Event sounds in Win 98 "stutter"

grater, you need to uninstall the WindowMediaPlayer 6.4 from the Control panel, Add/remove program.

Then restart the computer and reinstall it from the WindowUpdate site.

The reinstallation of sounds, sound recorder, soundcard files etc may import old version of programs or devices causing imcompatibility problem.

Try and let me know if it works or not.     pslh

There may be a hardware device conflict on your computer.
To verify that the device is present on the Device Manager tab and that there are no conflicts

Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
On the Device Manager tab, verify that the device is present and that there is not an exclamation point in a yellow circle next to it. If a device has an exclamation point in a yellow circle next to it, the device may be using the same settings as another device in your computer.

If you see an exclamation point in a yellow circle:

Double-click the device, and then click the Resources tab.
Look in the Conflicting device list for resource conflicts. If a resource conflict exists, eliminate the conflict by configuring one or more of the devices to use different resources.

This is from your help troubleshooting wizard that comes with 98.

Go to start>>help>>Contents Tab>>Troubleshooting Section>>
Windows 98 Troubleshooter>>Sound.

Run thru that.

Regards,
Bud
http://www.geocities.com/~budallen/
Bud's Win95 Win98 Tips and Troubleshooter

Btw grater, here's what you'll see when you choose 98 troubleshooter for sound.

Windows 98 Sound Troubleshooter

What problem are you having?
>The computer stops responding when a sound plays.  
>When a sound plays, the computer restarts.  
>The sound is distorted or scratchy.  
>I receive the error message: "MMSystem263. This is not a registered MCI device."  
>I receive the error message: "MMSYSTEM296. The file cannot be played on the specified MCI device."  
>I receive the error message: "MIDI output error detected."  
>I receive the error message: "No wave device that can play files in the current format is installed."  
>I don't hear drum sounds.  
>I don't hear sounds in my program.  
>The sound appears to play, but I do not hear anything.  
>The sound plays, but then it stops suddenly.  
>The sound skips or misses in some areas.  
>I receive the error message: "The CD Audio device is in use by another application."  
>I receive the error message: "WAV sound playback error detected."  
>I receive the error message: "Your audio hardware cannot play files like the current file."  

Just like Microsoft's site.

Regards,
Bud
http://www.geocities.com/~budallen/
Bud's Win95 Win98 Tips and Troubleshooter

I've tried all the suggestions above, and still no go. Sound recorder and Windows sound events still stutter.

Device manager reports no conflict with any devices.

Have you tried booting in SAFE MODE and looking for duplicates or errors in device manager?  If you find any duplicates or errors in safe mode, remove all occurrences.  I've seen this happen when sound cards have been changed and/or joy sticks and multiples of entries remain.  Not visible in normal mode, but in SAFE MODE, as is true for some com port conflicts we've had as well.

Also, if you've got WindowsUpdate updates you can also use the DirectX diagnostics.  They'll help identify various key elements around your sound card/drivers, video, direct draw, etc.  Quick way to get there is
Start - run - MSINFO32 - then under TOOLS.

Please tell us the type of sound card you're using.

Also: in Device Manager - Computer note what IRQs are used by the sound hardware and if any of these are shared by another device or an 'IRQ Holder for PCI Steering'.

ESS 1869 (sound card by ESS Tech, 16-bit Sound Blaster compatible) - IRQ 5 - not shared by any other devices

IRQ holder for PCI steering - IRQ 10, 11

still nothing so far...

when you play a system event sound with Sndrec32.....
you still get stutter???

Regards,
Bud
http://www.geocities.com/~budallen/
Bud's Win95 Win98 Tips and Troubleshooter

If you're using Win98's driver,try instead the manufacturer's; or, if unknown, the generic ESS driver at
www.esstech.com.

Was this an upgrade from an earlier version of Windows?

No, this is an OEM PC from Compaq. It came with 98 preloaded. I just got a possible solution from their forum, and I'll post something if it works or not.

More later,

Alex

when you play a system event sound with Sndrec32.....
you still get stutter???

Regards,
Bud
http://www.geocities.com/~budallen/ 
Bud's Win95 Win98 Tips and Troubleshooter

when you play a system event sound with Sndrec32.....
you still get stutter???

Regards,
Bud
http://www.geocities.com/~budallen/ 
Bud's Win95 Win98 Tips and Troubleshooter

Greetings; and happy day+2 after Thanksgivings day, assuming you celebrated and it made you happy.

Did you try Start - Run - msinfo32- tools DirectX diagnostics?  If not, recommend it to size/detail the performance of each key component and driver.

Before posting other thoughts (of which there are a slew), will await response.

Must hasten to add, that after upgrading Media Player, had some interface problems and had to upgrade to current media player TWICE on one system, despite all being there.  You've also run SFC between, just to check status of updates and what impact they may had had on the SFC process?  SFC, system file checker is a nice tool; but created back a bit and we've added many enhancements and fixes if we engage the WindowsUpdate process and stay updated with fixes.... curious.

when you play a system event sound with Sndrec32.....
you still get stutter???

