Troubleshooting Sound & Midi Problems

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Multimedia: General MIDI Troubleshooting for Windows 95
Sound Blaster PROBLEMS
Troubleshooting Problems with Compressed Audio
Cannot Install Sound Blaster AWE32 Sound Card from Setup Disk
MicroSoft Multimedia TroubleShooter
New Microsoft Media Player
Multimedia Setup Troubleshooter Part 1
Multimedia Sound Troubleshooter
Correcting Problems with Playing .WAV Files
MMSYSTEM281 This File Could Not Be Played
Correcting Problems with Playing or Hearing an Audio CD
Wave Sound File Problems in Windows 95/98
Err Msg: MMSYSTEM266 The Device Could  Not Be Loaded

General MIDI Troubleshooting for Windows 95

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q138/3/14.asp
This article addresses general troubleshooting for MIDI problems in Windows 95. If MIDI sounds do not play or error messages occur with the MIDI configuration, use the information in this article to help solve your problems.
MORE INFORMATION
To begin testing your MIDI performance, use Media Player as a diagnostic tool.

Using Media Player
1. Click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to Multimedia, and then click Media Player.
2. On the Device menu, click MIDI Sequencer.
NOTE: If MIDI Sequencer is not listed, the driver might not be installed, or might be disabled. Refer to the section below to determine if the driver has been installed correctly.
3. Double-click the file Canyon.mid, located in the Windows\Media folder.
4. Click the Play button.
NOTE: The play button contains a triangle pointing to the right. If no sounds are heard, see below.
Troubleshooting Steps Work through the troubleshooting sections below to help correct your MIDI problems. After each troubleshooting section, attempt to play MIDI sounds. If the problem persists, move on to additional MIDI troubleshooting tips.
Making Sure Sound Card is Properly Installed
1. Determine if the sound card can generate sounds. Windows 95 comes with sample sound files. If no sound can be played, the sound card may not be installed correctly, or its drivers might not be properly configured.
a. Run Media Player. Click Device.
b. Click Sound.
c. Double-click any .wav file.
NOTE: By default, Windows 95 does not display file extensions. For information on how to view hidden file extensions, see Windows 95 online help.
d. Click the Play button.
NOTE: If vendor-supplied sound card drivers were furnished with the sound card, contact the sound card manufacturer for technical assistance.
2. Eliminate any sound card conflict with other hardware installed on the system. Make sure no conflicts exist with:
- Base I/O Address
- IRQ
- DMA Channel Settings
To make sure hardware conflicts don't exist, do the following:
a. With your right mouse button, click the My Computer icon, and then click Properties.
b. Click the Device Manager tab. Make sure View Devices By Type is selected.
c. Double-click Sound, Video And Game Controllers.
NOTE: If you do not see Sound, Video And Game Controllers listed, the Windows 3.x drivers may be loaded. Contact your sound card or driver manufacturer for assistance.
d. Click the sound card driver, and then click Properties.
e. Click the Resources tab, and make sure no conflicts are listed in the Conflicting Device List.
NOTE: Any listed conflicts must be resolved. Use Windows 95 Help to resolve hardware conflicts.
1) Run Windows 95 Help, and click the Index tab.
2) Type the word "conflicting" (without the quotation marks), and the Help selection "Conflicting Hardware, Troubleshooting" becomes the selected topic.
3) Click Display.
4) Follow the Help instructions.
Sound File Appears to Play; No Sounds Are Heard
When sounds appear to play but no sounds are heard, the problem is usually caused by one of the following:
* The speakers are not turned on or are incorrectly connected.
* The mixer control for MIDI is turned down.
* The MIDI Sequencer is not installed.
* The .idf file is corrupt or invalid.
Checking Speakers and Mixer Controls
1. Are any sounds heard when Windows starts? Do .wav files play when using Media Player?
From the Media Player Device menu, click Sound, and then attempt to play any file with a .wav extension.
NOTE: This test demonstrates properly installed speakers.
2. Check the Mixer settings.
For information on how to accomplish this task, see your sound card user's guide for information about MIDI playback in Windows. Most sound cards use individual controls for the different types of sounds the card can play.
To check the Windows volume control, do the following:
a. Double-click the Speaker icon, located on the taskbar.
b. Make sure the volume is not turned down or set to Mute.
Verifying Installation of the MIDI Sequencer Driver
1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Multimedia icon.
3. Click the Advanced tab. Double-click Media Control Devices. Make sure the following are present:
- MIDI Sequencer Device (Media Control)
4. If the entry is listed, click it, and then click Properties.
5. Make sure the Use This Media Control Device option is selected.
6. If the device driver is not installed, use the Windows Add New Hardware wizard to install the Microsoft MCI MIDI Sequencer component.
To add the device driver, do the following:
a. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
b. Double-click Add New Hardware.
c. Click Next, and then click No. Click Next.
d. On the Hardware Types: list, click Sound, Video And Games Controllers. Click Next.
e. On the Manufacturers List, click Microsoft MCI.
f. On the Models list, click MIDI Sequencer Device (Media Control), then click Next.
g. Click Finish, and restart your computer.
Checking the MIDI Configuration
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and click then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Multimedia icon. If the Multimedia icon is not present, no multimedia drivers are installed. Correct the missing Multimedia icon by installing the drivers. To install the device driver, use the Add/Remove Programs wizard in the Control Panel.
3. Click the MIDI tab, and then click Custom Configuration.
NOTE: Make a note of the name listed in the "Midi Scheme" area save the information.
4. Click Configure.
5. In the new MIDI Configuration dialog box, click Save As, and then type a name in the Scheme name field. Click OK.
NOTE: You can use any name you want, such as "mymidi" or "test."
6. Click a channel and then click Change. In the Instrument box, click the down arrow button, and select the FM or Synth driver, if listed. Avoid selections containing the word OUT. For example, do not use the following:
- MIDI Out
- FM Out
NOTE: The listed choices depend on the type of sound card installed. Examples of listed items are:
- Voyetra OPL3 FM Synth - Media Vision
- Super Sapi Voyetra FM - Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16
7. If no selections are available in the Change MIDI Instrument dialog box, see your sound card user's guide or contact the sound card manufacturer. The sound card manufacturer is responsible for installation and MIDI playback from within the Windows environment.
Installing a New .idf File
Windows 95 uses General MIDI support. Windows 95 provides a General.idf file to assign instruments to respective MIDI playback channels. If the .idf file is corrupt or invalid, a new General.idf file must be obtained from the Windows 95 disks, or compact disc. Sound cards using a different type of .idf file, require installation from the sound card setup disks.
To manually extract the General.idf file from the Windows 95 disks or compact disc, do the following:
1. Click the Start button, point to Shut Down, and then click Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode option. Click Yes.
2. Copy and Rename the General.idf file in the Windows\Config folder to General.old
1. To extract the file, use the command below for your Windows floppy disks or compact disc. These instructions assume:
- Your Windows folder is C:\Windows
- Your CD-ROM drive is drive D
- Your 1.44 MB floppy disk drive is A
Windows 95 Floppy Disk ----------------------
Type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and press ENTER:
extract /a a:\win95_09.cab general.idf c:\windows\config
Windows 95 Compact Disc -----------------------
Type the following at the MS-DOS command prompt and press ENTER:
extract /a d:\win95\win95_08.cab general.idf c:\windows\config
For more information on how to extract a file, see your Windows printed documentation or online help.
Manually Checking for MIDI Driver Files, File Placement and Modifications
1. The files listed should all reside in the C:\Windows\System folder (where drive C is your hard drive and Windows is your Windows folder). The installed MIDI driver filename can vary depending upon the sound card installed. For example, Media Vision sound cards use the drivers:
- Opl3fm.drv
- Mvproaud.drv
while Creative Labs Sound Blaster sound cards use the drivers:
- sb16fm.drv - sb16aux.drv - sb16snd.drv
The following files are in the Windows folder.
Entries in System.ini
[boot]
sound.drv=mmsound.drv
drivers=mmsystem.dll

