WARNING: Long post because of strange problems! System description see end of post! I'm just setting up an old pentium out of spare parts. I want to use it to play mp3 and music cd's but encountered some strange problems! Sound: ------ As soon as Windows starts I get static interference on the soundcards. I tried a MediaVision Jazz16 with SCSI controller on it and a Mozart soundcard (OAK601 Chip) with IDE/Mitsumi/Panasonic/Sony controller on it (both ISA; both worked perfect on other computers before). I had the problems before after I upgraded to the pentium 9 years ago and bought an original SoundBlaster 16 PnP (ISA) which worked fine but that card is now build into into another computer where I need the IDE controller on it as third IDE controller to connect a removable harddisk rack and an additional CD-Rom. Does anyone has an idea how to get rid of the interference ??? Graphic: (maybe a windows bug but it happens under differnt versions!) -------- Graphiccard: Elsa Victory Erazor (Rage128; 4MB Ram; PCI) The card is not detected at setup so the computer starts with standard vga. When I install the correct driver I have to reboot and everything works fine. I can reboot as soon as I like and everything works until I shut off the computer! When I boot after a total shut off the computer freezes while booting windows. After a reset windows wants to boot in safe mode but there is no error shown. When I boot in normal mode instead of safe mode at second boot I get the message that the graphic settings are wrong and the computer offers the original graphic settings. If I click on OK and reboot the computer it freezes again but if I don't reboot the system starts and runs at 640x480 with 16 colors. But the very strange thing is when I reboot a third time from there the system starts with the installed driver and at the settings I set originally. From then on everything works correctly and I can reboot as often as I want until I shut of the system again!!!! BTW: The card has ever been in this computer and worked until I rebuild it! Any ideas ???? My system: ----------- Mainboard: Shuttle HOT539 Vers. 2,0; 512KB cache (256KB recycled out of an 486DX2) CPU: Pentium 133 RAM: 4x 16MB (should be EDO Ram; 2x 16MB recycled from an 486DX2 and 486SX) Harddrives: 408 MB Seagate ST3491A-XR 130 MB Seagate ST1144AT 515 MB Maxtor 7540 AV (Changable HD rack) 203 MB Western Digital WD AC1210F CD-Rom: Sony CDU33A (2x) with propietary controller card (34 pin) Graphic: Elsa Victory Erazor PCI (highest PCI port) ISA Cards: SMC EtherCard Plus Elite 16 (WD/8013EP) (highest ISA port) Sony Propietary CD-Rom Controller Card (second lowest ISA) Media Vision Jazz16 Sound Card (lowest ISA)

If that MB is old check and maybe replace the CMOS battery. it sounds like your settings are being lost after power down. with all that stuff i wouldn't be surprised if the power supply is getting overloaded. 4 ISA/PCI cards and 5 drives should have 300W plus and it would be marginal at that.

I tend to agree with RayMan. Dig around any old machines you have and see if you can improve your power supply. These old cases normally had a power supply in the 200w range and a different or more powerful psu may very will solve your problems. Skip

Thanks you two! The power supply has 230W but I solved the graphic card problem after the post. I deinstalled all cards and booted with only the graphic card in it. After that I reinstalled the other cards one at a time and now that works as it should. The only problem is now I can't reboot or shut down the system because it hangs up while doing it. But with that I can live if needed! If I have the time I do a full new installation with the graphic card only and then add the other card. That should help. Any ideas about the sound interferences ???? Can it be a board problem as I had the interferences with the Mozart soundcard from the first day ????

If your computer locks up at shutdown it will force a disk scan on the next boot. (lack of an orderly exit). This is not a good thing since i suspect that scandisk doesn't always fix problems correctly. How to fix w98 shutdown problems describe the static. is it regular and constant? it's volume in relative to the normal sounds (S/N ratio) Static can be caused by several things. -unshielded speakers -mouse wire too close to speaker signal line -cheap or fraying signal wires -monitor that creates excess interference -noisy fans and or drive motors.(EMF) -other non-computer related sources >vacuum cleaners >refrigerator compressors Have you tried the computer in another room?

Hi RayMan, I answer tomorrow because I'm doing the reinstallation and obviously tried the wrong order with the cards because it failed and I have to do it again!

Hi RayMan, the computer runs now and also shuts down as it should. It was a hardware problem between the ISA card. They are all old and IRQ and adresses are set by jumpers. It was a bit tricky to find a setting where all work and do also under Windows but now it works. But I couldn't get rid of the interference. I got it a bit down by setting all volume controllers (1 hardware on the soundcard and the others software in windows) a bit below maximum without loosing too much volume. That helps but didn't solve the problem. Now about your suggestions: Static can be caused by several things. -unshielded speakers -mouse wire too close to speaker signal line -cheap or fraying signal wires I use a headset at the moment. It's a cheaper one out of a box with a language lesson but it works fine with my other two computers. Mouse and haedset cables are at least 10cm fron another at all times! -monitor that creates excess interference As the computer is not at the final place the monitor is about 2m away from everything else. Should be far enough to avoid interference from the monitor and the cable is running inthe opposite direction that those of the headset. -noisy fans and or drive motors.(EMF) The interference is also there when no drive is running! It's there all the time as a static sound in the background but goes up a bit when I move the mouse or there is access to one of the herddrives. It makes no difference which of the four harddrives! -other non-computer related sources >vacuum cleaners >refrigerator compressors There nothing even near the room! Have you tried the computer in another room? Yes, and the computer was even in another house on the other end of our village because I gave it to my niece a few years ago and only got it back a couple of days ago because she used it no longer and needed the room! And the interference was there all the time! Any other ideas? And thanks!