I need Sound Blaster Mediator help! Will give Ariadne II Ethernet card!!!!

Great. Now that I have your attention....

....I want to put the lid back on this bloody a4k... but I have to get the sound card working in the Mediator before I can....

...so if you know a bit about Mediators and would like a FREE Ariadne II card (supposedly the best zorro network card available for classic Amigas) then tell me what to do to get the bloody thing working!!!

Working sound card = free Ariadne II, cant say fairer than that. It is probably something as simple as a wrong lib, or incorrect settings.... so get your free card whilst its up for grabs!

Sound info for any prospective trouble shooters....

It is an A4000CR with ATX PSU and 16mb fast on board.
OS 3.9 running on 3.1 roms.
Cyberstorm Mk III 060 @ 66 mhz with 128mb ram
Mediator 4000Di Mk II (2010)
Voodoo 3 3000 (working perfectly)
Deneb USB

I have tried FOUR different supported sound cards in all Mediator slots. I have checked the mixer, replaced it with Ghost mix, etc etc.

Anywho, anyone with a suggestion, please feel free to collect your prize. :)

I knew it was too good to be true. . .

Seriously though, don't offer stuff for free, just ask for advice like any other normal person. You might even get more support that way.

I am not happy with thread title, but I'll leave it to the mods.

Did you check my contribution in other thread:

Change libs to other version
Change card position eg move to other slot
Check mach version and check it with elbox you have the right one.


Good luck.

@abraXXious

I can understand your frustration, but these things just are, you need to work slowly and methodically with your hardware/software.

It is inevitable that you will find unlikely incompatabilites along the way in both hardware and software. building PCI systems is a lot (and I mean a LOT) of layering, and some-times going back a few steps to start over.

This is part-and-parcel of learning the essentricities of the hardware and software alike.

Please dont make silly sensational post titles like before not only is it really bad-form, it is quite misleading too.

I have edited the thread title to refelct whats going on here. I do wish you the best of luck in getting your project sorted. If I could offer any advice I would suggest that you start a fresh install with just the SBlaster in your setup and get that working first, then layer the rest after it.

Have you done a fresh install of just OS3.9+BB1/2 and the necessary Mediator files + AHI?

Recommended PCI configuration in Mediator 4000, 4000Di, 3/4000T from bottom to top:

Mediator PCI 4000 Slot: Mediator Logic board (Bottom Slot)
PCI1: Nework Card
PCI2: Graphics Card
PCI3: Sound Card
PCI4: SATA Card (Top Slot)

What Im doing is the next best thing. I am a very busy fellow. Im sure I am not alone in that. Im also sure that someone might make more time for a problem when there is a goal for them also - ie a piece of hardware they are seeking.

Anywho, to those chasing an Ariadne II card for nix (I have a spare one I have no use for) please feel free to make INTELLIGENT (not pointless opinionated dribble) suggestions.

I also have various other pieces of hardware I would be happy to offer - GVP Geforce 030 card, Scan Doubler etc etc - feel free to ask.

@Jvdbossc - thanks for the help, unfortunately: tried the libs - no good, all four sound cards have been tried in all pci slots, card is the LATEST revision, so the Mach chips would HAVE to be the latest revision (card is stamped 2010).

Anyone else want to have a crack at it? :)

---------- Post added at 21:22 ---------- Previous post was at 21:18 ----------

@ Zetr0 - no probs mate, dont want to upset anyone. I actually was stupid enough to think that certain members would be HAPPY to get a free piece of hardware in exchange for a little of their time..... very immature of me! :)

@ DrBRain - Thanks for the help, unfortunately, but install is only a few months old and is so custom set up it would take me a month to put it all back if I started again. Sufficed to say, nothing I have installed should effect AHI or the Mediator.

@ Zetr0 - are you suggesting you completely remove the Mediator install and install from the MM CD again, but only with the sound card present. Then (god willing) if it works layer on the other hardware installing as I go?

....please dont tell me your are suggesting to reinstall OS 3.9!:)


[edit]
Sorry Abraxxy, I have had to edit your post a little, lets try and keep a "help me please" post friendly, Z =)

I have a SB128 (ES1373) laying around that I haven't taken the time to install yet. Got it when I bought my used Mediator 4000Di MKII so it should be working.

I guess I could give it a try and see if I have any more luck than you :)

@Abraxy

Theres no need to get stressed / vent at fellow members, they want to help, but your approach makes it hard for them.

In terms a thread title stating "<Hardware for free>" well perhaps you should consider the literal interpretation before you create a thread title. Since AmiBay has a recycle-bin for AmiBayers there are often a lot of posts with "FREE" or "Recycle", so please keep that in mind before you take it out on fellow members.

I will prune out some of the non-needed posts shortly.


Now, unfortunately you have stumbled upon the biggest cost in the Amiga World... and that is TIME. for the most part there are NO short cuts, in a lot of ways system configurations are unique both in hardware and software. While you maybe able to afford the hardware and software, the biggest cost in a build is time and you will need lots of it.

Now, reading what you have put I am very confused, to install ClassicWorkbench 3.9 takes less than 30 minutes - upto 2 hours if I want to include the WHDLoad packs.

I do this via PC - IDE and then put it on the target machine... from that I may setup the target boot drive and then dump the stuff across from the IDE device (using CLI).

There are many techniques that will reduce your restart time, the best is to, add a little bit and then save that install... then add abit more and then save again... eventually you will get a fully working machine.

Now, when you install stuff, libraries and devices will get over-written, as such your current OS3.9 shouldn't be the starting point now. I suggestyou back this up on a PC and then start again, (you can always put it back later if you get bored or figure out the fault)

Unfortunately you will have to take this install back to the earliest point of fresh install, this way others can help you better. once you have that - get the sound card up first, if you still have no joy, then - fresh install - try another sound card

you have to be imperical with your builds - as you build a bit... save it... then add more... the moment it breaks you will have a setup to fall back on.

Really good system builds will take months to build properly, and truely great ones are really never finished. you pimary problem at the moment is

1. Your lack of time
2. Your lack of patience

You are suposed to be enjoying this bit of the build! embrace it and learn from it.

Just popped the SB128 in my A4000 running OS3.9+BB2 and it worked almost straight away.

Didn't work when I used the CVPPC as gfx-card.. but when switching to the Radeon it worked. I guess it needs an active gfx-card in the Mediator to allow DMA (needs some of the gfx-card memory)

Could you do a "MedConfig" dump of all libs/variables so we could do a comparison?

Are the PCI-cards known working? Have you tried them in a PC?

How much memory do you have configured in the "VoodooMem" variable?

@abraXXious, is this the same card you offered for trade with Tyger or a different card?

cheers, JuvUK