[drivers]
midimapper=midimap.drv
MIDI=opl3.drv *

[mci]
Sequencer=mciseq.drv
WaveAudio=mciwave.drv

Entries in Win.ini

[mci extensions]
mid=sequencer

Entries in Control.ini
[drivers.desc]
mciseq.drv=[MCI] MIDI Sequencer
sb16fm.drv=Voyetra / Sound Blaster SuperSAPI FM Driver
sb16aux.drv=Creative Sound Blaster 16 Auxiliary Audio
sb16snd.drv=Creative Sound Blaster 16 Wave and MIDI

[Userinstallable.drivers]
MIDI=sb16fe=sb16snd.drv

[related.desc]
MIDI=


Sound Blaster PROBLEMS

1. Using your "Ctrl" "Alt" and "Del" keys, open you Close Programs dialogue box and close all running programs except for Systray and Explorer.
2. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, then click the Add/Remove Programs dialogue box and remove Creative Inspire (if present) and then AWE 64 Gold. Once this process is done and they are removed, then go on.
3. Using Windows Explorer, find the directory for the Sound Blaster files and empty it completely.
4. Open your config.sys and autoexec.bat files and REM out all references to the sound blaster card.
5. Restart your system. It make come up with an error of a file not found, but don't worry about it. Again, Using your "Ctrl" "Alt" and "Del" keys, open you Close Programs dialogue box and close all running programs except for Systray and Explorer. Then Reinstall the AWE 64 software. Don't restart the system when asked, just go to the next step.
6. Go to device manager and scroll down to the sound blaster devices and highlight them and remove all of the devices you noted applicable to the AWE 64 card. Close device manager, then.....
7. Restart your system. Windows should find the devices and load the correct devices.

