Windows 98SE General Protection Error & SB Live!Platinum 5.1

[aa_koch]

I am having problems installing the software for my SoundBlaster Live!Platinum 5.1 on my new hard drive. When I run Windows 98SE from my old Western Digital 1.6GB HD, everything works fine. However, when installing the same software onto my new HD (IBM Deskstar 75GXP 30.7GB), the following error message is displayed upon reboot:

General Protection error. Reboot your system.

This error comes up before the Windows 98SE splash screen appears, and I can't get it to run beyond this point. I have partitioned and formatted the new drive twice, but as soon as I install the SoundBlaster Live! software, I run into trouble. There are no problems installing the other components, and it doesn't matter whether I first install the sound card, or wait until all the other components are set up: As soon as the installation programme for the sound card is finished, it hangs and displays the error message above.

My PC is comprised of the following components (apart from the HD, which is the last piece I am looking to replace... once I can get the sound card working):

ASUS A7V (REV1.02)
AMD Athlon "Thunderbird" 750MHz
128MB PC-133 SDRAM -- generic brand
128MB PC-133 SDRAM -- Mosel Vitelic 7ns, CL2
ATi Radeon 64MB DDR ViVo
IBM Deskstar 75GXP 30.7GB (7200RPM, ATA/100)
SoundBlaster Live!Platinum 5.1
Dynalink ISDN PCI modem
3COM 3C905-TX Network Interface Card

Apart from the Deskstar, I don't think there is a conflict with any of these components. But why would this drive have a problem with the software and Windows 98SE, while the old drive doesn't? I've tried hooking up the IBM Deskstar to both the regular IDE controller, as well as the on-board ATA/100 controller (by Promise), but to no avail. I've also tried using only a single RAM module, but that doesn't seem to do the trick. I'm out of ideas.

Anyone got any suggestions?

 

[slatt01]

This may sound weird but try ibmatasw.exe from the IBM website and lower the ATA Specification to Ultra66 or even Ultra33 to see if that has any effect.

 

[BadThad]

So, you're saying ALL the exact same hardware works perfectly on the 1.6gig drive OS? Why don't you just clone the old hard drive onto the new one instead of reinstalling everything?

Other than that, I would try removing all the PCI cards except the sound blaster. Then reinstall the OS with ONLY that card. Then go back and add the other cards one at a time. It sounds to me like one of them doesn't want to share an IRQ, but I'm perplexed by the fact that your old HDD operates fine.

What PCI slots are you using and what's in each one?

 

[aa_koch]

Thanks for your help, guys. I'll try both suggestions tomorrow, and post the results.

badthad: Precisely. All I am doing is removing the Western Digital drive, and replacing it with the IBM. Currently, here's the "layout" of my interfaces:

AGP slot 1: ATi Radeon 64MB DDR ViVo
PCI slot 1: empty
PCI slot 2: empty
PCI slot 3: ISDN modem
PCI slot 4: empty
PCI slot 5: SoundBlaster Live!Platinum 5.1

As I said earlier, I install the software for the ATi Radeon, and it works fine. I install my printer, and it's fine. I install the ATA/100 drivers, it's fine. Then I go to install the sound card software, and it screws up... WTF?

 

[BadThad]

That NIC 905C is an ISA, right? You are sharing PCI5 with your ISA slot, it's generally good to avoid using your last PCI slot if you're using an ISA card. For similar reasons, you should avoid PCI1 because it shares with AGP. Depending on your mobo, I believe PCI 3 and 5 may also share some resouces, check your manual. I think you just have too much "bad" sharing going on. Try this:

PCI2: modem
PCI3: SB Live

Make sure your BIOS is configured for PNP OS and Auto assignments of resources.

 

[aa_koch]

Well... problem solved, I guess.

I moved the sound card from PCI slot 5 to PCI slot 3, then partitioned and formatted the drive again. After installing W98SE, I first installed and set all the things I could think of (such as Promise ATA/100 controller, video card, desktop resolution, etc. etc.), and then switched the drive to the ATA/100 controller. I then installed the software for the sound card, and all went well.

Now the weird thing is... I had already changed the card from PCI slot 5 to PCI slot 3 before (I also tried PCI slot 2, but while booting a message was displayed that this slot shared its IRQ with the Promise ATA/100 controller, so I moved it back to PCI slot 3), and the only difference this time is that I hooked up the drive to the Promise controller PRIOR to installing the software. At other times, I wanted to install the sound card first, then move it to this controller afterwards.

Anyway... thanks for all your help. I'm still not quite sure why it works this time, but I'm obviously happy.

Gracias, senores!