HD + AC97 audio & beyond the 137GB/128GiB barrier

[deomsh]

@tillewolle

In the past I had a very resistant VIA-board. At last I succeeded with the 5.10.00.6240 driver from Biostar (my board was Asus!). A working download link is on this page:

https://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/introduction.php/cpu_export.php?S_ID=5

[Dave-H]

If that doesn't work, try downloading and unpacking the archive from here, (make sure you select "Download the Driver File only").
Don't run the setup file, but instead select "update driver" from Device Manager and browse to the INF file in the extracted WDM folder and see if it will successfully install that way. It may be that the setup routine is not working properly on your system, and I have known things install successfully using this alternative method when this has happened in the past.

 

Edited December 9, 2019 by Dave-H
Amendment

[LoneCrusader]

4 hours ago, Dave-H said:

"WDM_A406.rar"

 

3 hours ago, tillewolle said:

Installed this one and now I get the yellow exclamation mark on "Realtec AC'97 Audio for VIA(R) Audio Controller" in Device Manager.

 

3 hours ago, Dave-H said:

Cannot start code 10" for instance

 

On 3/24/2019 at 12:33 AM, LoneCrusader said:

...Realtek AC'97 WDM packages (4.05 and 4.06 contain a function that is not present in 9x and do not work, despite claiming 9x support; 4.04 is compatible)

The Code 10 error in the Device Manager is common on WDM drivers that are missing a function.

[tillewolle]

11 hours ago, deomsh said:

@tillewolle

At least you know an AC'97 driver is needed.

Where does it say that?  I installed the AC‘97 for VIA. Maybe it‘s wrong?

I‘ll try the A3.52 version when l’m back from work.

[Dave-H]

Thanks @LoneCrusader, that's interesting about versions above 4.04 being incompatible with Windows 98.
As I said earlier I always used version 4.00, and I do have that installation file labelled as being the last one that works OK on 98.
I'll try and get a copy of 4.04 now I know that should be OK too, in case I have to revert to one of my spare motherboards which is an AC97 one.

Edited December 9, 2019 by Dave-H
Typo

[tillewolle]

17 hours ago, deomsh said:

@tillewolle

In the past I had a very resistant VIA-board. At last I succeeded with the 5.10.00.6240 driver from Biostar (my board was Asus!). A working download link is on this page:

https://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/introduction.php/cpu_export.php?S_ID=5

Same message in Device Manager, similar report in hwinfo:

Class: MEDIA
  This Device Has a Problem: Code=10 (0xA)
Das Ger‰t ist nicht vorhanden, funktioniert nicht richtig oder es wurden
nicht alle Treiber installiert. Konsultieren Sie die Hardwaredokumentation.
  DeviceDesc: Realtek AC'97 Audio for VIA (R) Audio Controller
  Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\enum\PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_3059&SUBSYS_02701462&REV_60\BUS_00&DEV_11&FUNC_05
  Hardware Resource Section
    Inst2 resources: 
      Alloc resources: 
        Logical Configuration 0
            IO Range: Base=xEC00 End=xECFF Min=x0000 Max=xFFFF  Alias=xFF, Decode=x00
            IRQ Mask: xFFFF, Alloc Num 11
  Extra Registry information Section
    HWRevision: 096
  Driver Information section
    Driver: MEDIA\0002
    DriverDate: 12- 9-2019
    Driver: Alcrmv.exe
      File Size: 217088 (0x35000)
      File Date: 7/31/2006 11:27 PM
      CompanyName: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
      FileVersion: 2, 0, 0, 4
      LegalCopyright: Copyright (C) 2000-2005 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
      FileDescription: Driver Removing for Windows x64 or x86_32
      Comments: Developed by Desker ( Modify by Archeng )
    Driver: RTLCPAPI.dll
      File Size: 147456 (0x24000)
      File Date: 10/18/2006 2:53 PM
      FileVersion: 1, 0, 1, 4
      LegalCopyright: Copyright 2004
      FileDescription: RtlCPAPI Module
    Driver: RTLCPL.EXE
      File Size: 10528768 (0xA0A800)
      File Date: 12/8/2006 3:20 AM
      CompanyName: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
      FileVersion: 1.0.1.66
      LegalCopyright: Copyright (c) 2003-2004 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
      FileDescription: Realtek Audio Control Panel
    Driver: ALSNDMGR.WAV
      File Size: 141016 (0x226D8)
      File Date: 2/5/2002 1:54 AM
    Driver: ALSNDMGR.CPL
      File Size: 18804736 (0x11EF000)
      File Date: 11/17/2006 5:40 PM
      CompanyName: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
      FileVersion: 2, 2, 0, 73
      LegalCopyright: Copyright (c) 2001-2004 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
      FileDescription: Realtek AC97 Audio Control Panel
    Driver: SOUNDMAN.EXE
      File Size: 577536 (0x8D000)
      File Date: 4/16/2007 3:28 AM
      CompanyName: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
      FileVersion: 5, 1, 0, 59
      LegalCopyright: Copyright (c) 2001-2004 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
      FileDescription: Realtek Sound Manager
      Comments: Realtek AC97 Audio Sound Manager
    Driver: ALCXWDM.SYS
      File Size: 4030144 (0x3D7EC0)
      File Date: 4/25/2007 4:20 AM
      CompanyName: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
      FileVersion: 5.10.00.6240 built by: WinDDK
      LegalCopyright: Copyright (c) Realtek Semiconductor Corp.1998-2006
      FileDescription: Realtek AC'97 Audio Driver (WDM)

I'll try the other two recommendations now.

