Help setting up High Definition Audio Drivers for Dell Latitude 6430u running Windows 98 SE?

[Isano]

I know a Dell Latitude 6430u which released in 2012 is not optimal for installing Windows 98 SE on, but I have a very specific project for it.

While I have seen Dave H's large thread about drivers for Windows 98, a lot of the files that were posted on the thread are currently available

And I am not too familiar as to how I would install and configure a driver manually.

I have tried some things which were instructed in the thread, but to no avail. Could anyone help me install the drivers?

I will provide and information necessary

[awkduck]

I've never set it up myself. Have you ever looked through the directions given at Operating System Revival?

[deomsh]

The instructions on Operating System Revival are correct for WinME only. In case of Win98SE use for manual installation (taken from Operating System Revival + corrections):

Instructions (Windows 95/98):
1. Download Watlers' driver HDADRV9J.zip
2. Place HDA2.DLL in C:\WINDOWS\System
3. Make sure HDARSR.EXE HDATSR.EXE and WAVEOUT.EXE are accessible (place in "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM" for convenience)
5. Add line "HDATSR.EXE" to AUTOEXEC.BAT (without quotes)
6. Add to SYSTEM.INI,[Drivers] "WAVEHDA=HDA2.DLL" (without quotes)
7. Reboot

If there is no sound, try my quasi-universal version of  HDAICOUT.HDA (found in DaveH's tread) and place in  C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM and reboot.

If there is sound but system is unstable try in SYSTEM.INI,
[Vcache]
MinFileCache=1024
MaxFileCache=1024
+ you can speed-up your system by adding line "SMARTDRV.EXE" to AUTOEXEC.BAT (without quotes). Always reboot in between.

If there is still no sound, ask @deomsh for further help (only if you are fully dedicated to a long project, and willing to follow instructions you probably will not understand).

[Isano]

Sorry for the late answer, I went to sleep.

7 hours ago, awkduck said:

I've never set it up myself. Have you ever looked through the directions given at Operating System Revival?

Yes I have followed all the instructions given on this site, but this did not work for me at all.

Also, the instructions tend have a bit of spelling mistakes which confused me a bi

But since Deomsh just posted some additional instructions, I guess I'll try them out

Edited August 24, 2022 by Isano

[Isano]

1 hour ago, deomsh said:

The instructions on Operating System Revival are correct for WinME only. In case of Win98SE use for manual installation (taken from Operating System Revival + corrections):

Instructions (Windows 95/98):
1. Download Watlers' driver HDADRV9J.zip
2. Place HDA2.DLL in C:\WINDOWS\System
3. Make sure HDARSR.EXE HDATSR.EXE and WAVEOUT.EXE are accessible (place in "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM" for convenience)
5. Add line "HDATSR.EXE" to AUTOEXEC.BAT (without quotes)
6. Add to SYSTEM.INI,[Drivers] "WAVEHDA=HDA2.DLL" (without quotes)
7. Reboot

If there is no sound, try my quasi-universal version of  HDAICOUT.HDA (found in DaveH's tread) and place in  C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM and reboot.

If there is sound but system is unstable try in SYSTEM.INI,
[Vcache]
MinFileCache=1024
MaxFileCache=1024
+ you can speed-up your system by adding line "SMARTDRV.EXE" to AUTOEXEC.BAT (without quotes). Always reboot in between.

If there is still no sound, ask @deomsh for further help (only if you are fully dedicated to a long project, and willing to follow instructions you probably will not understand).

So, I have followed all of your instructions with the drivers given at OS Revival site, and I have double checked to make sure I have placed the correct files in the correct folders, but I still get no audio.

I also have tried to place the HDAICOUT.HDA file in C:\WINDOWS, and yet, there is still no audio.

However, when I go to Control Panel and go to Multimedia Properties, under the Audio Playback section, I get the choice to have my Preferred device as "HDA Sound"

When I try selecting it and applying the settings, there is still no audio though, and I am not able to configure any audio settings.

Also; under the Devices section of Multimedia Properties, I can see that under Audio Devices, there is an "Audio for HDA Sound 2017" device.

[deomsh]

Which version of HDAICOUT.HDA did you use?

[Isano]

The embedded file you sent at the top of this page, titled "Dave-H_Hdaicout.hda.200".

 

[Isano]

Ah, I see, it was the wrong one... a mistake on my part, my apologies

[Isano]

Oh my gosh! It works! I used your Hdaicout.hda.000 file, placed it in C:\Windows and renamed it Hdaicout.hda, rebooted and I was greeted to Windows 98's glorious "Welcome to Windows 98" music! I'm so thankful!

[deomsh]

So, that's quick, congratulations 

Will you do me a favor and upload HDACFG.INI and HDAICIN.TXT, so I can see which HDA-Controler and which HDA-codec is used on your system and which responces the HDA-codec gives to my version of HDAICOUT.HDA (000)?

BTW: are you still using version 'J' of HDA2.DLL? I just found out latest version is 'L'. I will test soon...

[Isano]

HDAICIN.TXTHDAcfg.ini

Alright, here are HDAcfg.ini and HDAICIN.TXT

As for the version of HDA.DLL, the file which contains the drivers, which I installed from the Retro Systems Revival site, is named "HDADRV9J", as opposed to the version of the driver present on the site http://turkeys4me.byethost4.com/programs/ titled "HDADRV9L", so I suppose that it might be the J version.

Also, I might have a small complaint about the drivers : The audio works, but does get a bit jittery and sometimes halts for a few seconds,

But hey, at least it works

[deomsh]

Thanks a lot!

About the jittery/halt: did you already try higher values of MinTimeSlice? Default is '20', (my experimental) max is '100'. So try 'max' first in SYSTEM.INI,
[386Enh]
MinTimeSlice=100

[Isano]

Worked great for me, eliminated all jitter. I also applied the vcache solution you gave me, and it greatly reduced the startup lag.

A last request I have : I can't figure out how to turn the volume down now, and I think the audio is way too loud, where could I turn it down?

I also wonder if I could make the audio work through my headphones

Edited August 24, 2022 by Isano

[deomsh]

12 minutes ago, Isano said:

Worked great for me, eliminated all jitter. I also applied the vcache solution you gave me, and it greatly reduced the startup lag.

Be aware copying can be slow with the vcache-solution. SMARTDRV.EXE can help, best is (in AUTOEXEC.BAT): SMARTDRV.EXE /X /L /V /B:57344

17 minutes ago, Isano said:

A last request I have : I can't figure out how to turn the volume down now, and I think the audio is way too loud, where could I turn it down?

Did you try WAVEOUT.EXE already?
Start > Run > WAVEOUT.EXE

19 minutes ago, Isano said:

I also wonder if I could make the audio work through my headphones

With help of your HDACFG.INI I found out your codec is IDT 92HD93, revision 100203. Can you search for the data-sheet so I can take a look...

BTW Do not upload because of copyright, just the web-address (mostly '.pdf'}

[Isano]

I applied your SMARTDRV.EXE solution, couldn't really notice much of a change but I'll still have this fix applied anyways

I did in fact try WAVEOUT.EXE, but I couldn't manage to figure out how to change any of the volume settings,

I assume the 2 bars on right in the program are supposed to be for changing the volume for each speaker, and I tried changing those, but the volume did not change regardless.

As for a data-sheet, I assume you mean something like this. https://s1.dtsheet.com/store/data/000179050.pdf?key=077eab11a0fbb21bf32cc8b62b4afb7e&r=1

Also, I figured that audio did in fact work through my headphones, but plugging my headphones into the laptop did not change that the laptop's speaker still kept outputting the audio.