch_analog.c In this document I found also: /* Lenovo Thinkpad T61/X61 */ SND_PCI_QUIRK_VENDOR(0x17aa, "Lenovo Thinkpad", AD1984_THINKPAD), I can't find the exact correspondence with the HDA controller registers, but pcipatchB=$17AA is worth a try, of course first without HDAICOUT.HDA. 0x17aa seemed to be subsystem vendor id. It's in your picture of the HDA controller registers too (W16). Now you have three two pcipatchB testing possibilities together with HDAICOUT.HDA: $0000, $7900 and $17AA. Combined with three different modems settings gives nine six. Best start with your latest discovery (physical modem removed, but switched on in BIOS). Please upload afterwards HDACFG.INI, HDALOG.TXT and HDAICIN.TXT and report. Thinkpad_X61_Debug_HDAICOUT.HDA

Error, to be removed

@MisutaaUrufu Today I tested if I could write to some PCI registers of VBOX 6.0.18 with INTELHDA.EXE. It was possible, new values even survived a VBOX reset. So I think the earlier tests I referred to where on an earlier 32-bits version, or my memory was mistaken altogether. Watler's Win.3x HDA driver can be used in VBOX (contribution of @UCyborg). Today I made a small discovery: after Reboot to MS-DOS, some MS-DOS players gave sound . Both mplayer versions remain silent, but Judas21C and Judas21D happily played their XM-files WITH SOUND! I think HDA2.DLL or HDAICOUT.HDA provided some verbs Judas21C/D didn't sent. Without loading HDA2.DLL in Windows, Reboot to MS-DOS gave no sound with Judas21C/D. With the MS-DOS-version of Craig Hart's PCI+AGP Sniffer I compared the HDA-controller registers in all situations, but they where all exactly the same, so no (HDA2.DLL-internal) PCI_quirks involved. So maybe Parallel's registers have RW-registers too ready for testing.

@MisutaaUrufu Testing is the only way to get somewhere with this driver, mplayer will take only a quarter to half an hour. I saw you´re a new member: don´t forget your input can be relevant for other readers! I don´t understand, what do you mean with 'TSR' and which setting you changed exactly? No modem = GOOD In the Parallel's User Manual I found three different Network configurations. So you may have four possibilities, included switching Network off. Thanks for the link. This is the 64-bit version, but as far I as know not compatible with Windows 10. Importing of your xml gives me an error only, importing the ini gives a widget-list that makes ABSOLUTE no sense for a codec. Better try Windows 7 with the High Definition Audio Utility, I believe you have one month free trial with Win7. Experimenting is partly a blind process, so just try please. I have been reading some Parallel 9x Forum-threads, they all complain about having no sound. Watler made an Win3x AC'97 driver too: Intel 82801AA/DB ICH AC'97 Sound Driver 10 (I have never tried it, but some people on the internet liked it, don't remember exactly). It's here: http://turkeys4me.byethost4.com/programs/ If HDA2.DLL is working you should hear about three medium-loud click's/pops. About that 'entirely custom configuration': the source code is included in HDADRV9J.7z (Delphi 2 ). If you want to test Watler's INTELHDA.EXE, it's inside AHDA17M (download is actually AHDA17O.7Z) on: http://turkeys4me.byethost4.com/files/