[tillewolle]

15 hours ago, Dave-H said:

If that doesn't work, try downloading and unpacking the archive from here, (make sure you select "Download the Driver File only").
Don't run the setup file, but instead select "update driver" from Device Manager and browse to the INF file in the extracted WDM folder and see if it will successfully install that way. It may be that the setup routine is not working properly on your system, and I have known things install successfully using this alternative method when this has happened in the past.

 

Tried it. Update Device Wizard tells me:

Windows driver search for the device: Realtek AC'97 Audio for VIA(R) Audio Controller

The best driver Windows found is already installed for this device. Click Back to install a different driver, or click Next to continue using this driver.

Location of driver: C:\WINDOWS\INF\ALCXAU.INF

[tillewolle]

18 hours ago, deomsh said:

@tillewolle

At least you know an AC'97 driver is needed. On a MSI-forum about the same problem as yours, I found a link to A3.52

http://www.opendrivers.com/download/driver-11088.html

Another idea on that forum was to try Win95 drivers.

WOW! This one seemed to work! At least the yellow exclamation mark is gone. Now I need to wire up some Speakers!

Edit: Nope. No Sound.

 

Edited December 9, 2019 by tillewolle

[Dave-H]

53 minutes ago, tillewolle said:

Tried it. Update Device Wizard tells me:

Windows driver search for the device: Realtek AC'97 Audio for VIA(R) Audio Controller

The best driver Windows found is already installed for this device. Click Back to install a different driver, or click Next to continue using this driver.

Location of driver: C:\WINDOWS\INF\ALCXAU.INF

If you'd used the option to go back and install a different driver, that would have probably allowed you to over-ride that.
However, as we now know that no version later that 4.04 is actually 98 compatible, there would have been no point.

Obvious progress with the 3.52 driver though, which is good!
Do you have the Sound Manager applet in your Control Panel now?
Does Device Manager now say that the device is working properly?

Edited December 9, 2019 by Dave-H
Addition

[tillewolle]

3 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

Do you have the Sound Manager applet in your Control Panel now?

Yes. Double Click does nothing. Right Click gives me:

Sound Manager (not working)

Multimedia (see screenshot in posting above)

Windows Media Player (Starting but no file to test, yet)

Sound Recorder (Error Message: Record/Play not working because no Audiodevice installed; Sound Recorder itself loads afterwards)

Volume Control (not working)

Exit (working)

[deomsh]

8 hours ago, tillewolle said:

Where does it say that?  I installed the AC‘97 for VIA. Maybe it‘s wrong?

Because of then Ven/Dev. 

If you google a bit, you will find lists like these:

http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~svb/CS/Lab/Minix 3.1.0/drivers/libpci/pci_table.c

Search in this list for 3059 only.

[tillewolle]

4 hours ago, deomsh said:

Because of then Ven/Dev. 

If you google a bit, you will find lists like these:

http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~svb/CS/Lab/Minix 3.1.0/drivers/libpci/pci_table.c

Search in this list for 3059 only.

Ah, yeah. I'm not that into it. And hope I won't need.

[deomsh]

@tillewolle

In case you want to test the win95 VXD-driver, search during updating the driver for /Win95/VALCX95.INF. If the Wizard has complaints, force updating. The inf-file doesn't specify a SUBSYS, but your VEN/DEV is mentioned.

[pangoomis]

"PCI Multimedia Audio Device" means AC97, that's a good thing, we have drivers for that.

If it was "PCI Card", it would have been HD Audio, and we don't have drivers for that.

The SUBSYS tells me it's a C-Media variant of the Realtek chip, try these drivers, they have the exact SUBSYS you have in the INF, they should work:

http://asrock.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/Drivers/VIA/Audio/C-Media_XP64_XP_2K_ME_98(AC97Integrate003).zip

If not, you can still try the generic ones:

WDM_A404.EXE are the latest generic Realtek AC97 drivers for Windows 98, A405 and A406 are not supported despite Realtek telling you otherwise, damn liars.

LoneCrusader found out about that a while back and noted that here in the thread.

You can try installing the A404 version from here:

http://tim.id.au/static/WDM_A404.exe

Edited December 10, 2019 by MrMateczko
fixed WDM_A404.exe link

[Dave-H]

Your last link seems to just redirect to https://www.realtek.cz/ which appears to only show ALCxxx HD Audio codecs, with of course no Windows 98 drivers available.

Edited December 10, 2019 by Dave-H
Addition