Soyo Dragon+ sound problems

[Essate]

A couple of months ago I sought advice here on mobos, and wound up buying a Dragon+. I was told by some folks that the on-board audio would give me some pops and crackles, but that updated drivers would cure the problem. Can someone please point me in the general direction of these drivers? The sound problems aren't always there, but when they're there, they are THERE! Darn ugly, gotta fix this ASAP.

Much thanks,
Essate

 

[Essate]

Help?

 

[ruther]

<< Help? >>



Look at this site: athlonmb - there's a forum for SOYO motherboards...

 

[skimo]

I have Dragon + and same problem. Running Win2k. If I find a solution I'll be happy to share it.

 

[Boonesmi]

what drivers are you using? the ones on the cd, or did you download the newest ones?

if you go to soyo.com.tw click on "downloads" follow the onscreen directions you can download the drivers released january (if i remember right it was january )

 

[Essate]

Here is where I stand in the dilemma so far.

With ruther's guidance, I went to that Athlon site and in reading their forum confirmed that my drivers are indeed hopelessly outdated. In SYSTEM I see that my driver version is 5.12.01.632. I've found advice saying upgrade to .632b and .634. But my search ended, of all places, at Microsoft's own Windows Update site. It did the standard ol' analysis of my system and told me I needed the Cmedia version .635 sound driver update. "No kidding." So I selected it and some others I felt necessary, which triggered about a 13 meg download and installation. I figured I had it made. But after the downlaod portion it started the install portion, and eventually asked for the W98SE CD. I put it in the drive. "Can't find (some file).CAB." So I browse for it, no can find. The only way out of an endless cycle that I could figure out was to "Skip file". The process wraps itself up, telling me that my sound drivers are updated, but not a chance. They're still version .632 in SYSTEM. Rats. My next effort will be a closer examination of the W98SE CD, see if I can find what it was looking for, then go back to Microsoft and see if it wants to upgrade my sound drivers again, then browse manually for the file. But I have largely exhausted that already, so I'm not sure where to head.

Boonesmi, I already did download the drivers from Soyo, and though I haven't tried them, the dates on all the files, .DLLs and such, as the same (sometime last year?) as what's already in my system, so I'm figuring they are the .632 version. Maybe I'm wrong? Probably wouldn't hurt to try them. However... you said "released in January". The .635 version at Microsoft says they came out in early March this year. This MONTH. So I'm betting that the ones at Soyo aren't current, which wouldn't make a whole lot of sense.

skimo, what I'd advise you to do, if you don't already have the .635 driver set, is go to Microsoft.com, into the Windows Update section, and see if you have better luck than I did. Being released just a few weeks ago, I assume they are the solution.

Much thanks to everyone for the help so far. If nothing else, I'm learning a lot. Hopefully I'll get eventually sound drivers that work.

~Essate~

 

[Boonesmi]

i would try to install the drivers again... this time when it cant find the "cab" file browse and first check the win98cd in the "win98" directory... if that doesnt work then the file its looking for will be in the directory were put the setup files for the drivers your trying to install

another possibility would be to go to c-media's web site and download their reference drivers... i belive the dragon+ uses the cmedia CMI8738 chip (but you will probably want to verity that )

** edit.. if you do want to try the c-media reference drivers you can get them at www.cmedia.com.tw

 

[TGirl]

Did you ever solve your sound problem? I am having the EXACT same problem. I found the newest c-media audio driver on the soyo.tw website. And downloaded it, but there are no executable files and I'm just not sure what to do with it? I also downloaded c-medias 3 files for the Audiorack. The mixer, which is needed for volume control, is in my taskbar, but will not open. The volume control for windows 98 will not work either. At least the hardware for the sound is showing up now - it wasn't before. The way I got it this far is when it asked for the 98se disk, and it couldn't find it, I finally just hit "skip" and it installed something anyway. It's showing the hardware now. It just won't work.

Should I change any of the jumper settings? I just have a Compaq monitor with the two side speakers it came with. I also have a PCI actiontec call waiting modem that has a built in wave device. I don't know if this could be interfering with it. There are no conflicts showing in device manager except a dma controller that says it needs a newer updated driver.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? I'd really appreciate any advice!

I love this message board!!!! Everyone here is so helpful.

TGirl