Black Screen with turning wheel: To all onboard Sound users

[GrandAdmiralThrawn]

Greetings.

I found out, that the latest SoundMax Drivers for Analog Devices' AD1985 Chip, which is an AC'97 type of chip cannot cope with Pirates!, while they would do all modern titles i currently know (like The Fall, Doom3, Half Life 2, X2 and so on).

You'll need to use the 22MB WHQL drivers instead of the 2MB standard drivers. If Pirates still crashes after showing the Sensaura Logo (Sensaura cannot be disabled in the WHQL drivers anymore), try to hit ALT+TAB to go back to windows (you might also use CTRL+ALT+DEL or the Win Key) and once more to get back into the game.

Everything should work quite perfectly now. As stated elsewhere, DSound Hardware Acceleration in DXDiag needs to be fully turned up for Pirates! to work even with the WHQL drivers installed. This should be the default however.

This is known to affect the AD1985 only, i haven't tested any other chips. However, the AD1985 is widely spread amongst many mainboards such as the Asus P4P and P4C series for instance.

 

[hafensaenger]

Dear Admiral Thrawn <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/hi.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":gday" border="0" alt="hi.gif" />

I still have a SoundMax and none of your mentioned problems. I also played all these so called modern titles. I know that some people still have probs with sound or other things. This may happen to some poor guys and I hope the find a way to solve their problems.

Your solution sounds nice and thx for that but it´s a solution, not that solution. Maybe it helps one and the others won´t help it. You know what I mean? Anyway. Keep up the good work.

 

[GrandAdmiralThrawn]

Yes i know, it's not the general solution for the blackscreen problem. Maybe only a patch can fix this on all systems, i don't know. Maybe it's the WHQL certification?

The `non-WHQL` and WHQL drivers differ only in build number, version number is the SAME. Maybe users of other soundcards or sound chips could try WHQL certified drivers to get Pirates! to work, if they currently do not use such drivers. Just an idea.

 

[mort]

uhmm excuse my ignorance but... how do i get those drivers (th whql ones)???

 

[Red]

I have updated the drivers and it the wheel keeps on spinning. I called `tech-nosupport` and they told me to change my `start-up` which has affected other programs now but that's besides the point. Yamaha `ac-xg` is the sound card on my Vaio. I ahve more then twice of all requirements....what choices do i have besides taking back the game. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/oops3.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="ops2" border="0" alt="oops3.gif" />

 

[guest pirate]

Just wanna add that my ASUS A7V8X has a RealTek Alc650 onboard. After updating the driver to wdm_a367, the game is working correctly now.

Here are the symptoms before updating the driver:
1. black screen with wheel spinning if the soundcard is enabled.
2. ballroom dancing does not start if the soundcard is disabled (no sound at all, but the game starts).
3. dxdiag sound test stops after all software buffer test (no hardware buffer).

All other games/apps works before the new driver. It seems that the game is picky than others, but it actually forced me to find a better fit driver. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

 

[Anonymous]

That didn't work for me. I'm sorry for bumping, but I also need help. I have a SiS7012 and the game just blocks at that screen. The acceleration thingy is at the max and my computer (from looking at the necessary specs) is more than capable of running, although I have a 8.1dx card, a radeon 9000.

 

[Gusse78]

Annoyng wheel

I have a soundmax soundcard aswell and have the exact same problem. But I cant find a driver that works. I´ve bought a Dell... My own fault... But thier update doesnt work. Where can I find one?