DOS game "unable to initialize your audio hardware" ??

[katuuuz]

I have a technical difficulty. When trying to run KQ5 in DOS the game boots, but says "unable to initialize your audio hardware." then the sierra splash screen shows and sparkles with no audio, and then DOS locks up. I had a similar difficulty with Police Quest 4, i solved the problem by configuring my msdos.sys file to GUI=0 Logo=0 so the pc boots to dos, and added command lines to my autoexec.bat enabling my soundcard driver, and dosmouse driver to install in dos without going to windows first. (thanks to kaze for the mouse). That fixed PQ4 and raised my hopes for KQ5, but to no avail. If anyone knows a way around this, please help me.

NOTE:

I don't have my kq5 cd, i have all files off the disc on my computer. and when Police Quest 4 wasn't working, it asked for the mouse IN game. after the mouse got fixed, it said audio error OUT OF game (DOS screen). KQ5 is delivering my audio error IN game.

also:

I've tried installing in DOS by typing "INSTALL" but after verifying my audio/video/controller options, my only choices are "view readme" "accept and save configuration" "make boot disk" and "exit to DOS". When I try to "make boot disk" i insert a blank floppy as prompted, and when DOS tries to open it's formatter, it says "insufficient space". I'm stuck!

[headkaze]

Didn't I already make a post about this?

Problem: "Unable to initialize audio hardware" or "Error number 29 ..\audio.cpp:1160:0:0", then the game quits.

Solution: This means your sound card is not compatible with the QG Sound Blaster drivers. Rerun INSTALL or SETUP and choose NO AUDIO for the AUDIO choice. You'll still get the music, but this may prevent conflicts playing digitized sound effects like doors creaking. If you still have problems after choosing NO AUDIO, rerun INSTALL or SETUP and choose IBM PC Internal Speaker for MUSIC.

That is from a Sierra FAQ. "Your sound card is not compatible with the QG Sound Blaster drivers".

You have a few options from here... Launch Windows instead and use DOSBox or ScummVM to run your Sierra/Lucas Arts games. There are also some VGA remakes of some of these old classics like Kings Quest that run in Windows. BTW There is a download in the Setup Wizard for ScummVM with an ini file that you can edit to make it work from GameEx.

Your other option is to find an old Sound Blaster card. This will depend on how old your PC is as to whether or not you have the right slot for the right card (ie VESA/ISA/PCI). There are drivers for some old Sound Blasters cards here. If you have some geek mates they might have an old Sound Blaster card lying around somewhere.

There are audio emulators for new sound cards to emulate the old Sound Blaster cards but they were for running DOS games in Windows (eg. VDMSound/SoundFX/Abandonloader). Though your better off running DOSBox or ScummVM if you decide to run from Windows.

Really to run old games in DOS you need an old PC with an old audio card or you should be running these using emulators in Windows.