Scratchy Sound, Erratic Sound, or Sound Stops (94651)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Scholastic's Magic School Bus series: Explores in the Age of Dinosaurs for Windows
  • Microsoft 3D Movie Maker
  • Microsoft Ancient Lands 1.0
  • Microsoft Art Gallery for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft Bookshelf for Windows 1993 edition
  • Microsoft Bookshelf for Windows 1994 edition
  • Microsoft Bookshelf for Windows 1995 edition
  • Microsoft Bookshelf '95 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Bookshelf 1996-97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Cinemania for Windows 1994 edition
  • Microsoft Complete Baseball for Windows, 1994 edition (see below)
  • Microsoft Complete NBA Basketball for Windows 1994-1995 edition
  • Microsoft Creative Writer
  • Microsoft Creative Writer for Windows 1.1
  • Microsoft Creative Writer for Windows 1.1a
  • Microsoft Creative Writer for Windows 1.1b
  • Microsoft Creative Writer for Windows 2.0
  • Microsoft Dangerous Creatures
  • Microsoft Dinosaurs for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft Encarta 1994 The Complete Multimedia Encyclopedia
  • Microsoft Encarta 95 The Complete Interactive Multimedia Encyclopedia for Macintosh
  • Microsoft Encarta 96 Encyclopedia for Windows
  • Microsoft Encarta 97 Encyclopedia for Windows
  • Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 97 Deluxe for Windows
  • Microsoft Encarta 96 World Atlas for Windows
  • Microsoft Explorapedia series: World of Nature for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft Fine Artist for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft Fine Artist for Windows 1.1
  • Microsoft Fine Artist for Windows 1.1a
  • Microsoft Fine Artist for Windows 1.1b
  • Microsoft Ghostwriter for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft P.J.'s Reading Adventures: Microsoft How the Leopard Got His Spots 1.0
  • Microsoft Isaac Asimov's The Ultimate Robot for Windows
  • Microsoft Julia Child: Home Cooking with Master Chefs for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft Multimedia Mozart 1.0
  • Microsoft Multimedia Schubert 1.0
  • Microsoft Multimedia Strauss for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft Multimedia Stravinsky 1.0
  • Microsoft Musical Instruments for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft SoundBits (all collections)
  • Microsoft Windows Sound System 1.0
  • Microsoft Windows Sound System 2.0
  • Microsoft Wine Guide for Windows 1.0
  • Microsoft Wine Guide for Windows 1.0a
  • Scholastic's Magic School Bus series: Explores the Human Body for Windows
  • Scholastic's Magic School Bus series: Explores the Ocean for Windows 1.0
  • Scholastic's Magic School Bus series: Explores the Solar System for Windows 1.0
  • Scholastic's Magic School Bus series: Explores Inside the Earth 1.0
  • Microsoft Explorapedia series: World of People for Windows 1.0
This article was previously published under Q94651

SYMPTOMS

When you use any of the programs listed earlier in this article, you may experience any of the following symptoms:

  • The computer stops responding (hangs) when you start the program.
  • Sound playback in the program is scratchy or distorted.
  • Sound playback in the program stops unexptectedly after a few seconds.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if any of the following sound cards are installed on your computer:

  • Media Vision Pro Audio Spectrum 16
  • Logitech SoundMan 16
  • Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16
  • Windows Sound System
  • Yamaha OPL/3

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, change the DMA channel settings for your sound card. To do this, use the appropriate method for your version of Microsoft Windows.

Changing the DMA Channel in Windows 95/98

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click the System icon.
  3. On the Device Manager tab, double-click the Sound, Video And Game Controllers branch to expand it.
  4. Under the Sound, Video And Game Controllers branch, double-click your sound card.
  5. On the Resources tab, click to clear the Use Automatic Settings check box.
  6. In the Resource Settings list, click Direct Memory Access, and then click Change Setting.
  7. In the Values box, click the up and down arrows to change the DMA setting. If there are no resource conflicts listed in the Conflict Information box, click OK.
  8. Click OK again, and then click Yes.
  9. Restart the computer.

Changing the DMA Channel in Windows 3.x

  1. In the Main program group, double-click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click Drivers.
  3. In the list of installed devices, click your sound card, and then click Setup.
  4. Change the DMA channel.

    NOTE: For best results with Logitech or Media Vision sound cards, use a DMA setting of 7 or 5.
  5. Click OK, and then click Close.
  6. Restart Windows when you are prompted to do so.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/15/2005
Keywords:kbinfo kbmm kbsound KB94651
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