Good work! I will start writing a Thinkpad X61 specific version of HDAICOUT.HDA I understand your frustation, if you allow me a personal note: you can find my own Quest regarding HD-Audio here: https://web.archive.org/web/20180318132454/http://win3x.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=Pascal&action=display&num=1502071336 (I saw Watler recently published the first 8 pages of the Conforum-posts in a zip: http://turkeys4me.byethost4.com/files/?i=1) The driver HDA2.DLL has it's own set of verbs to identify the codec and give the codec some basic configuration. The goal of HDAICOUT.HDA is to sent specific SET-verbs to the codec if the general verbs are 'not enough'. You can find many (all?) verbs in a box under the nodules-Tab of INTELHDA.EXE. Advanced HDA-drivers, like the driver of the Linux ALSA project, have widget parsers onboard to identify all widgets and set (semi-)automatic a working configuration. Still these projects have many codec/board specific problems to overcome. HDA2.DLL has no widget parser. INTELHDA.EXE has one (as you already found out using the widgets Tab), but will report only. For testing purposes you can sent individual verbs to the codec, with the 'Immediate Command'-interface under the jds-Tab, or with the CORB-interface under the CORB-Tab. Afterwards they can be copied to HDAICOUT.HDA. You can try yourself (only the CORB-Tab will work in case of your HDA-controller). In a nutshell (you gave me a minute...): click button 'Corb reset', check the box 'Use Corb for Verbs', type $000F0000 in the box directly right of button 'CorbWrite' and click that button. The codec response you're supposed to get in the big box beneath button 'View Corb' should be the same as in HDALOG.TXT! Before a next verb, first click "Corb reset'. To get special values I always search first in the codec-datasheet (if available), in combination with Linux-sources for bug reports (ALSA, Hackintosh, InsanelyMac, Kolibri, FreeBSD and others). Most sources doesn't give full verbs, but only parts of them (their drivers work in that way, almost impossible to read for a non-programmer like me). On the level of the HDA-controller sometimes a patch is needed for HDA2.DLL to any make communication with the codec possible at all (@bmw's stage) or otherwise. One 8-bits register can be set to a certain hexadecimal value with pcipatchB. There are several way's to get PCI HDA-controller register values. First get access to the specific datasheet if available - scroll to the HDA-registers and start reading (and counting, the binary bit-values have to be converted to a hexadecimal value), and search for PCI_quirks in Linux sources. Another approach is to try MS-DOS players and if they are providing sound: read out the controller registers for changes (experimental approach). Be aware I have only 'worked' with a dozen HD-audio motherboards or so, and counted with direct access only with five.

@MisutaaUrufu For now I will give a response to your posts and some suggestions. MS-DOS has no quirks, 'PCI_quirks' are used in Linux-code to have a defined name for a PCI related problem. In case of HD-audio controllers quirks are for instance related to the so called "No Snoop"-mechanism. Did you try the version in Mplayer_dos.zip too? Besides: none of the four MS-DOS players I tested gave sound in Virtual Box 6.0 (Judas21c, Judas21d and two versions of Mplayer mentioned in this thread). HDAICOUT.HDA is ment to sent specific verbs if the standard verbs sent by the driver (HDA2.DLL) fails. As you can see in HDACFG.INI your Codec isn't identified yet. CODEC_VID=$1AB8 CODEC_DID=$0001 is not a known HDA-codec. Maybe a modem? Unless the codec is correctly identified, nothing can be done. In the first attachment of your later post the codec is identified as VendorID=6840 DeviceID=1. Still unknown to me, maybe a fake id. for Parallel's Virtual HDA-codec. Although HDA2.DLL is ment for Win.3x only, it's tested on Windows 98SE and Windows ME, I can't remember if I tested Windows 95/Windows98FE, but it's is likely to work if their are no Memory/IRQ-conflicts. Can you provide a link to the download page? In the past I used a 32 bits program, only compatible with Windows 7. I need it to open the xml-attachment in your other post. I am not an expert either, in my opinion nothing can be done on the codec-level until the codec is correctly identified in HDACFG.INI. This means that the so called "Immediate Command" communication-mechanism is not working with HDA2.DLL in combination with your HDA-controller. Try timings 1000 or 2000 (milli-second!), but I doubt things will change. Settings in pcipatchB will only work if there are RW (Read/Write) registers in your Parallel's VM-HDA-controller PCI-register. I am afraid that's unlikely. I have only tested Virtual Box: their VM-HDA-controller PCI-register is Read-only, so al values are fixed. You can try to write to the registers from Windows with INTELHDA.EXE. Just go to the pci-tab. If you double-click on a register, a dialog will be opened to give new values. If they actually do NOT change, that register is Read-only. You can try all the (four digits) register-entries. But first I would suggest to disable temporarily ALL devices, especially Network, except the bare minimum. Be sure in Sound the HDA is selected. In the User Manual of Parallel 16 I found there is an option for AC'97 too. Monitor HDALOG.TXT if lines containing F0 give any other response. For now I will not repond to your settings on the codec level. I think you will now understand why.