Audio disappearing glitch.

[Zera]

This question goes specificaly to users who own n-force Motherboards with Realtek onboard audio chips, and are able to play SA flawlessly. I'm running SA on Windows XP SP3 (latest updates installed), with the latest Realtek drivers (R2.58) and latest DirectX 9 redistributable (downgrading is not an option for me). Before anyone asks, my copy is original (1.0 from 2005), and I do use a No-CD (for convenience). Anyways, my issue is the well know sound collision bug that causes audio in-game to disappear (except for radio).

 

What I've tried so far:

 

- Reinstalling the game (using clean install too)

- Deleting gta_sa.set file

- Using different eax.dll versions (3.0.6.6, 3.0.6.5, 3.0.1.0)

- Updating to 1.01 (lol, Rockstar)

- Decreasing sound acceleration to basic (it did fix the issue, but the sound is very low quality with cracks in it)

- Different speaker configs

- Downgrading Realtek driver

- Windows 98 compatibility (doesn't even start the game)

 

As you can see, I've tried pretty much every available solution on the net. The fact that I'm even making a topic on this means that I'm desperate.

 

So, any useful advices?

 

 

[lil weasel]

No help for Cracked games here. Play with the Game disc in the drive.

 

As I understand your other posts you have a modded game, which is also not addressed in this part of the forum.

Edited March 21, 2011 by lil weasel

[Zera]

No help for Cracked games here. Play with the Game disc in the drive.

 

As I understand your other posts you have a modded game, which is also not addressed in this part of the forum.

Did you read my opening post, like at all? I already tried a clean install. And you don't think I tried using the original exe?

 

Next time read the whole post before replying.

 

 

 

[Girish]

Have you tried any of the fixes suggested in this topic - http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=195220 ?

[lil weasel]

Well, I guess I made a mistake. I was sure that problems with Cracked games weren't even attempted to be fixed in this forum.

 

If the patch isn't working and Poster insists that a No-Cd crack makes the game play better it causes me to wonder if the Game is a Dowloaded pirated copy of 1.0.

Edited March 27, 2011 by lil weasel

[Zera]

Have you tried any of the fixes suggested in this topic - http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=195220 ?

Yeah, I did. I figured the first sugestion wouldn't do anything, so I didn't try it (it's correctly set as WDM on dxdiag).

 

 

[Girish]

Then I guess turning off sound acceleration is the only solution. You'll have to live with the low quality sound until you upgrade your PC.

[Zera]

That being the case, do you have any Sound Card recomendations? I've had a bad experience with an Audigy SE, so that one is out of the list.

 

 

[Lioshenka]

AFAIK, you can't fix this. This can only be somewhat fixed if you install SA patch and then pass all SF missions.

[radioman]

Have you tried "rolling back" to SP2 for XP? This problem pretty much only occurs with SP3, as far as I know, as my old laptop that had SP2 never had this problem, but on my XP Pro laptop with the SP3, does. And both of those PC's had the Realtek Sound cards-the only difference was, that the XP Pro laptop had the HD version and the old one did not.

 

But, basically, lower the Sound Acceleration to Basic or none, AND "roll back" to SP2, it is easy to do, as the System Restore automatically creates a restore point before it installs the update.

 

As far as upgrading Sound cards, that would depend on if you are on a desktop or a laptop, as Sound cards cannot be upgraded on laptops, as they are Soldered into the motherboards.

[Zera]

@˸øåíüêà: Interesting. Seems like an odd condition, where did you hear that from?

 

@radioman: The security risk of downgrading to SP2 is far too great to just play a game. Would installing Windows 7 make any difference? I've heard sound acceleration is no longer enabled in it, maybe that would solve the issue?

 

The reason I don't get this problem in Vice City is because there's an option to use software emulation for audio (has no one ever attempted a hack to enable this in SA? It would surely be useful).

 

I have a Desktop BTW, a pretty solid setup (enough to play IV at high settings).

