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baslinux - [BL] Fixing the DRQ/IRQ error in BL with ISA soundblaster sb16

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  • From: sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>
  • To: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [BL] Fixing the DRQ/IRQ error in BL with ISA soundblaster sb16
  • Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 17:33:50 +0000 (UTC)

1. Run DOS 'diagnose' (or isapnptools, or Windows) to determine
io (default io=0x220)
irq (default irq=5)
low dma (default dma=1)
high dma (default dma16=5)

2. If there are no available IRQ or DMA settings for DOS diagnose, use Windows or isapnptools to change the settings to something that is free. On one of my computers the parport was broken and the card I put in to replace it was tying up both IRQ 5 and DMA 0 and 1 so I had to reset the card to IRQ 7 and DMA 3 and 5.

3. When insmodding sb, if you discovered that you can play wav but not mp3 files, you have a conflict with the HIGH dma setting. Christof's BL sound package, in its sample sb-on file, specifies ONLY the low dma setting.

What worked for me, on a card with standard settings (and no ISA parport card in teh computer), was

insmod sb io=0x220 irq=5 dma=1 dma16=5

On the computer with the paport card:
insmod sb io=0x220 irq=7 dma=3 dma16=5


The problem with high DMA occurred on my ASUS (both boards)Super Socket 7 K6 (300 and 300MHz) and on my PIII (Tyan?) board, both of which appear to use DMA 5 for something else. These three boards have USB, and Windows was using one IRQ for a USB to PCI something-or-other.


/proc/dma does not reveal what is using DMA 5 (unless you insmod the sb card, which then uses it).

The problem has something to do with writing data to /dev/dsp, which uses DMA 5, whereas playing wav files does not.


The ASUS boards work with the Mplayer second version for PI but not with the first version for PII. The faster board works with the PII version but not the PI version.

I changed the subject line so people outside this list can find the information.


Christof, please add dma16=5 to your package on the insmod sb line.
keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org
SDF Public Access UNIX System - http://sdf.lonestar.org




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