rec.autos.simulators

HELP !!! I am really frustrated with this problem and need some help. I just
recently purchased a Gateway G-6 400 with an Ensoniq AudioPCI sound card. I
reinstalled N2 and ran the sound setup program (which identified the ensoniq
card). Upon a fresh boot of my computer, N2 loads fine and has sound
(sometimes). If I exit N2 and the try to restart the game, or do anything on
the computer prior to starting N2, I get the following message: "Unable to play
sound -  the Ensoniq Audio PCI wave device is in use by another application".
After clicking OK the game will launch but without sound. In NROS on TEN, I get
the same message a race starts and then it crashes the game putting me back in
the arena.

The only thing that I have noticed is that looking in Device Manager the
Ensoniq AudioPCI shows a IRQ setting of 11 while the N2 sound setup shows an
IRQ of "none". I am not able to change the setting in the config program as the
pull down menu has no other options. Is this the problem?

If not and anyone knows how to correct the problem I would be most appreciative
of assistance. I have also closed all programs other than explorer and systray
prior to running N2.

Thanks

Alan Rosenthal
awrosey on Ten

Check the N2 Documentation in your sierra\nascar2 dir. Should be some
helpfull info there. Seems I read that N2 needs IRQ s in the lower value
such as sound blaster uses. 1 & 5. I beleive it suggested manually
changing that setting in the sound setup to the lower value. Check it
out. Also if you haven't added the patches from Sierra I'd do so first.

When I had my AudioPCI in my system it had a device for
Soundscape DOS Legacy Support or something like that.
The IRQ listed there is the one you want. Go to:
http://www.angelfire.com/co/serkaco1 for the latest drivers.
I never got far enough to try to get the card to work with
DOS games though.

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Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes.

If the card has the Maestro chipset, maybe this will help:

 The Maestro 1, incarnated solidly on Videologic's SonicStorm PCI, is also a
blazingly fast DSP. Its the only chipset that offers driver support for DOS
games even in a true DOS session (thanks to AECU.SYS in CONFIG.SYS, and
MAESTRO.COM in AUTOEXEC.BAT - be sure you have the v191 drivers which solved
the Phoenix/AWARD BIOS issue).

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Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes.

I have a gateway 266 with the same card.  I checked mine.  The settings are
330, none, and 1.  I always have sound.  What I suggest is that you start
windows explorer, open your windows/start menu folder.  Find the folder that
has your nascar2 shortcut and your nascar2 sound setup shortcut in it.
Right click on them, and select properties, and click on the program tab.
Click on advanced.  Make sure that ms-dos mode is checked for both
shortcuts.  Now run your sound setup in dos mode, and let it autodetect.
Now run nascar2 and see if it does it in msdos mode.  I have had problems
with other programs that wouldn't have sound in win95.  i had to watch that
I didn't have some other program running that utilizes the sound card.
these programs will "grab hold" of the card and won't let go until they are
shut down.  If you still have problems, hit ctrl alt del, and see if the
programs on the list are using the sound card, if so, do an end task on
them.

Thanks to everyone for their ideas and help on this problem. I tried them all
but none worked. BUT I did get the solution from a papy tech on a sierra
bulletin board. The solution was so simple it is scary.

The sound card conflict was coming from my WINDOWS EVENT SOUNDS!!!!! I changed
my settings to no sounds and everything is perfect. Now if I only had my hair
back that I pulled out.

Thanks again to all.

Alan Rosenthal
awrosey on Ten