Trouble installing Sound Blaster Live! on Windows 98 SE

Vacuumfan7072

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Ok... I'm having a bit of a rough spot here.
I am trying to set up an old Emachines computer for retro gaming. I have installed Windows 98 SE with KernelEx. The Crystal onboard audio has stopped working since I last used it, so I bought a Sound Blaster Live! from Ebay. (Model number CT4780)
All goes well, I provide the driver directory, then it asks for the Windows 98 SE install disk. After copying files...it freezes.
When I reboot, Windows asserts that it will not attempt to use the device.

It is worth noting that I do not own the official Sound Blaster Live! driver disk, but the sound card has been tested under Windows XP and everything works perfectly.



Suggestions or help would be appreciated!

---------- Post added at 10:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:11 AM ----------

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Alright...I am back.
I have learned two things: The sound card I purchased is a Dell OEM Model, as opposed to a retail version, that and it's recommended to use VXD drivers instead of WDM.
I tried two different possible fixes at once: Switched the audio card to a different PCI slot, and disabled the onboard audio in the BIOS. Windows started up normally and detected the sound card...now the sound is working. Huzzah!



I also found the Liveware driver disk on the internet which I used to install the bundled software.
 
Glad you found the problem mate. Did they say that it was a Dell card? Proprietary cards can be a PITA.

Maybe from now on read the fine lines. At least you got it licked. :dance:
 
Glad you found the problem mate. Did they say that it was a Dell card? Proprietary cards can be a PITA.

Maybe from now on read the fine lines. At least you got it licked. :dance:
I admit I'm guilty of just searching "Sound Blaster Live" on eBay and bought the first thing that showed up. Ebay page said nothing about it being an OEM card, but searching the model number on Google cleared it up for me.
Aside from that, my particular card just uses the regular Sound Blaster Live! Value drivers. And thanks, I'm glad I figured it out, too. I was just about to pull my hair out...lol
 
Actually I didn't know SB make proprietary cards

I interestingly had come across two Rocketfish sound cards that were actually Sound Blaster Audigy clones. I tried using one of them in this same W98SE computer back in 2017. For some odd reason, Rocketfish removed the drivers from their website, so trying to get these cards to work was an absolute nightmare. I had gotten some generic drivers installed, but it was very distorted and by that point I had just given up.
 
Interesting. Haven't heard of them either. I've been SB all the way. I still have my SB Audigy I can't use anymore.

Doesn't fit my AM4 board.
 
Darn, no regular ol' PCI slots?
I suppose one of these days I should treat myself to one of those nice newer SB cards, but my onboard audio is decent enough to stand on its own for now.
 
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