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Sound Cards in Windows 3.1

Sorry about this post, This is the oldest Windows catagory I found.

Anyway , I have installed Windows 3.1 on an old 1.6 GB hard drive I found and it runs fine! But I want to know how to get a sound card to work with Windows 3.1.

Here are all the specs I can remember:

AMD K-6 450 Mhz Processor
1.6 GB Western Digital "Cavier" Hard drive
SIS 540? Motherboard -- Not too sure about
nividia 128 Mb PCI video card -- I forget the model
Onboard (built into motherboard) sound card

Thank-you to anyone who can help!

P.S Windows 3.1 can support 256 colours but my Windows 3.1 installation only works with "VGA mode"--Does anybody know how to get Windows 3.1 to work in 256 colour mode?

javanoob101
Junior Poster
175 posts since Jan 2011
Reputation Points: 18
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it been a long time since i used win3.1 and when i did i didn't know much about them .
but im sure you will need drivers to make all those things work just like any windows os .finding drivers might be hard

caperjack
I hate 20 Questions
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13,069 posts since Aug 2003
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Do you think a modern sound driver will work?

javanoob101
Junior Poster
175 posts since Jan 2011
Reputation Points: 18
Solved Threads: 6
 
Do you think a modern sound driver will work?


if you have a modem sound card combo and have the right drivers it should ,install drivers way back then was not as easy as it is today

caperjack
I hate 20 Questions
Team Colleague
13,069 posts since Aug 2003
Reputation Points: 1,064
Solved Threads: 812
 

I really doubt a modern sounds card will work, I personally wouldn't waste my money on one.

This site states they have a driver for your card, I have used driverguide in the past and they didn't infect the drivers with viruses like other sites did in the past.

http://members.driverguide.com/driver/detail.php?driverid=30085

zelkea
Posting Whiz
328 posts since Jul 2006
Reputation Points: 40
Solved Threads: 32
 

Something like a soundblaster 16 will work. Modern windows drivers are a completely different type of driver than would be required for 3.1. Using Win32s, there might be a way to get win9x drivers to work, but I doubt it. Good Luck.

ungali
Newbie Poster
1 post since Feb 2011
Reputation Points: 10
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I have downloaded some soundblaster16 drivers but my built-in sound card is not at adresses 220h,240h,260h or 280h and I don't know how to change the adress of my sound card in the BIOS---I could not find anything in it...

javanoob101

javanoob101
Junior Poster
175 posts since Jan 2011
Reputation Points: 18
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I think he was saying if you bought a SB16 it should work. Did a quick google on sound blaster 16 and it looks like you can get a used one for under 10.

zelkea
Posting Whiz
328 posts since Jul 2006
Reputation Points: 40
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Sweet!!

I'll check it out later (i have to go to class now)

Thanks!

javanoob101

javanoob101
Junior Poster
175 posts since Jan 2011
Reputation Points: 18
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No problem...

zelkea
Posting Whiz
328 posts since Jul 2006
Reputation Points: 40
Solved Threads: 32
 

Sound Blaster 16 eh?

Any model in particular that will for sure work with Windows 3.1?

If I can get a model number, My computer tech teacher has tons of old computers and their parts so I could probably find one there and he'll let me have it for free! :)

Thanks

javanoob101

javanoob101
Junior Poster
175 posts since Jan 2011
Reputation Points: 18
Solved Threads: 6
 

Hey Java,

Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 is the make and any CT model should work. I did a google search for "sound blaster 16 used" and clicked shopping that is where I found them for under 10 bucks. When I did a search just for sound blaster 16 they were priced higher just fyi.

Yep it will work, I remember using a SB16 back in my 3.1 days, I also remember paying through the nose for it, hehe I haven't seen a ISA slot in a long time :)

You don't need to worry about the drivers it looks like they are available on cnet.com.

http://download.cnet.com/Creative-Labs-Sound-Blaster-16-32-AWE32-Basic-Disk/3000-2120_4-10005160.html

zelkea
Posting Whiz
328 posts since Jul 2006
Reputation Points: 40
Solved Threads: 32
 

O.k, Thanks!

Tommorow I'll ask my tech teacher if I can take home an old soundBlaster (My brother's computer has (what I think is an old ISA slot.)

Thanks (My sound problem may be solved!.....soon.)

javanoob101

javanoob101
Junior Poster
175 posts since Jan 2011
Reputation Points: 18
Solved Threads: 6
 

This article has been dead for over three months

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