I have an audio application that requires a Sound Blaster compatible
sound card. The application _must_ run in DOS mode (Win95/98's DOS
Mode is acceptable but a DOS Window is not acceptable).

I'm got Windows 95 4.00.1111 loaded onto my Dell Optiplex 333 Mhz
but I would upgrade to Win98 SE if necessary.

According to Creative Labs tech support, after installing their
win95/98 sound software, all of their PCI sound cards will work in
DOS Mode but you have to get there by exiting Win95/98 to DOS Mode.
Selecting COMMAND PROMPT ONLY from the Win95/98 boot menu is not
sufficient.

I purchased a SoundBlaster 16 PCI card (30 bucks) and, indeed, it
does work after exiting Windows to DOS mode.

However, if I use the Windows boot menu and boot to COMMAND PROMPT
ONLY (directly to DOS without first loading Windows), my application
runs as if the card is present but I hear no sounds.

I know my hardware (sound card, computer, speakers) are all working
fine because the usual Windows sounds work OK and the CD plays just
fine.

I suspect the problem is that Windows initializes the sound card so
that it can run in DOS mode. Without Windows running, the sound card
is not initialized properly.

I noticed that when I exit Windows to Dos Mode, the
C:\WINDOWS\DOSSTART.BAT gets run. That file contains:

c:\windows\cwbinit.exe /a
c:\progra~1\creative\audio\dosdrv\sbinit

After booting to COMMAND PROMPT ONLY, I can run DOSSTART.BAT and it
appears to load the drivers OK. But, sigh, my application doesn't
make a peep even though it detects the presence of the sound card.

Does anyone know how I can get the Soundblaster 16 PCI to work with my
application after booting directly to DOS (eg: COMMAND PROMPT ONLY)?

Hi Shel.

I think your Dosstart.bat has to contain the SET BLASTER numbers. Your numbers may be different than shown below. The first 3 numbers are the most important.

Look at your Autoexec.bat file and copy the info from there.

Use Notepad or another txt editor, not a word processing program to do this. Text editors do not add formating to the file and you do not want to save your .bat or .txt files with formatting.

Or better yet, Windows 95 comes with Sysedit. Go to Start - Run and type Sysedit.

Then open your Autoexec.bat file and copy the info you need. Open the Dosstart.bat file and paste the info and save it.

@echo off
SET SOUND=C:\PROGRA~1\CREATIVE\CTSND
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6
SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\
LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:123
LH C:\MOUSE\MOUSE.EXE
DOSKEY
CLS

Take care,

Linda

how to programme to Soundblaster 16 PCI for dos .To playback '.wav' files.