3DsoundSurge FAQ Manager v1.0: How can I run two (or more) sound cards in my system?


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F.A.Q: General Audio FAQs

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1. How can I run two (or more) sound cards in my system? - Top

The most common combination people ask us about is a Live and a Vortex 2 board. Here are the steps we use.

Install one card first. Do not instal both at once! If its the Live/Vortex 2 combo then a good choice is to install the Live first as you will want the Vortex 2 to handle the A3D duties but you can do it in reverse and still accomplish the same thing by changing the A3D.dll file. Here are the step by step instructions. The key bit here is to avoid conflicts and also to make sure you have enough IRQs. I have a full system so some of these steps may be unnecessary for you. You can also take other steps to regain IRQs such as disable COM ports if you are not using them. The steps are:

1. Install the Live

2. Open the windows control panel - go to |system| - |Device Manage| - |Creative Misc. Devices| and disable SB16 emulation (to recover the IRQ for the Vortex 2) and Gameport (otherwise the Vortex 2 install will lockup).

3. Rename the a3d.ll to a3d.dll.live (or something else you will remember)

4. Shut down the system and physically install the Vortex 2

5. Start system and install Vortex 2 as per the norm.

To switch between cards go to |Contol Panel| - |Multimedia| -
|Preferred Device| and also select your default MIDI device. Other sofware will still let you pick what MIDI device you are using as well as the sound card but this sets the default. You can also set it to use only the preferred device.

Now you have to physically change speaker connections or get a switch box.

If you want to use the Live for A3D 1.x games then rename the Vortex 2's a3d.dll to a3d.dll.vortex and then rename the a3d.dll.live back to a3d.dll

Keep in mind that in some games (Unreal and UT for example) the presence of the A3DAPI.dll can affect the Live so if you are using the Live for those games you may have to rename that file at times.
- Updated: July 2, 2000

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Everything that we can't find a specific home for.

1. How can I run two (or more) sound cards in my system? - Top: The most common combination people ask us about is a Live and a Vortex 2 board. Here are the steps we use.

Install one card first. Do not instal both at once! If its the Live/Vortex 2 combo then a good choice is to install the Live first as you will want the Vortex 2 to handle the A3D duties but you can do it in reverse and still accomplish the same thing by changing the A3D.dll file. Here are the step by step instructions. The key bit here is to avoid conflicts and also to make sure you have enough IRQs. I have a full system so some of these steps may be unnecessary for you. You can also take other steps to regain IRQs such as disable COM ports if you are not using them. The steps are:

1. Install the Live

2. Open the windows control panel - go to |system| - |Device Manage| - |Creative Misc. Devices| and disable SB16 emulation (to recover the IRQ for the Vortex 2) and Gameport (otherwise the Vortex 2 install will lockup).

3. Rename the a3d.ll to a3d.dll.live (or something else you will remember)

4. Shut down the system and physically install the Vortex 2

5. Start system and install Vortex 2 as per the norm.

To switch between cards go to |Contol Panel| - |Multimedia| -
|Preferred Device| and also select your default MIDI device. Other sofware will still let you pick what MIDI device you are using as well as the sound card but this sets the default. You can also set it to use only the preferred device.

Now you have to physically change speaker connections or get a switch box.

If you want to use the Live for A3D 1.x games then rename the Vortex 2's a3d.dll to a3d.dll.vortex and then rename the a3d.dll.live back to a3d.dll

Keep in mind that in some games (Unreal and UT for example) the presence of the A3DAPI.dll can affect the Live so if you are using the Live for those games you may have to rename that file at times.
- Updated: July 2, 2000