Dochartaigh wrote on 2020-04-14, 04:38:

Anything special I have to select (or not select if it tries to install a bunch of things I'll never need or use)?

On the initial screen, I usually leave only "Sound Blaster Live" checked.

Later, it will ask you if you want a Full Installation or Custom Installation.

I choose "Custom," and check off only DOS Drivers, AudioHQ, and Soundfont banks.

boxpressed wrote on 2020-04-13, 22:51:

I'm pretty sure it is installing the VXD drivers. The SB0100 CD install program gives you an option of selecting the VXD or WDM drivers during the install process but not your CT4830 CD install program.

Best would be to confirm under Device Manager. To my knowledge, it defaults to the WDM drivers, but I'm not sure whether my CD had WDM drivers under the Win95drv folder.
Here's a post I came across as to how to switch to the VXD drivers: Re: Sound blaster live pci driver's?

Apparently, the Audigy card's software has a menu option to switch between VXD & WDM, but this has to be done manually for the SB Live!.

Updating to list the models that I have installation CDs for: CT4670, CT4760, CT4780, SB0100.

If you're late to the thread, this is an ongoing experiment where I'm manually testing installation CDs on fresh installs of 98SE to find matches between cards and installation CDs. The install process has to be 100% "smooth" in that doesn't ask you to locate the driver for the "PCI Multimedia Audio Device" manually (a sign that there is not a match). I don't go by what's in the .INF files because a model can be listed in one of them and still not work with the CD that contains it. I can't guarantee that the CD will work with your card, only that the install was perfect for me.

My archive.org account now has five ISOs of CDs that work with the four different models. Two work with the CT4780.

https://archive.org/details/@boxpressed

Fun project! I've had a few run-ins with Live! drivers over the years, most recently with a NOS Live! "X-Gamer" (just a CT4760 with a sweet software package). It of course came with the driver CD and installed without incident in my Windows98 SE machine, but I still needed to install the update package from the Creative site to clear up constant blue screens.

Bloody Lives!

badmojo wrote on 2020-06-07, 11:52:

Fun project! I've had a few run-ins with Live! drivers over the years, most recently with a NOS Live! "X-Gamer" (just a CT4760 with a sweet software package). It of course came with the driver CD and installed without incident in my Windows98 SE machine, but I still needed to install the update package from the Creative site to clear up constant blue screens.

Bloody Lives!

I would say that the Live! enigma is one that really gets under my skin. This is because it's the only PCI sound card that is difficult to install. And no offense to Vortex 2 or YMF7x4, but it could be the best all-around solution for 98SE.

What I'd love to figure out is how the .INF files work. For instance, the CT4830 model is one that I have been unable to get working properly with any CD. It's a Value model that I'm pretty sure was bundled with Dell (and perhaps other OEM) machines.

Some of the later CDs (such as Liveware 3.0) include an .INF file that clearly mentions the CT4830, but then that install does not configure the card properly.

1; Creative Technology Ltd.
2;     Copyright (c) Creative Technology Ltd, 1994-1999.
3;
4; Description
5;  This inf file contains the following device for installation
6;  a. CT4830 - SBLive! Value        (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80261102)
7;  a. CT4832 - SBLive! Value        (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80271102)
8
9; Date     : 30 July '99
10; Revision : 1.08.000
11
12
13[Version]
14Signature=$CHICAGO$
15Class=MEDIA
16Provider=%String0%
17LayoutFile=layout.inf

However, a later install CD includes the CTOM10K1.INF file too, but points to a CTOM10K1.CAT file, which is not present on the CD. I'm not positive this is the problem, and it doesn't make sense to me that they would bother including a CTOM10K.INF file and not the corresponding catalog file, but who knows?

1; Creative Technology Ltd.
2;     Copyright (c) Creative Technology Ltd, 1994-1999.
3;
4; Description
5;  This inf file contains the following device for installation
6;  a. CT4830 - SBLive! Value        (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80261102)
7;  a. CT4832 - SBLive! Value        (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80271102)
8
9; Date     : 5 Oct '99
10; Revision : 1.09.000
11
12
13[Version]
14;CatalogFile=ctom10k1.cat
15Signature=$CHICAGO$
16Class=MEDIA
17Provider=%String0%
18LayoutFile=layout.inf

And then I don't know what the relationship is between the CTOM10K1.INF file and the EMU10K1.INF or OEMEMU.INF file, which seem to me to be the "master" .INF files. So it goes.

boxpressed wrote on 2020-06-07, 15:12:

I would say that the Live! enigma is one that really gets under my skin. This is because it's the only PCI sound card that is difficult to install. And no offense to Vortex 2 or YMF7x4, but it could be the best all-around solution for 98SE.