IF NOT
Remove any sound card from under Device Manager and then Sound section, then proceed with the CD install of AWE64 which is always successful and without any problems. I will here assume you did that without success otherwise try that first before proceeding with the below solution: Before you attempt any of these steps,please have the original drivers of the sound card handy.
1. Right click on My Computer from your desktop
2. Select Properties
3. Select Device Manager Tab
4. Expand the Sound, video and games controllers section
5. Remove all entries from there
6. Close this window
7. Start > Settings > Control Panel
8. Double click on ADD/Remove software
9. Select Windows Setup
10. UNCHECK the Multimedia box
11. Select UNINSTALL
12. Again in Control Panel
13. Double click on Multimedia
14. Select the Advanced Tab
15. Expand all entries
16. Make sure you have no reference to any of the sound cards in there
17. Restart you windows
18. Start > Settings > Control Panel
19. Add New Hardware
20. Select Next
21. When prompted for auto detect say NO
22. From the list go down to Sound, video and game controllers
23. When prompted to select a device, make it go to your 3½ floppy or your CD (where you have the sound card drivers.
24. Select the proper sound card
25. Reinstall the Mutlimedia we removed on step 10 by CHECKING the box this time.
Restart your system,


Troubleshooting Problems with Compressed Audio

Article ID: Q133365
* Microsoft 500 Nations for Windows, version 1.0
* Microsoft Ancient Lands for Windows, version 1.0
* Microsoft Bookshelf for Windows, 1995 edition
* Microsoft Bookshelf '95 for Windows 95
* Microsoft Bookshelf '96-'97 for Windows
* Microsoft Cinemania for Windows, 1995, 1996 and 1997 editions
* Microsoft Complete Baseball for Windows, 1994 edition
* Microsoft Complete Baseball Guide for Windows, 1995 edition
* Microsoft Complete Gardening for Windows, version 1.0
* Microsoft Complete NBA Basketball for Windows, 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 editions
* Microsoft Dangerous Creatures for Windows, version 1.0
* Microsoft Dinosaurs for Windows, version 1.0
* Microsoft Dogs for Windows, version 1.0
* Microsoft Encarta for Windows, 1995 edition
* Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia for Windows 1997 Standard edition
* Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia for Windows 1997 Deluxe edition
* Microsoft Encarta World Atlas for Windows, 1997 edition
* Microsoft Greetings Workshop, version 2.0
* Microsoft Julia Child: Home Cooking with Master Chefs for Windows, version 1.0
* Microsoft Musical Instruments for Windows, version 1.0
* Microsoft Music Central for Windows, 1996 and 1997 editions
* Microsoft Oceans for Windows, version 1.0
* Microsoft Reader's Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide for Windows, version 1.0
* Microsoft SoundBits, Hanna-Barbera, version 1.0
* Microsoft SoundBits, MGM Movies, version 1.0
* Microsoft SoundBits, Musical Instruments, version 1.0
* Microsoft Wine Guide for Windows, version 1.0, 1.0a, 2.0
* Microsoft World of Flight for Windows, version 1.

SYMPTOMS
When attempting to play sounds in Windows 95, you may receive one of the following error messages:
Your audio hardware cannot play files like the current file.
Mmsystem326 No wave device that can play files in the current format is installed.
Mmsystem296 The file cannot be played on the specified MCI device.
The file may be corrupt, or not in the correct format.
The last message is related to Audio Video Interleave (AVI) files that contain sound.
NOTE: Audio Video Interleave (AVI) is the technology that allows video clips to be played on Windows operating systems.

RESOLUTION
Sounds (.wav files) in Windows 95 are played through the Microsoft Audio Compression Manager (MSACM), which is also known as Wavemapper. The error messages noted above may be caused by missing or mismatched components of MSACM.
Add the optional Audio Compression components of Microsoft Windows 95 using Control Panel.
If adding or reinstalling Audio Compression does not solve the problem, there are more advanced troubleshooting steps listed at the end of this article.

MORE INFORMATION
Installing/Reinstalling Windows 95 Audio Compression If the Audio Compression option is not installed properly, you will get error messages when compressed sound (.wav) files are played. Uncompressed sound files (such as Ding.wav or Chimes.wav) are unaffected by missing Audio Compression (MSACM codecs).
You need to remove, then reinstall, the Windows 95 Audio Compression, using the following steps:
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
3. Click the Windows Setup tab.
4. In the Components list box, scroll to and click Multimedia.
5. Click Details.
6. If the Audio Compression option is checked, it may not be installed properly, and needs to be removed. Follow these steps:
a. Clear the check box for this option, and then click OK.
b. Click OK again to complete the removal.
c. Repeat steps 2-5 to return to the Audio Compression option in Add/Remove Programs.
7. Make sure the Audio Compression box is checked.
8. Double click on the Multimedia component. Click OK, then click OK again. Follow the on-screen directions.
Compressed sound should now play without errors. If this does not solve the problem, follow the steps below for advanced troubleshooting.

