Via Ac97 audio chipset is not enabled on this system please enable it first on the bios. That's the message i get when i try to load the sound driver i have d/l various sound drivers files but no effect, any sound drivers i get the same erroe message. I have gone into my BIOS but can find any option to enable AC97. I have read about resetting hte jumpers on the CMOS what does that mean? help anyone

Likely that's referring to clearing the CMOS settings (and restoring the defaults) by resetting the jumpers on the motherboard. That might do it. It should be controlled in the CMOS/BIOS - try looking under 'Integrated Peripherals' or similar heading in the CMOS main menu. Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience

I have gone into my Bios but cannot find any option for 'Integrated Peripherals'

Really? What BIOS manufacturer? Just checked on one machine with AC'97 sound under an AMIBIOS - in any case, it's pretty standard. If it's not controlled in the BIOS possibly it's enabled by a motherboard jumper - although that's not what I'd expect. Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience

If this is your model: Presario PC 7474 you may want to download the ESS drivers.

I get the exact same problem. But is very weird, see I have two hard-drives... one has windows XP on it, the other has 98. I'm busy making an Mpegbox (www.mpegbox.com) - created by Jeff Mucha, and I'm having problems with getting my motherboard sound. The audio is onboard. In windows XP I get crystal clear sound... on 98, no matter how many times I setup the audio drivers I get that message "Via Ac97 audio chipset is not enabled on this system please enable it first on the bios."... HELP!! I've also gone through my bios, even updated my Bios with new drivers and nothing... but XP has sound.. weird. This is the motherboard I have: http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=21

Ok I found the problem. Kind enough to tell you how I went about it. Don't know if it will work for you. I found these new drivers on this link - hopefully by the time you read this the link will still work: http://www.softwarepatch.com/utilities/viaac97.html Ok so I downloaded the file, extracted it, copied the extracted folder to cd and dumped it on my other computer that was running Windows 98. 1. unistalled any audio drivers that you have already tried to install... even if it is an older version of the AC'97 Controler (WDM). 2. Restart Completely fresh. You'll know it's fresh if windows 98 (second edition) is telling you that it has found new drivers as you start up. 3. Press cancel to anything that asks you to do... 4. So now we're at your desktop. click the setup file that is on the cd - in the extracted folder. Don't worry about it telling you that you have to enable the Audio AC 97 in dos. that a load of crap. 5. now your setting it up... the setup will for some reason make windows access the Add new Hardware window (a building drivers progress window will also popup)... click next till you get two options. the first one says "Search for the best driver for your device" - don't bother with the next one - make sure that one is selected and click next. 6. check the specified location checkbox and then click browse... find the WDM folder that is in the same folder as the setup file that we clicked on in 4. 7. keep clicking next... windows will ask you for the windows 98 second edition cd. so stick the cd in and click next. it sets up the device. and by this time the other setup that you launched has finished. just keep clicking next and ok to get through the setups...it also tries to install a gameport device... just click next... 8. Once your back on your desktop and all the setup's are done and you have no sound... and no window asking you to restart, right click on my computer/properties... then select the device manager tab. You'll seed an undefined device under audio. Click on it - select its properties and try and update it's drivers. It says it's an unknown device, click next. Wants to search for better drivers (recommended), click next. Check the specify a location checkbox. Choose the same directory... (the folder WDM in the setup directory of the extracted folder on the CD you probably cut) click next. checks the A:/ then shows you that it's found a KSFILTER.INF file. or some file. just click next. click finish. click close on everything till your looking at your desktop again. then open the device manager tab again, by clicking on properties after you've right clicked on the my computer. NOW for some reason two unknown devices popped up... weird. so I just chose to restart my computer by clicking start, shutdown... once windows had booted up again, I had sound. When I went to device manager those two unknown devices had dissapeared... the following blurb probably didn't make any sense, and at most it will probably have to be written again. But for some reason I got sound after I had done that. Hopefull this will help you out. anyway - good luck P