 

 

[Girish]

@radioman: The security risk of downgrading to SP2 is far too great to just play a game. Would installing Windows 7 make any difference? I've heard sound acceleration is no longer enabled in it, maybe that would solve the issue?

The security risk is not really as big as Microsoft makes it out to be. If your system is capable of handling Windows 7, then it would be worth a shot. Btw, sound acceleration is enabled by default in Vista and Win 7. XP SP3 has some issues with running SA properly, so if this has anything to do with that, then an OS upgrade should help you out.

 

What are your system specs?

[Zera]

^ GTX260, Q9550, 4GB DDR3 ram.

 

I only have the SP3 CD, so I guess dowgrading would be a bit difficult.

[topog_z]

Why would you run XP on a GTX 260 and q9550.

[Girish]

Well, your system is quite capable of running Windows 7, so I think you should give that a try.

[Zera]

Why would you run XP on a GTX 260 and q9550.

I was waiting till Windows 7 got stable and more compatible with the stuff I run in XP (I know it has a Virtual OS mode, but I don't really like the idea of using that).

 

Anyways, I'll try updating to 7, but not right now. Maybe around June.

 

Thanks for the replies.

 

 

[Lioshenka]

 

@˸øåíüêà: Interesting. Seems like an odd condition, where did you hear that from?

These forums and own experience

 

I am not sure about service packs though... I played SF missions in about end of 2005, and had the problems and my PC was up-to-date. If SP3 is as old as 6 years old then there is a good chance I already had it together with the problems

 

I wouldn't update to 7 due to many reasons, but it's up to you if you want to. Most of the time I am playing SA on Kubuntu in Wine with XP compatibility mode Would be a good idea for me to see if the audio lags - can't believe I haven't done it yet.

[radioman]

@˸øåíüêà: Interesting. Seems like an odd condition, where did you hear that from?

These forums and own experience

 

I am not sure about service packs though... I played SF missions in about end of 2005, and had the problems and my PC was up-to-date. If SP3 is as old as 6 years old then there is a good chance I already had it together with the problems

 

I wouldn't update to 7 due to many reasons, but it's up to you if you want to. Most of the time I am playing SA on Kubuntu in Wine with XP compatibility mode Would be a good idea for me to see if the audio lags - can't believe I haven't done it yet.

Actually, SP 3 has only been out since like 2008, so it's not that old. But, XP SP3 is the only OS that has the Audio problems, as Vista and 7 do not have any problem with the audio-the ONLY problem Vista and 7 have with the game is the random mouse freezes/very rare game freeze. So, that goes to show that 7 is a more stable OS than XP...The ONLY real benefit with XP is the fact that it uses less RAM(around 550MB-890MB vs. 900MB-1.2GB for Vista and 7).

 

 

This can only be somewhat fixed if you install SA patch

 

Seeing how V2 is the ONLY retail version sold as of June 2005, the Patch will not work, as it is for V1 only...and to my knowledge, the only thing the patch was for was to remove the Hot Coffee from V1 games.? Just a couple of friendly heads up.

[Lioshenka]

This can only be somewhat fixed if you install SA patch

 

Seeing how V2 is the ONLY retail version sold as of June 2005, the Patch will not work, as it is for V1 only...and to my knowledge, the only thing the patch was for was to remove the Hot Coffee from V1 games.? Just a couple of friendly heads up.

There was a list of things the patch fixed, and the sound problems was amongst them. But you're right, V2 should already have this patch applied.

[lil weasel]

Reference to ˸øåíüêà statement:

 

The patch (1.01) contains a lot of fixes. First what it adds. There is now support for 720p and 1080i HDTV resolutions, and also the game now displays the Version Number on the title screen. In the bug fixes department, The annoying and often asked issue is fixed on machines where the OS has been updated (one OS installed over top of another) and has 2 registry keys that point to the users "My Documents". Here is a full bug fix list;

 

- Issue fixed on machines where the OS has been updated (one OS installed over top of another) and has 2 registry keys that point to the users "My Documents" folder (we incorrectly used to assume the Win2000 folder, now correctly uses the last installed OS folder) - users know this as "user account period bug".