Advanced Troubleshooting
16-bit or 32-bit MSACM may be used with Windows 95 if the full matching set of drivers, Dynamic Link Libraries (.dll) and codecs are present. Microsoft recommends using the 32-bit version unless a proprietary, or third-party codec requires 16-bit MSACM. 32-bit MSACM comes with Microsoft Windows 95. 16-bit MSACM comes with programs that use 16-bit MSACM.
1. Determine the version of MSACM using the steps below.
2. Verify that the MSACM driver files in your Windows\System folder are a matched set. Recopy as necessary.
3. If you are using 16-bit MSACM, verify that the 16-bit codecs are a matched set. Rename or delete mismatched 16-bits codecs and reinstall the program that uses them.

Verifying the MSACM Version in Windows Explorer
1. Use Windows 95 Find tool to find the MSACM files listed below.
2. With your right mouse button, click the file. Then, click Properties.
3. Click the Version tab.
4. In the Item Name list box, click Product Version.
Repeat these steps for each MSACM file listed in the tables below. Confirm that the version numbers match.
Windows 95 MSACM Driver Files
Msacm.drv    (32-bit versions 4.x)
Msacm.dll    (32-bit versions 4.x)
Msacm32.dll
16-Bit MSACM Components

Drivers:
Msacm.drv (16-bit versions 1.0 or 2.x) Msacm.dll (16-bit version; not used with MSACM 1.0) Msacm.ini (automatically created if missing)

Codecs:
Msadpcm.acm (Version 1.0 or 2.x; must match drivers) Imaadpcm.acm (many programs do not use this) Msgsm610.acm (only newer programs use this)

Reinstalling 32-bit MSACM Drivers
If the MSACM drivers are missing, then playing any type of sound (.wav) file through Media Player or Sound Recorder causes an error. If Msacm32.dll is missing you receive the following message:
Error Starting Program! A required .DLL file, Msacm32.dll, was not found
The Msacm.dll and Msacm.drv files are an integral part of Windows 95 and cannot be removed using the Add/Remove Programs - Windows Setup -Multimedia - Audio Compression function in the control panel.
To replace these files do the following:
Exit Windows and reboot. Press the F8 key when 'Starting Windows 95' comes up. Choose 'Command Prompt'. Go into the Windows\System directory and delete or rename the files. Insert the Windows 95 compact disc or disk with the Win95_08.cab file on it. Type these commands to extract the files:
extract win95_08.cab msacm.drv /l c:\windows\system
extract win95_08.cab msacm.dll  /l c:\windows\system
Then type 'win' to enter Windows 95.

Another way to restore these files is to run Windows 95 Setup from the original disks. When you are prompted, choose to Restore Windows Files That Are Changed Or Corrupted. Under some conditions, these files may be found in the
\Windows\Sysbckup folder. If the missing files are in the \Windows\sysbckup folder, do the following:

1. Click Start, then click Shut Down.
2. Choose to Restart The Computer in MS-DOS Mode. Then, click OK.
3. At the MS-DOS command prompt, type the following command and press ENTER
copy c:\windows\sysbckup\msacm*.*  c:\windows\system
where c is the letter of your hard drive. Type "Y" (without the quotation marks) if you are prompted to overwrite a file.
4. At the MS-DOS command Prompt, type the following and press ENTER to return to Windows:
win
After you restart Windows, sounds should play properly.

Reinstalling Missing MSACM 16-bit Codecs
If you are using 16-bit MSACM and your computer is missing 16-bit codecs, playing compressed audio causes an error message. Uncompressed sound files (such as Ding.wav or Chimes.wav) are not be affected by missing codecs.
Reinstall the program that generated the compressed sound files. If the program's Setup provides a Remove All option, remove the program, and then reinstall it. Alternatively, you can follow the steps above to re-install 32-bit MSACM.

New Microsoft Media Player

A new Media Player for the grabs at Microsoft! Solves Many MMSYSTEMxxx Errors
With the new Microsoft Media Player, you can play most multimedia content formats including NetShow ASF, Real Audio, Real Video, QuickTime, AVI, WAV, and much more, from one, easy-to-use application. You can watch your favorite videos in full-screen mode or resize the video window as you desire. The new Microsoft Media Player includes many other new features, such as the ability to seamlessly switch and play any of the supported media types without pausing between the files, to make it a must-have addition to every desktop.
File name is "nsfull.exe"; Download at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/contents/products/mediaplayer/default.asp
OR
http://ftpsearch.ntnu.no/


Multimedia Setup Troubleshooter Part 1

http://support.microsoft.com/support/tshoot/tshooterlist.asp

Which problem are you having?

