virtualbox.org

Hey all,

I've looked for similar posts but nothing seems to match my issue. I just downloaded VirtualBox and got Windows 98SE installed (along with the scitech drivers) and it boots wonderfully, complete with the old windows login sound effect. However, when I try to install games (I've tried Diablo 1 and Dune 2000 so far) they load without sound of any kind, no SFX or music. I'm not quite sure why this is; I am using the default SoundBlaster setting in VB and like I said I hear sound when I log in to windows, but nothing in the games.

Could anyone offer me some help? As I said I am very new at this so maybe I'm just missing a setting somewhere?

Have you tried other sound options in the Audio settings for the guest?

Yeah I get windows sound with the SoundBlaster 16 controller, nothing with ICH AC97, and nothing with the Intel one. The only drivers that come up are Windows DirectSound (which I am using), and Null Audio Driver, which doesn't work.

The issue only seems to be with games I try to install...

You can use the AC97 interface, by installing the Realtek AC97 Windows 95 driver.

fablezim wrote:and Null Audio Driver, which doesn't work.

Null Audio Driver doesn't work? You mean you do get sounds even after this "no audio" mode is selected?

If you want sound on a Windows Host, configure "Windows DirectSound" as the host audio driver. If you don't want sounds, then configure "Null Audio".

For guest "Audio Controller", choose whatever simulation your guest has drivers for. Mine uses AC'97, but I created this so long ago that I don't recall if I needed to source third party AC'97 drivers. I think Win98 did not have native AC'97 support, though Win98SE may have.

I tried installing the Realtek AC97 driver (required directx 8 which i also installed), then changed my controller to the ICH AC97, but I had zero sound, neither windows sounds or game sounds

Null Audio Driver doesn't work? You mean you do get sounds even after this "no audio" mode is selected?

Sorry no, Null Audio Driver does not produce sound, which I suppose means it is working correctly. I just meant then when I tried it, I had no sound. Poorly phrased haha, sorry.

fablezim wrote:I tried installing the Realtek AC97 driver (required directx 8 which i also installed), then changed my controller to the ICH AC97, but I had zero sound, neither windows sounds or game sounds

A Windows 95 driver cannot require DirextX 8 - only DirectX 2!
As stated, only the Win95 version will work!
Also your game sound is properly MIDI sound, and only AC97 support this.

@Jorgensen, you are a genius! Unfortunately this did not work for me in Windows 98SE as it said "Only Win95 is supported", but on my Win95 machine this works flawlessly and I now have game sound

Thank you so much for your help!!

fablezim wrote:Unfortunately this did not work for me in Windows 98SE as it said "Only Win95 is supported"

If you read the instructions about it in the thread about installing Windows 95/98 you would see that it said don't run the .exe you download from the Realtek website. Instead, you need to unzip the .exe with WinZip or 7zip and then manually point Windows 98 Device Manager at the .inf file.

-Andy.

I know this thread hasn’t been posted on in a couple years, but I thought I’d post what worked for me just in case someone has this issue in 2020 (as I did).

I followed a video tutorial to se up my Windows 98 machine on VB. During that he walks through the process of installing AC97 Sound Driver the proper way as has been described above. So, when I went to run my old games and there was no sound at all, I was at a loss. I tried going back to a Sound Blaster set up just in case that was my issue. No resolve there.

Of all the things... the solution to my problem was so simple... in the “Devices” drop down menu from the VB screen that’s running Win98, there’s an “Audio” option. Within that, you can toggle on and off your audio output/input.

So it seems, the solution is to just toggle audio output off and then back on. Works every time for me.

It’s even worked to make a game start up correctly when it was only at first loading a black screen. I’m no computer genius, so I don’t know why this works. It just does.

HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE OUT THERE!

Thanks for the tip.

bre603 wrote: So it seems, the solution is to just toggle audio output off and then back on. Works every time for me.

Were you able to find a more permanent solution? I find toggling the audio on/off kind of tiring, especially in a game I play (Edmark Strategy Games) where I have to re-toggle audio every time it loads (which is quite often). Anyone know a workaround?

circlejerk69 wrote: Were you able to find a more permanent solution?

Unfortunately, no. I’m just playing simple games that don’t really have loading screens, so this has been fine for me. I’m sorry! Hopefully someone figures out something!