 

- Crash when entering advanced display options with only 32 meg of video ram (32 meg of video ram is not supported and will only allow use of 640*480 in 16 and 32 bit. At this resolution it is likely you will see the "Black Roads" LOD problem). We do NOT however disallow machines with 32 meg of video ram from running GRAND THEFT AUTO: San Andreas.

 

- Crash when entering advanced display options on a dual monitor machine after :- starting game on primary monitor in maximum resolution, exiting, starting again in maximum resolution on secondary monitor. Secondary monitor maximum resolution had to be greater than maximum resolution of primary monitor.

 

- Destroyed cars now are correct colour.

- Dirty cars now able to get clean.

- Numpad 5 key is now mappable when re-defining controls.

- Issue on all machines where certain collisions caused parts of the audio system to crash (sound effects, cutscene audio - only radio keeps going) - users know this as "Rain / Thunderstorm bug".

- Improvements to DVD streaming.

- Audio problems in interior / exterior transitions and getting in / out of cars fixed.

- Some fixes to ensure reverb is not present at certain save points.

- Improvements to dance game timings.

- Crash occuring when using "user radio files" while the frame limiter is disabled.

 

On the downside it will stop the hot coffee modification from working correctly, however other modifications should work perfectly fine. See the readme for more information.

Edited March 24, 2011 by lil weasel

[Zera]

I already tried 1.01, people. Rockstar didn't fix anything sound-related in it, despite their claims.

 

 

 

[Spider-Vice]

Weird, because I've got a SA 1.1 and I think the thunderstorm bug is fixed. Maybe as said, it's time for a sound card upgrade or even Windows 7, it's already in SP1 and I don't see any compatibility issues with it despite what's said on the forums (like it can't run VC, it can for me)

[Zera]

 

If the patch isn't working and Poster insists that a No-Cd crack makes the game play better it causes me to wonder if the Game is a Dowloaded pirated copy of 1.0.

Because you can totally tell if a person is being truthful in the internet or not (/sarcasm). Also...

 

*looks around my posts*

 

Where did I say that a No-CD crack makes the game play better? It plays exactly the same, because a No-CD simply removes the CD check in the exe, nothing else (in this game's case). I use it because the DVD running at all times in the drive is not necessary (not that I need to explain myself to you).

 

You keep insulting me with these posts of yours. I'm not some ignorant noob that doesn't know how things work, I'm a power user.

 

@Spider-Vice: Some people say it works for them, but for many (like me) it doesn't. What the patch did fix for me was the dirty cars being able to get clean, exploded cars being in the correct color and the Num 5 key being mappable. Sound remained the same, which I suspect is because I'm running it on SP3, like other posters mentioned. I certainly didn't get this problem on my old Desktop with SP2.

 

 

Edited March 29, 2011 by Zera

[radioman]

As far as I know, the Sound issues with SA are only really present on XP SP3 and/or the people that have the newer Realtek HD Sound cards.? I have pretty much narrowed it down to the Sound card and OS as being the problem, as I have two PC's running XP SP3, my old laptop, which has an older Realtek card and my XP Pro SP3, which has the newer Realtek HD card, and the XP Pro machine has that problem, whereas my old XP Home machine does not-Even my Vista Home Premium desktop, which has the exact same card as my XP Pro laptop does not have that problem-so that is fixed on Vista and 7, it is just XP SP3 and those cards together that have this problem. I have V2 of the game, so the patch is already included with the game out of the box. My XP Pro laptop even had that problem with SP2. So, the only way to truly fix this problem is to update your OS to either Vista or 7, as this problem is fixed on those OS's, it seems.? Just a friendly heads up...

[Zera]

Just bumping this thread to let people know that I fixed the problem. I got myself a new sound card, a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium (I highly recommend this card. It's really good for gaming). Upgrading to Windows 7 wasn't needed after all.

 

 

You can lock this thread if you want now.