 The Setup program does not start.
 When Setup starts, my screen goes blank.
 I receive an error message asking for a 256 color video driver.
 I receive the error message: Cannot copy files.
 I receive the error message: Cannot find Setup.exe or one of its components.
 I receive the error message: Setup was not completed successfully.
 I receive the error message: Could not start another application during Setup.

 When I install Bookshelf, I receive the error message: Could not open the file.
 Please check that the disk is not full, and that you have access to the directory.

When I install Bookshelf, I receive the error message: Setup caused an invalid  page fault in module Kernel32.dll.

When I install Encarta, I receive the error message: Error registering the OCX  C:\Windows\System\Macromed\Director\Ie32dsw.ocx.
When I start Encarta, I receive the error message: IntelliType for the Microsoft  Natural Keyboard is installed on your machine. I receive an "Insufficient Memory" error message when I start Encarta in Windows 3.1. I receive an "Unknown Error" when I start Cinemania or Music Central.


Multimedia Sound Troubleshooter

http://support.microsoft.com/support/reference/tshooter/multimediasound/default.asp

Multimedia Sound Troubleshooter

Which problem are you having?

I do not hear sounds in my program.
The sound appears to play, but I do not hear anything.
I do not hear drum sounds.
The sound is distorted or scratchy.
The sound plays but then it cuts off suddenly.
The sound skips or misses in some areas.
When a sound is played the computer restarts.
The computer locks up (hangs) when a sound is played.
I receive the error message: MMSystem263. This is not a registered MCI device.
I receive the error message: MIDI output error detected.
I receive the error message: WAV sound playback error detected.
I receive the error message: The CD Audio device is in use by another application...
I receive the error message: CD Audio MCI driver not installed...
I receive the error message: No wave device that can play files in the current format is installed...
I receive the error message: Your audio hardware cannot play files like the current file.
I receive the error message: MMSYSTEM296. The file cannot be played on the specified MCI
device...
I receive the error message: Unexpected error [MCI602]. Cannot play sounds...


Correcting Problems with Playing .WAV Files

When a multimedia application is unable to play waveform-audio (.WAV) files, it is usually due to one or more of the following problems:

·The sound card is not installed properly.
·You are using Sound Recorder, and a waveform-audio driver is not installed.
·You are using Media Player, and a waveform-audio MCI driver is not enabled.

The sound card is not installed properly.

Most sound cards come with MS-DOS-based programs for playing sounds or testing card configurations. Run these test programs; if the sound card does not work with these programs, then it will not work with Windows 95 sound support.
Make sure the sound card settings do not conflict with other hardware. Use the Add New Hardware icon in Control Panel to detect your hardware, which will determine if you have any hardware for which the appropriate driver is not yet installed. Verify port and IRQ settings.

Note  If the sound card can play MIDI files, the card is properly installed.

A waveform-audio driver is not installed.

If you are running Sound Recorder and there is no waveform-audio driver installed, you will receive an error message. In this case, make sure that the waveform-audio driver is listed in the Multimedia Devices list; you can see this list by clicking the Advanced tab in the Multimedia option in Control Panel. If the sound card is compatible with Sound Blaster™, try using the Sound Blaster driver provided with Windows 95. If you cannot find the correct driver for the sound card in the list, try using the Windows 3.1 driver for that card.

A waveform-audio MCI driver is not enabled.

If you are running Media Player and cannot play .WAV files, perform the following procedure to correct the problem.

To enable the waveform-audio MCI driver

1.In the Multimedia option in Control Panel, click the Advanced tab.
2.In the Multimedia Devices list, click the plus (+) sign next to Media Control Devices.

If Wave Audio Device (Media Control) does not appear in the list, the driver is not installed.

3.Click Wave Audio Device (Media Control), and then click the Properties button.
4.In the properties dialog box, click Use This Media Control Device. 

MM Sound Problems?
1. Go to Control Panel
2. Add/Remove
3. Windows Setup
4. Find Multimedia and remove all. Then, reboot and go back and Click Multimedia having you Win95 CD in and Add all.
   This will remove any corrupt files and replace them with fresh uncorrupted copy and re-register them.
Windows 95 Multimedia Questions and Answers
Article ID: Q132992
This article contains questions and answers about multimedia in Windows 95.

MORE INFORMATION

1. Q. My sound card is supported by Windows 95, but Setup did not detect it. How do I install it?
A. Use the Add New Hardware tool in Control Panel. If the sound card is not detected, make sure its real-mode drivers are loading in the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files before you run the Add New Hardware Wizard again.

If Windows 95 still does not detect the sound card, there may be a conflict between the sound card and another device. Use the right mouse button to click My Computer, click Properties on the menu that appears, then click the Device Manager tab. Examine the properties for each device to see if Windows 95 reports a device conflict. Once any device conflict is resolved, run the Add New Hardware Wizard again.

2. Q. Windows 95 does not have a driver for my sound card. How do I use it in Windows 95?
A. To use your sound card in Windows 95, install its Windows 3.1 drivers. You may also want to contact your sound card manufacturer about Windows 95 driver availability.

