I Just Got Command AOD From E-Bay-Help

Naujol · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 44

I tried to install it on two systems and I get an Oh No error telling me that it can not initialise Sound/FX.

One is a 1.3 GHz,Windows Me,Santa Cruz sound card,512 MB memory,Geforce 2 card.Replaced with a SB 16 sound card and got the same error.

The other is a 3.2,Windows XP, Geforce 5900 graphics,SB Aud2 sound card 1 Gb memory.Tried both the Winows 95 and 98 compatibility mode and combinations of the 256 colors and resolutions.No go.

From the other posts I found and tried to run using the VDM sound program on the XP system. VDM will not install on the Me system.

Is there any way around this sound/fx issue?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Egan · Joined: 21 Sep 2001 Posts: 2325 Location: Red Clydeside

Naujol · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 44

Weird isn't it.I'll give it a try on both systems and let you know if it works.

Thanks for the tip.

Egan · Joined: 21 Sep 2001 Posts: 2325 Location: Red Clydeside

Yeah, its strange.

I only got the sound to work by messing around, but it works for me every time now, which it never did before.

BTW, the prob with sound isn't really XP related (Well, it is but..) Its simply that most people with PCI soundcards and XP have problems where those with SC on their motherboards don't. One of the games little foibles, i guess!

Let me know if it works for you, theres a strong chance it might simply be that my sysytem is going tits up somehow. Very Happy

Naujol · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 44

I gave it a shot but I can not duplicate this solution on either of my computers.

I believe that there is some difference between the original release of CAOD on CD and what is being sold now.

I used to run CAOD on this same 1.3 machine without a hitch. My original disk was destroyed in an accident and the installation was erased during a format.I have read about the motherboard soundcard issue,but I did run it on this machine with the same PCI card that is in it now.I had no problems with sound except the engine sounds would cut out from time to time.

I thought all I would have to do is order a copy and get up and running again but this does not seem to be the case.

I have read all the posts where some players get it to run by various techniques but none of these seem to make the slightest difference for me.

I have no problem with buying an old computer and running Windows 95 but even then I'm not sure that will work without knowing exactly what causes this sound issue.

Egan · Joined: 21 Sep 2001 Posts: 2325 Location: Red Clydeside

What version of CAOD is it you have? Mine is the 'Sierra Originals' for PC-CD rom / Windows 95.

Naujol · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 44

That's what mine is suposed to be too.I am not sure since I can't get it to run as I did with the version I bought back in the early 90's when it first came out.

I also downloaded the abandonware version from HOTU and have the same sound'fx issues with it.

That's why I'm suspicious that what is being marketed today is somehow different from the original release and may explain why some can get it to run and others can not on seemingly identical setups.

Another strange thing is during the Sierra TEST the sound card is found and plays the sample files just fine and the sound requirements are reported as satisfied.Then the game can not start the sound program and refuses to run.

Egan · Joined: 21 Sep 2001 Posts: 2325 Location: Red Clydeside

Like I said, I had the same sound problem as well but messing around sorted it. It does seem to be a major problem but I don't know about it being a difference between what is marketed now and then. I'm not sure when they stopped production but i think most folks here either have their copies from way back in the day or, like both of us, have hunted down originals on eBay.

The Sierra sound test is misleading. I never had any problems running that either, only the game.

Maybe you changed your sound drivers?

It was COAD you used to have and not the original AOD?

Naujol · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 44

Yes ,it was CAOD. I still have my original AOD on CD and I've never been able to get that to run on anything at all since my 486DX66 went to charity.

I have been searching for an old 486 on the net but have not been able to find one.

I thought if I found one, I could set it up and play some of my old favorites. I am getting bummed out with all these new titles that have SOTA graphics but little entertainment value.

I did find ,and ordered, a Compaq Desktop Pro 100 MHZ machine or 20 dollars and 19 dollars shipping. When it gets here I will install Widows 95 and try and track down an old soundcard somewhere,or it could be, that this machine has an old ESS soundcard on the motherboard.Maybe I can do something with that.

I just thought that with the popularity of COAD and the technical talent on this board someone would have found a solution around this sound problem by now . It's the same story over at VOGONS.The few who find it runs on their particular system play it and those that can not do not care much to pursue a solution.

It is a real pity that no development team ever formed to see what could be done with AOD/CAOD as has happened with other games.

Egan · Joined: 21 Sep 2001 Posts: 2325 Location: Red Clydeside

Naujol · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 44

Oh my yes. I have the FCJCP for Red Baron and it is magnificent.What if only Kess had been a AOD fan rather than a Red Baron player!

Think too that the 3DFX problem that defied solution for so long was finally solved with the 2 glide wrappers that now are as good as the Voodoo cards ever were.I play RB3D on my 3.2 GHZ machine with GeForce 5900 card and the graphics with the dgVooDoo wrapper are flawless.

Naujol · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 44

Egan:

I was doing some checking on the older gaming system I am going to set up and I think I found the reason behind the sound issue.

CAOD looks for one of the older cards that operated under the ISA bus with an address assignment,IRQ, and DMA numbers.

The modern cards that operate under the PCI Bus are not recognized by COAD and so we get the OH NO error/Sound/Fx message.

Now others might take exception with the way I described the above because I am not a professional computer technology person.Anything I have learned has been self taught with lots of trial and error, but I believe this is basically the core of the problem.

It would explain why those with motherboard cards do not have a problem with sound.I believe it explains why you got your installation working with sound by doing that disable/enable trick.

It still leaves me with the mystery of why COAD ran before on my 1.3/Windows Me system but will not do so now.It must be that after I formatted I reinstalled some newer Intel drivers,BIOS update, or some other drivers that screwed up my ability to run CAOD on this box.

It isn't a mystery that I did play 2 CAOD campaigns on it.

Egan · Joined: 21 Sep 2001 Posts: 2325 Location: Red Clydeside

Yeah, I'll go along with that, it sounds like you could be right there. I seem to remember there was a discussion around here a while ago about XP signed drivers and the older windows equivalents making all the difference but its not an area I really understand that much. All it meant to me was: you have this card - no sound. A search would probably turn it up.

The thing i'm interested in though is this - wht does the Sierra sound test run okay when the in game sound is Borked?

Grr, who has the source code? they could make a killing.....

Naujol · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 44

Let me make another guess as to why the test program will play the wave and midi files. I suspect that these files are on the cd and play directly whereas the game sound files must go through the game's configuration/ini files. Could that be it?

That gives me an idea to try. I have always selected the maximum install. I think I will try the minimum installation,which should leave the sound files on the cd,and see if that makes a difference.

Another thing is the unsigned sound drivers you mentioned.I believe that when I played CAOD I was using the factory drivers which were pre XP and specifically for Me. I have the latest drivers installed now, which are for 98,Me,and XP. I still have the restore cd somewhere. I think I will dig it out and see if using the older Me only drivers will solve the Sound/Fx issue.

Today is turning out to be a day of many choices. I just got my full Version of Das Boot from Amazon in the mail. Then there is a B-24 and B-17 circling the town in a landing pattern. They will be open to the public for tours and flights in about an hour. I want to test these two possibilites for COAD.Something is going to have to wait it seems. Probably COAD for now. It would be nice though to get it going. After watching Das Boot I know I will be put in the mood to head out on a patrol!

ChristopherT · Joined: 31 May 2001 Posts: 340