I originally thought the Audigy2 ZS was the ultimate all-around 98SE card, but it turns out the Live can do the same soundfont shenanigans when you force it to use the Audigy drivers. So, unless someone absolutely needs FireWire and EAX 3 on Win98, there's really no need for an Audigy. Granted, the SNR is supposed to be better on Audigy cards, but my ears can't pick up that difference.

For instance, the CT4830 model is one that I have been unable to get working properly with any CD.

Sounds like the perfect candidate to test the Audigy drivers on.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2020-06-07, 15:55:

I originally thought the Audigy2 ZS was the ultimate all-around 98SE card, but it turns out the Live can do the same soundfont […]
Show full quote

boxpressed wrote on 2020-06-07, 15:12:

I would say that the Live! enigma is one that really gets under my skin. This is because it's the only PCI sound card that is difficult to install. And no offense to Vortex 2 or YMF7x4, but it could be the best all-around solution for 98SE.

I originally thought the Audigy2 ZS was the ultimate all-around 98SE card, but it turns out the Live can do the same soundfont shenanigans when you force it to use the Audigy drivers. So, unless someone absolutely needs FireWire and EAX 3 on Win98, there's really no need for an Audigy. Granted, the SNR is supposed to be better on Audigy cards, but my ears can't pick up that difference.

For instance, the CT4830 model is one that I have been unable to get working properly with any CD.

Sounds like the perfect candidate to test the Audigy drivers on.

Going to test your method today! Just have to find a way to get about 500MB of files onto my 98SE box. Will probably just copy over from a CD-ROM.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2020-06-07, 15:55:

Sounds like the perfect candidate to test the Audigy drivers on.

I just want to say that I used Joseph_Joestar's method in the link above, and not only did it get the CT4830 to work, but it allows me to load a 40+MB soundfont that works in DOS games launched from Windows.

Everyone with a Live! or wanting inexpensive quality wavetable in later DOS games should check out that thread.

Glad it worked out for your card as well!

It's awesome that SBLive cards can pull this off, especially since they are so inexpensive and readily available nowadays.

jesolo wrote on 2020-04-12, 14:35:

I bought a Sound Blaster Live! 1024 Value back in mid-2000 (model number CT4830) and I still have that card's installation CD. T […]
Show full quote

I bought a Sound Blaster Live! 1024 Value back in mid-2000 (model number CT4830) and I still have that card's installation CD.
The disk contains the standard Creative software and drivers for Windows 95, 98, NT4 & 2000.
The files were created on the disc on 12 April 2000, but the Windows 95/98 & NT4 drivers dates back to October 1999.
I've uploaded it to my OneDrive account which can be copied to Vogonsdrivers (link below):
https://1drv.ms/f/s!ApmeVYI0PZURhBkhDLBn36r_CSHI

Under the \\Audio\ENGLISH\Win95drv folder, there are three *.inf files where I could see PCI ID's:
OEMEMU.INF
CT4780 - SBLive! Value (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80221102)

CTGT10K1.INF
CT4831 - SBLive! Value (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80311102)

CTOM10K1.INF
CT4830 - SBLive! Value (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80261102)
CT4832 - SBLive! Value (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80271102)

For over 6-7 years I've been trying to get my CT4780 working perfectly under 98SE, and this ISO finally has that happening. The only issue after installing the drivers (all options selected and working) was having to set the basic configuration of the SB16 emulation from 0001 to 0000 - all drivers that I've tried in the past either; didn't allow that to be changed, had sound effects broken in general, lacked proper soundfont support, had BSAOG without enough conventional memory in Windows or DOS (BSAOG, Wolf3d and Keen4 are the games I always test with) or were janky manual installs.

It feels amazing being able to burn a proper driver disc and not have to worry about driver issues. Running it on the KT600 based MSI KT6V-LSR with a Sempron 2800+.

jesolo wrote on 2020-04-12, 14:35:

I bought a Sound Blaster Live! 1024 Value back in mid-2000 (model number CT4830) and I still have that card's installation CD. T […]
Show full quote

I bought a Sound Blaster Live! 1024 Value back in mid-2000 (model number CT4830) and I still have that card's installation CD.
The disk contains the standard Creative software and drivers for Windows 95, 98, NT4 & 2000.
The files were created on the disc on 12 April 2000, but the Windows 95/98 & NT4 drivers dates back to October 1999.
I've uploaded it to my OneDrive account which can be copied to Vogonsdrivers (link below):
https://1drv.ms/f/s!ApmeVYI0PZURhBkhDLBn36r_CSHI

Under the \\Audio\ENGLISH\Win95drv folder, there are three *.inf files where I could see PCI ID's:
OEMEMU.INF
CT4780 - SBLive! Value (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80221102)

CTGT10K1.INF
CT4831 - SBLive! Value (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80311102)

CTOM10K1.INF
CT4830 - SBLive! Value (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80261102)
CT4832 - SBLive! Value (PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80271102)

Hi jesolo,

you actually saved my day with your iso. I own a CT4830 and finally the card is working like a charm on Windows95.