If the sound card driver files include an Oemsetup.inf file, use the following steps to install the driver:
1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Add New Hardware icon, then click Next.
3. When you are prompted "Do you want Windows to search for your new hardware?" click No, then click Next.
4. In the Hardware Types box, click Sound, Video And Game Controllers, then click Next.
5. Click the Have Disk button to install the sound card driver. If the sound card driver files do not include an Oemsetup.inf file, use the sound card's Setup program to install it. If there is no Setup program, contact the manufacturer for assistance.

3. Q. The sound from my Creative Labs SoundBlaster sound card is scratchy. How do I fix it?
A. This problem can occur when the SoundBlaster's DMA setting does not match its DMA setting in Windows 95. To correct this, follow these steps:
1. Use the right mouse button to click My Computer, then click Properties on the menu that appears.
2. On the Device Manager tab, click Sound, Video And Game Controllers, then click Remove. When you are prompted to restart your computer, click Yes.
3. Click the Start button, point to Settings, then click Control Panel.
4. Double-click the Add New Hardware icon, click Next, then click Next again.
5. Restart your computer when the Add New Hardware Wizard finishes.
4. Q. When I play .avi files they don't seem to play smoothly.
How can I correct this?
A. Try the following tips to smooth out .avi file playback:
- Do not run the file over a network.
- If you are playing the file from a CD-ROM, and the CD-ROM drive uses protected-mode drivers, use the following steps to increase the size of the CD-ROM cache:
1. Use the right mouse button to click My Computer, then click Properties on the menu that appears.
2. On the Performance tab, click File System, then click the CD-ROM tab.
- If the CD-ROM drive uses real-mode drivers, load SMARTDrive in the Autoexec.bat file.
- For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q127139
TITLE     : Troubleshooting Video Problems in Windows 95/98
5. Q. Why does Windows 95 not detect my SCSI CD-ROM drive?
A. Windows 95 detects only proprietary CD-ROM drives (such as Panasonic, Mitsumi, and Sony CD-ROM drives). Although Windows 95 does not detect CD-ROM drives on SCSI controllers, it does detect supported SCSI controllers. Your SCSI CD-ROM drive is accessible because the enumerator for the SCSI controller also enumerates the CD-ROM drive.
6. Q. Does Media Player support MPEG?
A. No. Windows 95 does not include an MPEG driver for Media Player.
However, there are third-party products you can use to view MPEG files in Windows 95.
7. Q. Some of the sounds played by my sound card sound fine, and others sound scratchy. How can I correct this?
A. Try the following tips to improve the sound playback:
- Make sure you are using the proper DMA settings. Some sound cards use a High and a Low DMA setting.
- Make sure the format of the wave file is supported by your sound card. For example, you cannot play a 16-bit wave file on an 8-bit sound card.
8. Q. My program that uses QuickTime does not work properly. What
can I do to fix this?
A. Make sure there is only one version of QuickTime on your computer.
If you continue to have problems, add the line "optimize=driver" to the [Video] section of the Qtw.ini file in the Windows folder and then restart your computer.
SEE: MCI in the Reskit

MMSYSTEM281 This File Could Not Be Played

June 29, 1998 Article ID: Q141349

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 95

When you try to play a MIDI (.mid) file, .avi file, or .wav file, you may receive the following error message:

MMSYSTEM281 This file could not be played. Check the filename or install a driver that supports this type of file.

This behavior can occur for either of the following reasons:

The proper entry is not present in the [mci extensions] section of the Win.ini file for the type of file you are trying to play. There is an incorrect Media Control Device association for the file type you are trying to play.
 

The Fix
Proper Entry Not Present in the Win.ini File

Make sure that the [mci extensions] section exists in the Win.ini file, and that the proper entries are present. For example, .avi files are played using the AVIVideo MCI device.

The following is a sample [mci extensions] section:

[mci extensions]
mid=Sequencer
rmi=Sequencer
wav=waveaudio
avi=AVIVideo

Incorrect Media Control Device Association

To correct this error, remove and then reinstall any devices that are not working correctly. To do so, follow these steps:

1.In Control Panel, double-click Multimedia.

2.On the Advanced tab, double-click the Media Control Devices branch to expand it.

3.Click the device that is not working properly, click Properties, and then click Remove.

4.When you are prompted to verify that you want to remove the device, click Yes. Click OK when you are notified that the device has been removed and when you are notified that the changes will take effect when you restart Windows 95.

5.Repeat steps 3-4 to remove any other devices that are not working correctly. When you are done removing devices, click OK to close the Multimedia Properties dialog box.

6.In Control Panel, double-click Add New Hardware.

7.Click Next, click No, and then click Next.

8.In the Hardware Types box, click Sound, Video, And Game Controllers, and then click Next.

