Sound Blaster 16 + Cirrus 5430

Sound Blaster 16 + Cirrus 5430 - Hang

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Last update: 13th February, 1996

Symptoms

After installing a Sound Blaster 16 and loading MMPM/2, you experience hardware "hangs" that require a reboot, even though the PC does run through a CTRL_ALT_DEL shutdown. CTRL_ESC does not timeout either.

Hardware

Sound Blaster 16 and the Cirrus 5430 video chip.

Problem

The AST 4/66 I was running uses a on-board Cirrus 5430 video ship, and the drivers that install from Warp connect have a bug involving DMA channel assignments. No combination of configuration changes on the Sound Blaster will help. I ran all of them.

Procedure

If you have these symptoms, next is to verify that this is the problem. To verify that the drivers are causing the hardware hangs, simply reset back to stock VGA drivers. The problem will disappear.

I downloaded the cirrus.zip device drivers (1399929k 09-03-95) that corrected the problem.

They are available from the OS/2 Shareware BBS (703-385-4325).

Notes

I was running OS/2 Warp Connect, however I don't believe its limited to OS/2 connect.

Terry Fry