Member Avatar for javanoob101

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?

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Good news: the route you followed (installing a period Sound Blaster and using the correct Win3.1 drivers) is the right one — confirms a Sound Blaster 16 ISA card got full sound working. For anyone reproducing this on real iron: Windows 3.1 needs drivers written for DOS/Win3.1-era SB hardware (modern Win9x/Win10 drivers will not work). The SB16 installer will add the proper entries to SYSTEM.INI (port, IRQ, DMA, MIDI port), so run the card installer from DOS or use Control Panel -> Drivers -> Add to pick the Creative SB driver after copying the driver files to your disk. (support.microsoft.com)

Practical checklist for SB16 on vintage PCs: install the ISA card firmly, note any jumper/DIP markings (many SB cards use jumpers or semi-PnP for base I/O), set or confirm base port/IRQ/DMA so they do not conflict with other devices, add a BLASTER environment line in AUTOEXEC.BAT for DOS apps (for example, the classic format starts with A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 …), then run INSTALL from the SB16 driver folder and choose the matching interrupt/DMA during setup. If audio is silent after install, check SYSTEM.INI [sndblst.drv] entries and mixer/volume utilities. (retronn.de)

About 256 colors in Windows 3.1: you need a Windows 3.1 SVGA display driver for the card/chipset (S3, Trident, Cirrus, etc.) or use Microsofts 256-color SVGA package and, if required, a VESA patch to make it VBE-compatible. Install via Setup -> Options -> Change System Settings -> Display (choose "Other display (requires disk from OEM)" and point to the driver files). If the motherboard/video board is much newer (modern NVIDIA cards), there may be no Win3.1 drivers — use a period-appropriate card or run Win3.1 in an emulator/VM that exposes an older SVGA device. (sierrahelp.com)

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Member Avatar for caperjack

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

Edited by caperjack because: n/a
Member Avatar for javanoob101

Do you think a modern sound driver will work?

Member Avatar for caperjack

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

Member Avatar for zelkea

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

Member Avatar for ungali

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.

Member Avatar for javanoob101

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

Member Avatar for zelkea

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.

Member Avatar for javanoob101

Sweet!!

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

Thanks!

javanoob101

Member Avatar for zelkea

No problem...

Member Avatar for javanoob101

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

Member Avatar for zelkea

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

Member Avatar for javanoob101

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

Member Avatar for javanoob101

Yup, another old thread of mine that I found and forgot to mark "solved".
I found an old Soundblaster 16 ISA card I installed it, installed the drivers and volia! I have sound in 3.1.

javanoob101

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