9.In the Manufacturers box, click Microsoft MCI.

10.In the Models box, click one of the drivers you removed in step 3, and then click Next.

11.Click Finish.

12.If you need to install another device, click No when you are prompted to restart your computer, and then repeat steps 6-11.

13.When you are done installing devices, click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.

MORE INFORMATION

This behavior usually occurs with files associated with Media Player. Because several file types are associated with Media Player, the [mci extensions] section of the Win.ini file is used to determine which MCI device Media Player should be used.


Correcting Problems with Playing or Hearing an Audio CD

When a user is unable to hear an audio CD being played, it is commonly due to one or more of the following problems:

The CD-ROM drive is not installed properly.
An MCI CD audio driver is not installed.
The CD-ROM drive and the sound card are not connected.

The CD-ROM drive is not properly installed.

Place a data CD in the CD-ROM drive and make sure you can view the files in Windows Explorer or list the files at the command prompt. If you can, then the CD-ROM drive is properly installed. If not, verify your disk drivers (ESDI, SCSI, Proprietary, MSCDEX) and make the appropriate configuration changes so that you can view the files on a data CD.

The CD audio MCI driver is not installed.

In Media Player, make sure that the option named CD Audio appears in the Device menu. If not, then the CD audio MCI driver is not installed or not enabled.

To verify the CD audio MCI driver is enabled

1. In the Multimedia option in Control Panel, click the Advanced tab.
2. In the Multimedia Devices list, click the plus (+) sign next to Media Control Devices.

If CD Audio Device (Media Control) does not appear in the list, the driver is not installed. See the following procedure for instructions.

3. Click CD Audio Device (Media Control), and then click the Properties button.
4. In the properties dialog box, click Use This Media Control Device.

To install the CD audio MCI driver

1. In the Add New Hardware option in Control Panel, click No when prompted to have Windows 95 search for your hardware, and then click the Next button.
2. In the Hardware Types list, click Sound, Video And Game Controllers, and then click the Next button.
3. Click Microsoft MCI in the Manufacturers list, and then click CD Audio Device (Media Control) in the Models list. Click the Next button.
4. To complete the installation, click the Finish button.

The CD-ROM is not connected to the sound card.

If the CD-ROM is playing and there is no sound coming from the sound card speakers, try plugging the speakers or headphones into the audio jack on the face of the CD-ROM drive. If you get sound, then check the internal or external audio connection between the CD-ROM drive and the sound card.


Wave Sound File Problems in Windows 95/98

This article lists troubleshooting steps to help you troubleshoot problems playing wave sound (.wav) files in Windows. The following possible problems are addressed in this article:

* Program-specific problems
* Playback device not configured properly
* Mixer settings not configured properly
* Hardware not configured properly
* Damaged wave sound files
* Compression-related problems

Program-Specific Problems

If you cannot play .wav files from a specific program that you use in Windows, check to see if the same problem occurs when you play the file from another program. For example, if you are attempting to play the file from a third-party program that is not included with Windows, try playing the file from Media Player or Sound Recorder. To start Media Player or Sound Recorder, click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to Multimedia, and then click Media Player or Sound Recorder.

If the problem occurs only with one particular program, the files associated with that program may be damaged, or the program may not be configured correctly. To resolve the problem, contact the software's manufacturer. If the problem occurs with multiple programs, the problem may be caused by one of the other issues addressed in this article.

Playback Device Not Configured Properly

If you cannot play .wav files in Windows, or if .wav files are not played at the proper volume, you may not have a playback device selected, or the playback device that you have selected may not be configured properly. To select and configure a playback device, follow these steps:

1. In Control Panel, double-click the Multimedia icon.

2. In the Playback box, click the playback device that you want to use in the Preferred Device list, and then move the Volume slider to the value you want.

NOTE: If you are using Microsoft Windows 3.1 drivers with your sound card, the sound card should still appear in the Preferred Device list. However, the card will not appear in Device Manager.

3. In the Recording box, click the playback device that you want to use in the Preferred Device list, and then move the Volume slider to the value you want.

4. Make sure that the speakers are properly connected to the sound card, and that the speakers are turned on.

Mixer Settings Not Configured Properly

If you cannot play .wav files in Windows, or if .wav files are not played at the proper volume, the mixer control settings may not be configured properly. You can use the mixer control program included with Windows to adjust the volume for playback, recording, and voice commands. If you are using Windows 3.1 drivers with your sound card, you must use the mixer control program included with the sound card to adjust the volume for playback, recording, and voice commands. If your sound card does not include a mixer control program, or for information about using the mixer control program included with your sound card, please contact the sound card's manufacturer.

To configure mixer control settings with the mixer control program included with Windows, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to Multimedia or Entertainment, and then click Volume Control.

NOTE: If you have more than one playback device installed in your computer, make sure that the proper device has been selected before modifying the mixer control settings. To do so, click Properties on the Options menu, and make sure that the proper device has been selected.

