EWS 64XL doesn't work with ABIT KT7A!!!

[Jason Wong]

My question is Synthesizer and digital control cannot work properly..There
have [!] in the hardware manager...
The codec is recognized..
But I still can not open the control panel..
I was check my IRQ setting..
But I don't know why how I can not install that..
That makes me have a lot of sleepless night indeed!

So every KT7a user..Please help me!
Please give me the setting detail...How do you install that with EWS64xl..

thanks in advance!


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[zappucco]

I have Abit Kt7Raid with EWS64XL and works fine. I have Codec and MIDI-2 disabled and all devices set to PnP, so I just need a single IRQ for EWS Synth. Your problem seems to be an IRQ conflict.
Try to disable in BIOS every COM or LPT port you don't use to get free IRQs.
Try to tweak in Windows Devices manager/System devices/PCI bus and swap the 'use hardware' setting for 'use BIOS setting'. Maybe you'll find a solution there.
have luck.

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[Jason Wong]

thanks!
I have solved the irq problem on win 2000.
But I still cannot run the synthesizer on win98.I don't know the reason why.

For now..I just play the EWS64xl on win2000
only.But that doesn't matter.

I am so lucky can use this soundcard in modern pc

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[Arnoud de Jong]

I have no experience with Abit, but in general I can give you one or two suggestions:
- Is it possible in the pci-configuration of your BIOS to set the configuration to 'manual' instead of 'auto'? If so, set the IRQ's you need for your EWS to 'legacy ISA' (make sure you jotted down the way the EWS is configured first). After that there should be no need to let the BIOS handle the IRQ's, so you can safely tell your BIOS that you have a PnP-OS installed.
- In your quest for free IRQ's Zappucco is right: disable every COM/LPT port you don't need (don't disable LPT however if you have a dongle in your printer port, e.g. from Cubase). Other suggestions: do you use USB? If not, disable it in the BIOS (to avoid confusion here: the legacy USB is standard OFF, but that should only be ON if you have a USB-keyboard). So look for the other 'USB-switch' in the BIOS to set it to OFF).
If, at the other hand, you DO use USB, try to use a USB mouse instead of a PS2 type. Then you are free to switch off the PS2-mouse in the BIOS, which gives you a free IRQ12.
- Also remember that you can win IRQ's by using PCI cards instead of ISA cards. Most of them are able to do IRQ-sharing. Of course the EWS is an ISA card, so you are stuck with that, but if you have another ISA card in the computer (don't know if Abit has two ISA slots or one) try to get rid of it.
- Note that it's always a problem if your computer is 'too stuffed' with all kinds of expansion cards. That's asking for trouble in a multimedia system. Maybe it's a good idea to read our Tune-Up section in the the EWSoundZine part of www.ews64.com. It might help you solve your problems or to get a brainwave
- If you use W2k with your EWS, I think you miss most of the capabilities of your EWS. But I never even tried, so...
Anyway, good luck and I hope this helps a bit.


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Arnoud

[Helmut]

Abit KT7A:
I'm not able to use the EWS64 gameport anymore!
I tried everything, but since i upgraded the bios to use a TB1.4GHz, i get no connection on the game port.
No exclamation marks, no conflicts.
Very strange.
I reinstalled Win98SE 3 times (with and without ACPI) - no chance.
My gameport-driver versions:

MMDEVLDR.VXD 4.10.1998
VJOYD.VXD 4.0501.1998
MSJSTICK.DRV 4.0501.1998

Can anyone help, please?

Win98SE, DX7a
AbitKT7A, 1.4GHz [email protected], 512MB,
Tekram SCSI ctrlr
(problem: Logitech WingmanExtremeDigital3D, Guillemot RaceLeaderFF)

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[Jason Wong]

Dear Moderator

Thanks alot for your detailed article

I was visit EWS SoundZine..there are great!It help me alot.

Now,my situation is the Synthesizer still have [!] in win98.

That is so strange in win98.
I was checked the irq of synthesizer.
There are NO ANY CONFLICT.
The synth was assigned to irq 11 correctly.

I saw a error message that say:

"Unknown error detected - Sorry!"

I try many time to change the irq (ex,5,7,9,11) but still doesn't work.

The control panel doesn'twork too..It say
the driver doesn't run...

I am so sad to upgrade to win2000..
because I can not back to win98!!
I miss some function....

However,I will try my best to make EWS64 run in 98
I hope this day coming!


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[Helmut]

Finally i solved my instability problems with the Abit KT7A-R (Raid not installed).
I upgraded from a Duron 800@866/133MHzFSB to a 1.4/133TB and suddenly Windows locked during booting, my ISA-soundcard (Terratec EWS64XL) had yellow exclamation marks (complete system lockup when enabling the gameport) or my serial-port force feedback wheel lost connection on the com-ports.
The system was stable only up to 800/100 with a 1.4TB.

This is what finally worked for me:
A new BIOS from http://www.centris.free-online.co.uk/
1) I took the user-modified (ACPI on/off option added) ZT version (ZT 103b1) and choosed ACPI off ? reinstalled WIN
2) disabled the gameport (Adress 201)
3) but the serial-port still didn?t work with my racing wheel ? solution: COM1: data-transfer rate reduced and protocol -> OFF

Now everything?s stable @1.53/133 with most aggressive memory and chipset settings.

AbitKT7A-R,
TB1.4/133
2x256MB, CL2 (noname&infineon)
TNT2-ultra (still original drivers/ haven?t tried Detonator2/3 yet)
Tekram DC 395 SCSI
Plextor SCSI CDRom
ZIP 250 SCSI
2x IDE HDs
CDR/W IDE (Philips CDD 3610)
HPScanjet3300c (USB)
LogitechWingmanExtremeDigital3D USB (with the adapter)
Guillemot RaceLeaderForceFeedback (serial/COM1)
USRoboticsProfMessageModem (COM2)
TerratecEWS64XL (ISA; all enabled, gameport disabled in WIN; IRQs 5&9 and DMAs 0&1 reserved in Bios for ISA)



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