Installation of Creative Labs audiopci card

[Paul Beaudoin]

Gents,

In my quest to have audio still work on my PSW500au system after upgrading to 8.2, I purchased the above card. It came with an extra cable and no instructions - I presume the cable needs to go somewhere. A long google didn't turn up anything. Can anyone let me know how to instal and cable this card into the above VMS system. Anything further I need to do in software, or will VMS do what it normally does best and pick it up on reboot?

Mnay thanks

Paul

[Ian Miller.]

does it show up in show config at the console?
I expect you will need to add an entry to
sys$devices.dat

[Paul Beaudoin]

I haven't done the hardware install yet - that is the primary question. From another source I found that the cable is for the CDROM and as I don't need this, assume I can ignore it. As for the sys$devices.dat, I have no idea of what (if anything) is necessary here. If so, any hint as to where to find instructions? Are you possibly referring to the sys$user_config.dat? I had to add an entry here to enable the embedded audio (this is what stopped working on upgrade) and assume I should comment this out. It sounds safe to at least try the new device and see what happens....?
Thanks for the help

Paul

[Volker Halle]

Paul,

the MMOV release notes are to be found here:

http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/products/mmov/mmov_release_notes.html

They talk about an entry in sys$user_config.dat

Volker.

[Paul Beaudoin]

Thanks for the hint. I installed the card last night and after a re-install of MMOV, VMS found the device but it is offline. MMOV starts up and runs OK until you ask it to do anything, then it crashes with error 10408014. I can't find a translation for this. Google turns up this error in relation to an older patch for DECDCE and COM but only applies up to 7.21h1 (probably not relevant here. That entry also has no translation. I found the reinstall added 2 entries to sys$user_config.dat - one for each card (embedded and new). I commented out the embedded entry and rebooted - no change. The MMOV IVP also fails. So the questions: How do I get the device online and is this what is causing the MMOV crash? Is there any way to have MMOV give any further information (the MMOV error log is empty)?
Many thanks for any hints
Paul

[Paul Beaudoin]

Further information: I tried booting VMS8.2 with ther new card and reinstalled MMOV, the correct device was added to sys$user_config.dat, I commented out all references to the embedded device and rebooted. (same sequence as in 7.3-2). The device was not detected at VMS level. The conclusion I am forced to at this stage is that there is something broken in the 8.2/MMOV combination in as much as it is unable to see the same devices that 7.2 sees. The version of MMOV is the same in both cases.
The SPD for 8.2 does state MMOV is supported.

This may be now a propoer support call which I'll see if I can arrange but in the meantime, any hints at what to do are most welcome.

Regards

Paul

[Volker Halle]

Paul,

it looks like you need MMOV V2.2-1 to support OpenVMS Alpha V8.2. This version is available from the OpenVMS Alpha Layered Products CDs since JUN-2005.

This is a link to the SPL (Software Product List) entry:

http://h30266.www3.hp.com/masterindex/final_spl_vmsaxp_q205/SPLVAQ205_4G8AA_2_2-1_SSB.shtml

Did you install that version MMOV V2.2-1 ?

Status code: 10408014 may indicate %SYSTEM-F-BADPARAM

Volker.

[Paul Beaudoin]

Volker,

Thanks for that - I did install MMOV 2.2-1 on both versions of VMS (I should have been clearer on this). Interestingly the PCSI kit has 2.2-1 embedded in the file name (so I assume this is the correct version) but PCSI SHOW PROD MMOV still says V2.2. I presume this is not a problem?
Thanks

Paul

[Steven Schweda]

Hmmm. I'm still at VMS V7.3-2 on my main
XP1000, and my "PRODUCT SHOW PRODUCT MMOV"
says:

DEC AXPVMS MMOV V2.2-1 Full LP Installed

Time to re-install?


(By the way, "PCSI SHOW PROD MMOV" says:
%DCL-W-IVVERB, unrecognized command verb - check validity and spelling
\PCSI\

I assume that you're just trying to sew
confusion here.)

[Paul Beaudoin]

Interesting - Have I been picking up the wrong version all along? Embarassing it is but a good solution. I'll double check this tonight.

Many thanks

Paul

[Volker Halle]

Paul,

you might also want to check the creation date or image identication information of the drivers in SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES:

[SYS$LDR]MMOV$ENSDRIVER.EXE
[SYS$LDR]MMOV$ESSDRIVER.EXE
[SYS$LDR]MMOV$MSBDRIVER.EXE
[SYS$LDR]MMOV$VIDRIVER.EXE

They should show dates in 2005 (the kit has been created in APR-2005 according to SPL). V8.2 has been built in NOV-2004, so the drivers should NOT preceed that date if they are supposed to work with V8.2.

Volker.

[Paul Beaudoin]

VOlker, Steven

It appears that is at least part of the problem. I have been picking up:
DEC-AXPVMS-MMOV-V0202--1.PCSI-DCX AXPEXE

From the HP site and interpreting the version as 2.2-1 from the title.... it apparently isn't. I can't find the later version - does anyone have a link. Also, I noticed you have installed the dev version rather that just the RT. Is this important?