2. Make sure that the Mute All check box below the Volume Control slider and the Mute check box below the Wave slider are not selected, and that the Balance sliders for Volume Control and Wave are in the center of the scale.

3. Move the Volume Control and Wave sliders at least halfway to the top of the scale.

NOTE: If the Volume Control and Wave sliders do not appear, click Properties on the Options menu, and then click the Volume Control and Wave check boxes in the Show The Following Volume Controls box to select them.

You may need to adjust the current Volume Control or Wave slider settings to play .wav files at the volume level you want.

Hardware Not Configured Properly

If you cannot play .wav files in Windows, or if .wav files are not played properly, your sound card may not be compatible with the type of .wav file you are attempting to play, or there may be a resource conflict between your sound card and another device installed in your computer. To determine whether your sound card supports the wave sound file format you are attempting to play, contact the sound card's manufacturer.

For information about determining if there is a resource conflict between your sound card and another device installed in your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Troubleshooting Device Conflicts with Device Manager
ARTICLE-ID: Q133240

Damaged Wave Sound Files

If you cannot play .wav files in Windows, or if .wav files are not played properly, the .wav files that you are attempting to play may be damaged. To determine if a .wav file is damaged, right-click the .wav file in Windows Explorer, click Properties on the menu that appears, and then click the Details tab. The Audio Format line should contain information about the type of compression used to compress the file, the sound quality of the file, and whether or not the file is in stereo. If this information is missing, the .wav file may be damaged.

If the information on the Audio Format line is not missing, attempt to play other .wav files that are compressed using the same type of compression as the .wav file you are attempting to play. If you can play other .wav files, the .wav file that you originally tried to play may be damaged. If you cannot play other .wav files that are compressed using the same type of compression, try to play .wav files that are compressed using a different type of compression. If you can play these files, the problem may be related to the type of compression that was used to compress the .wav file you originally tried to play.

Compression-Related Problems

Windows includes 32-bit versions of several common codecs, including Adaptive Delta Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM), Interactive Multimedia Association (IMA) ADPCM, Groupe Special Mobile (GSM) 6.10, Consultative Committee for International Telephone and Telegraph (CCITT) G.711 A-Law and u-Law, and Truespeech from DSP. These 32-bit codecs are installed by default during Windows Setup, and are used by multimedia programs even if a 16-bit version of the same codec is available.

For information about troubleshooting audio codecs in Windows, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Troubleshooting Audio Codecs in Windows 95
ARTICLE-ID: Q141801


Err Msg: MMSYSTEM266 The Device Could  Not Be Loaded

Article ID: Q139806
Windows 95 /98

When you try to play an .avi (video clip) file, you may receive either of the following error messages:

MMSYSTEM266 The device could not be loaded. Verify the driver is installed correctly.
MMSYSTEM276 The device could not be loaded. Verify the driver is installed correctly.
RUNDLL32 caused an exception 03 in module MSVFW32.DLL at <address>.

When you try to view the properties of an .avi file by right-clicking the file and then clicking Properties, you may receive the following error message:

EXPLORER caused an exception 03 in module MSVFW32.DLL at <address>.

This error can occur if any of the following files are damaged or missing from the Windows\System folder:

Msvideo.dll
Mciavi.drv
Dciman.dll

Note that reinstalling the Multimedia component using the Add/Remove Programs tool in Control Panel does not replace these files.

To replace missing or damaged Windows files, you can run Windows Setup from within Windows. When you are prompted to choose between running a complete Setup or copying all files again, choose to copy all the files again.

Or, you can extract the files you want to replace from the original Windows disks or CD-ROM.

To replace only the Mciavi.drv file, follow these steps:

1.In Control Panel, double-click the Multimedia icon.

2.On the Advanced tab, double-click Media Control Devices.

3.Click the Motion Video Device media control, click Properties, and then click Remove.

4.Shut down Windows, turn off your computer, leave it off for at least three seconds, and then turn it back on.

5.In Control Panel, double-click the Add New Hardware icon.

6.Click Next, click No, click Next, click Other Devices, and then click Next.

7.In the Manufacturers box, click Microsoft MCI. In the Models box, click Motion Video Device (Media Control), and then click Next.

8.Click Finish. When you are prompted to restart your computer, do so.

The following files are called by Mplayer.exe when you play .avi files:

Windows\Win.ini
Windows\System.ini
Windows\System\Mciavi.drv
Windows\System\Msvideo.dll
Windows\System\Dciman.dll
Windows\System\Avifile.dll
Windows\System\Msvfw32.dll
Windows\System\Wow32.dll
Windows\System\Msvidc32.dll
Windows\System.dat
Windows\User.dat

The error message "DCIMAN32.DLL cannot start" may also be displayed if the Dciman.dll and Msvideo.dll files are missing or damaged in the Windows\System folder. Restore these files using either of the resolutions listed above

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