Regards,
Bud
http://www.geocities.com/~budallen/ 
Bud's Win95 Win98 Tips and Troubleshooter

I can't accept this as an answer. I still haven't found a working solution, and am thinking of backing up my data and doing a Full Restore (which means reformatting HD and putting PC to its preinstalled state)...

I've run system file checker, and all files check OK. Still can't figure out what bugged my sound events. In the meantime, all of my sound events for all programs on my PC remain OFF.

I can't accept this as an answer. I still haven't found a working solution, and am thinking of backing up my data and doing a Full Restore (which means reformatting HD and putting PC to its preinstalled state)...

I've run system file checker, and all files check OK. Still can't figure out what bugged my sound events. In the meantime, all of my sound events for all programs on my PC remain OFF.

I can't accept this as an answer. I still haven't found a working solution, and am thinking of backing up my data and doing a Full Restore (which means reformatting HD and putting PC to its preinstalled state)...

I've run system file checker, and all files check OK. Still can't figure out what bugged my sound events. In the meantime, all of my sound events for all programs on my PC remain OFF.

And astaec thanks :) I did have a Happy Thanksgiving. (Sorry about the repeated responses, everyone...IE5 refresh.)

grater, You may try this by installing a new printer of HP LaserJet e.g. 4P or above from your Win98cdrom. During installation of HP printer, it will import a wav table into win98 to enable the system sound.

Hope this can be in assistance.   pslh

when you play a system event sound with Sndrec32.....
                      you still get stutter???

                      Regards,
                      Bud
                      http://www.geocities.com/~budallen/ 
                      Bud's Win95 Win98 Tips and Troubleshooter

Sorry, pslh, that didn't work. A Compaq tech advised me to reinstall the MCI device under Multimedia for the Wave sounds. If this doesn't work, I'm quite prepared to reinstall my system from scratch.

Alex

And smeebud, could you please post something other than your "form letter"? I need possible solutions, not repeated statements!

Alex

Just answer the question grater.
It's not a form letter, just a question that has relevance.

when you play a system event sound with Sndrec32.....
you still get stutter???

Please answer!!!

Regards,
Bud
http://www.geocities.com/~budallen/ 
Bud's Win95 Win98 Tips and Troubleshooter

Okay, yes, it still stalls on me.

Alex

This is precisely why I've considered a Full Restore! (Meaning preinstalled state...) My PC, a Compaq 5150 late 98 model OEM PC, doesn't point to devices like you mention in the BIOS. I just recovered everything I need to reinstall later.

The really ridiculous thing about all this is that my setup was quite robust (minimal programs\small Startup list\updated drivers frequently)and up to date, until the bug hit my PC last Wednesday.

Perhaps some of you could help me out about the points...

Off to restore (hell)

See ya!

Alex

I'm only doing this because you came closest to what I needed.

Thanks for all the help, as always.

Alex

I finally found out what caused my problem in the first place...it was the parallel port accelerator in my Iomega Zip drive. I've disabled it to prevent this from happening again.

Alex

Great grater,

Ya never know huh??

Regards,
Bud
http://www.geocities.com/~budallen/
Bud's Win95 Win98 Tips and Troubleshooter

Have been unavailable, but in checking back am glad to note that your holiday was good and your resolution has evolved.  I've had two similar situations on different setup of a friend's; and the stuttering WAV sound was USUALLY from a large wav file that was being loaded from the internet during which time .... this scenario:

   Media Player starts and the sound begins OK (you can see the progress meter but note that it isn't yet fully downloaded.... thus by stopping the media player until the large WAV file fully loads, and then reinvoking the media player stops the stuttering)....

    The second issue you posted, the Iomega interface was a key issue for us as well, including the Zip100 Plus on a parallel port using the Iomega.vxd, which caused serious and intermittent problems (as noted in the Windows 98 Hardware.txt file, I believe), and required an updated Iomega.vxd file to resolved.  If this is also your issue, encourage you to update your Iomega.vxd file along with your Iomega Zip Tools to the most current from www.iomega.com should any other intermittent and unexplainable issues arise.  

At this juncture, GREAT TO KNOW all is well, and as some truly smart person once said..... "if it's not broken, don't fix it".  Since we had some Iomega Zip-related issues, thought best to add this.  My intention here, is to add what I could to your issue from our own experience.  I guess I'd put it in the "just in case" category.  The hardware.txt file I note, is part of the Win98 installation and resides on the CD and/or your HDD.  

Here's an excerpt ...In My Computer or Windows Explorer, right-click
the Zip drive, and then click Format. The IOMEGA Format
window displays an option for a full format of
the drive. If you select this option, the following
blue-screen, fatal-exception error may occur:
      
     A fatal exception 0E has occurred at 0028:C3C64C51
     in VXD IOMEGA (01) + 00000CB5. The current
     application will be terminated. Pressing any key
     closes the Explorer window.

To correct this problem, contact IOMEGA and obtain a
new Iomega.vxd file. Click Start, point to Find, and then
click Files or Folders. Find the old Iomega.vxd file and
replace it with the newer version.