Thanks
Paul

[Steven Schweda]

Note that my SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES:MMOV$*
files all have date "31-MAR-2005", and there
are explicit references to "V82", as, for
example:

ALP $ dire /date /size SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES:MMOV$ENS*

Directory SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]

MMOV$ENSDRIVER.EXE;1
67 31-MAR-2005 18:04:47.92
MMOV$ENSDRIVER_V732.EXE;1
67 31-MAR-2005 18:04:47.92
MMOV$ENSDRIVER_V82.EXE;1
71 31-MAR-2005 18:04:47.96

Total of 3 files, 205 blocks.

Where:

ALP $ diff SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES:MMOV$ENSDRIVER.EXE MMOV$ENSDRIVER_V732.EXE
Number of difference sections found: 0
Number of difference records found: 0

DIFFERENCES /IGNORE=()/MERGED=1-
SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]MMOV$ENSDRIVER.EXE;1-
SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]MMOV$ENSDRIVER_V732.EXE;1


The new ("-1") kit seems to be:

DEC-AXPVMS-MMOV-V0202-1-1.PCSI

I've lost track of where I got mine, but if
you get desperate, send me some e-mail
(sms@antinode-org, more or less).

[Volker Halle]

Paul,


Also, I noticed you have installed the dev version rather that just the RT


The PROD SHO HIST output from Steven shows:

DEC AXPVMS MMOV V2.2-1 Full LP Installed

This is a 'Full Layered Product', there is no separate development or runtime kit. The functionality is controlled by the license PAK (MMOV-RT for runtime license, MMOV-DV for development kit).

Volker.

[Steven Schweda]

As for development v. run-time, I usually
install the biggest thing I can find, just
in case I might need the extras some day.

In this case, my source thought that he had
two different kits, but they were actually
the same. The Hobbyist LP license kit
includes both PAks, of course.

[Paul Beaudoin]

Gents,

Bummer. I really expected that my error with the MMOV version was THE error. Not so - Removed the old one, installed the new one (and checked to be sure), adjusted sys$user_config.dat to take out the embeded card (documented problems if you have multiple cards) and rebooted - During config stage an error came up referring to this card as 'not supported on primary PCI bus' (!?). The console I am using is not wonderful and may have actualy said 'only supported ...' In either case this is a PSW500au and as fas as I can tell there is only one PCI bus... Isn't there? I then commented out the new card and reinstated the embedded card. After reboot - no au device. VMS still does not recognise the embedded device. Stuck again. I'll re-check all last night's work for accuracy but I am starting to head for the plan c solution - Run a mixed version cluster and use the other machine at 7.3-2 for audio only. Not great but should work.
Many thanks for all the help.

Regards

Paul

[Paul Beaudoin]

Gents,

Some real progress. Re-installing MMOV adds 2 new entries to sys$user_config.dat - one for the PCI card and one for 'Microsoft Sound Card'. I assumed the 2nd one was the embedded card - but that does not seem to be the case. Taking a hint from Steven's post of driver versions, I changed the original hand-crafted entry (following the earlier release notes)and changed the driver to xxxx_V82. The embedded card now works. The same fix does not work for the PCI card but I am now where I originaly wanted to be. In conclusion, there were 2.5 errors. 1-MMOV install does not detect the embeded audio device correctly and 2- it does not detect the VMS version and supply the right driver. The .5 in mine - I might have leaped earlier to the idea that the original entry needed modification as per original install 3-4 years ago.

BTW - I finally located a version of the manual for the AudioPCI card on the net. If anyone wants a copy, please mail me.

Many thanks for your help and patience

Regards

Paul

[Steven Schweda]

> I changed the original hand-crafted entry
> (following the earlier release notes)and
> changed the driver to xxxx_V82. [...]

Why? On your system, the "xxxx" file should
be a copy of the "xxxx_V82" file (as mine, on
a VMS V7.3-2 system, was a copy of the
"xxxx_V732" file).

(At first glance I was expecting "xxxx" to be
the result of SET FILE /ENTER, but a closer
look revealed it to be a copy. Well, they're
small.)

[Paul Beaudoin]

Steven,

Agreed - it should have and that was the complaint. It was from your earlier post that showed the specific 'V82' files that triggered the investigation. MMOV 2.2-1 install creates 2 new entries neither of which pointed to the V82 drivers. Worse - I was assuming the 'Microsoft Sound Card' referred to the embedded one (it may have but didn't work). Back when I first installed MMOV there were instructions to add an entry into sys$user_config.dat which I did and it worked happily therafter. The change here was then twofold: Ignore (actualy comment out)the automatic entry and change the original manual entry to the V82 version of the driver. This then made the embedded card work. (Yeah!). Unfortunately the same 'fix' did not help the PCI card - it still doesn't even show as a device. I plan to fool around with this over the weekend but as it stands, I can live with the result.

Thanks again for the pointer


Paul

[Paul Beaudoin]

Steven,

I should have read your reply a bit better. Now that I have, The 'fix' then should have been simply to ignore the new entry and continue on with the manual one, however, that is how it should have been after the initial install which didn't work. Best guess at this stage is that the new entry, being later in the file, replaced the manual entry and all I neeeded to do was comment it out. Sometimes ya just gotta do it the hard way...

Paul