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Soundblaster 2.0 hanging IBM XT

mikeyp

mikeyp

Experienced Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2019
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84
Location
Leicestershire, UK
I need some help with resources configuration please. I have an IBM 5160 XT which is, at the moment, period correct.

I've tried to install a Soundblaster 2.0 card, however whenever I run utilities like test-sbc or diagnostics, it hangs the system. I realise this is likely some sort of conflict but am not really sure where to start. I tried changing it from IRQ 5 to 7 but had no joy. I've tried to work things out and so far I have the following (incomplete) table of resources.

Code: 
Card                      Function  Memory Locations  I/O Port Hex  IRQ  DMA
AST SixPackPlus Type 2/3  COM1	                      3F8-3FF       4
AST SixPackPlus Type 2/3  LPT1                        378-37A       7
AST SixPackPlus Type 2/3  GAME                        201           5
AST SixPackPlus Type 2/3  CLOCK                       2C0-2DF       6
AST SixPackPlus Type 2/3  RAM                         384
Quadram Quadcolor I       CGA       B8000H to BFFFFH
Everex EV-291 REV-B       MFM                         320h
IBM Floppy Adapter        Floppy
IBM Serial Adapter        COM2                        2F8-2FF       3
Soundblaster 2.0          Sound                       220           7     1

Please help me get this figured out.
 
Nice work on inventorying what you have and what it's set to. If everyone did that when posting a new question, questions would get answered a lot quicker. A few comments:

IRQ 2 is free and is *not* a cascade to IRQ 9 like it is on 286s and higher; set your SB Pro to that. (My SB Pro is set to IRQ 2 in my PC/XT and it works.)

The game port does not use IRQ 5 -- but your hard drive adapter likely does. Also, the CLOCK does not use IRQ 6, but your floppy controller definitely does.
 
Thank you. I always try to provide as much info as I can. Working with IT in schools, I get no end of "My computer's not working, please fix it." with no further info.

I've just tried IRQ 2 and I/O 240H separately but it still hangs.

I'm guessing that aside from avoiding slot 8, the slot used shouldn't matter? I'm guessing that IBM PC-DOS 3.30 should be ok also?

Interesting. So, despite having a jumper and being in the manual for the AST card, they don't use those IRQs?

My first computer was an XT but I was ~6 so apart from turning it on and poking around in XTREE, I never did much with it. At the time it was worthless so eventually my parents threw it out. My first PC I understood to any degree was a Pentium I with PCI. I never understood or had much luck with ISA. This is my chance to reconnect with that first machine from my past and learn about the retro tech I've ended up fearing for so long. Haha.
 
Ok, whilst waiting for the mods to approve my posts, I tried removing all other cards with the exception of the CGA card, SoundBlaster and floppy controller. Surely there can't be any conflicts now? Sure enough, booting from PC-DOS 3.30 disk 1, running test-sbc, it hung with every possible config combination. Ok, I'm sure it's a hardware issue with the card. The listing said fully tested and working. I pulled the card, sure enough, there's damaged solder mask. Examining suspect traces and continuity testing showed no issues on the back. I have however found a lifted and broken trace component side running from L1 under U16, C59 and through the via between C58 and U7. This being the case, I'm going to chase the seller for my money back.

Unfortunately I need to resolve this before I can attempt any repairs in case he wants it back. I'm sad because I was really looking forward to getting this working.

I've been burned with this one on that famous auction site. If anyone is feeling generous and willing to offer me a working one for a fair price, please let me know.
 
mikeyp said:
I've just tried IRQ 2 and I/O 240H separately but it still hangs.
Click to expand...

All SB cards should be set to 220H. Some software requires that. If you remove everything, set it to IRQ 2, DMA 1, port 220 and it STILL doesn't work, then yes, it's busted.

I'm guessing that aside from avoiding slot 8, the slot used shouldn't matter? I'm guessing that IBM PC-DOS 3.30 should be ok also?
Click to expand...

Always avoid slot 8 (minuszerodegrees.net has details why) if you can, and any DOS 2 or later is fine.

Interesting. So, despite having a jumper and being in the manual for the AST card, they don't use those IRQs?
Click to expand...

Correct. The game port is always 201h and is read by sending it any data and then reading it back in a loop, measuring the time it takes certain bits to flip. It doesn't use an IRQ at all. I'm not sure about the RTC but I am fairly sure it doesn't need an IRQ either. I'd be curious to see that manual; what card do you have?

I've been burned with this one on that famous auction site. If anyone is feeling generous and willing to offer me a working one for a fair price, please let me know.
Click to expand...

I have none I can spare, sorry -- the SB Pro is a good all-rounder, so I tend to hoard them. If you need an actual SB Pro, keep looking -- but if all you want is *any* card that should work, there are clones and Pro Audio Spectrum 16s still fairly available on ebay.
 
Trixter said:
All SB cards should be set to 220H. Some software requires that. If you remove everything, set it to IRQ 2, DMA 1, port 220 and it STILL doesn't work, then yes, it's busted.
Click to expand...
Doesn't work either way. I followed the broken trace and it's the +5V rail so would explain why it's not working, half the card has no power!

Trixter said:
Always avoid slot 8 (minuszerodegrees.net has details why) if you can, and any DOS 2 or later is fine.
Click to expand...
Yes, I have avoided it and I had seen that thank you. :) The ASYNC card came in slot 8, has the jumper set for it and seems ok. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Good to know about DOS, thank you.

Trixter said:
Correct. The game port is always 201h and is read by sending it any data and then reading it back in a loop, measuring the time it takes certain bits to flip. It doesn't use an IRQ at all. I'm not sure about the RTC but I am fairly sure it doesn't need an IRQ either. I'd be curious to see that manual; what card do you have?
Click to expand...
Type 2/3 from this list here: http://www.minuszerodegrees.net/manuals/ast6pack.txt
This is the closest manual I can find (Type 1): http://www.minuszerodegrees.net/manuals/AST_SixPakPlus_LONG_Users_Manual.pdf

Trixter said:
I have none I can spare, sorry -- the SB Pro is a good all-rounder, so I tend to hoard them. If you need an actual SB Pro, keep looking -- but if all you want is *any* card that should work, there are clones and Pro Audio Spectrum 16s still fairly available on ebay.
Click to expand...
No worries, thanks anyway. :)
 
Sorry to necropost but I did get it working. It was the soundblaster utility requiring 286 instructions and failing. Games coded for 8088 worked fine.
 
As an aside, I successfully built one of the Blasterboards mentioned on Vogons for my 5150. First time I had soldered such a large number of components in quite a number of years. It was a fun challenge and it worked! It uses physical jumpers for config, so might be an alternative for folks without access to an ISA 286.
 
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