FAQ about Sampled


1 Troubles
1.1 While starting SAMPLED, I get the message "No CFG file... Run Setup utility!"
1.2 While starting SAMPLED, I get the message "DPMI/VCPI Detected! Remove it..."; how can I remove it?
1.3 While starting SAMPLED, I get the message "Error: No Mouse driver found!"
1.4 While starting SAMPLED, I get the message "CFG file not recognized... Run Setup!"
1.5 While starting SAMPLED, I get the message "Not enough memory for working"; how can I increase the available memory?
1.6 While running SAMPLED or SETUP, the screen gets messed up (the mouse doesn't move correctly and/or the buttons are anywhere but where they should!)
1.7 While running SAMPLED, I can't push any button on your beautiful screen...
1.8 Sometimes, while moving the displayed wave, or while switching between domains or something else, the machine hangs up...


2 How to...
2.1 How can I make SAMPLED run under Win95?
2.2 How shall I specify the gfx board settings in Setup?
2.3 How shall I specify the sound board settings in Setup?


While starting SAMPLED, I get the message "No CFG file... Run Setup utility!"

Simply run the program SETUP.EXE that comes with the release. In Setup, specify your gfx board parameters (read the 2.2 FAQ) and your SB's parameters (read the 2.3 FAQ ).


While starting SAMPLED, I get the message "DPMI/VCPI Detected! Remove it..."; how can I remove it?

There are two situations in which this message could arise:

1) You're running under DOS:
The message means you've got an EMM386 in your AUTOEXEC.BAT.
You have 2 options:
  • Just EDIT the autoexec.bat file, commenting out the lines that load the EMM386 driver into memory (comment a line by typing REM at its beginning). Then, reboot the machine...
  • Type "EMM386 OFF" at the DOS prompt (this works often, but not always).
2) You're running under Windows 95:
Sampled can't run under Windows 95!!!
But there's a way to achieve launching it from Bill's toy... read the 2.1 FAQ.


While starting SAMPLED, I get the message "Error: No Mouse driver found!"

Just load any mouse driver before launching Sampled (loading a mouse driver is quite a difficult task...you have to type, one character at a time, the word 'MOUSE' at the DOS prompt...)
Jokes apart, before launching the mouse driver, check out the directory in which it resides (almost anyone has a mouse driver on its PC; it's usually in the directory 'C:\MOUSE' or 'C:\WINDOWS', and its name is usually 'MOUSE.COM').


 While starting SAMPLED, I get the message "CFG file not recognized... Run Setup!"

Terrible! Just delete the old "SAMPLED.CFG" file, and run again Setup...


 While starting SAMPLED, I get the message "Not enough memory for working"; how can I increase the available memory?

If you're running under Win95, just read the 2.1 FAQ; if you're running under DOS, just remove any program your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS files load at machine boot.
Keep in mind that the minimal configuration only needs:


While running SAMPLED or SETUP, the screen gets messed up (the mouse doesn't move correctly and/or the buttons are anywhere but where they should!)

First, make sure you have the 1.24 version.
Second, run SETUP.EXE.
Third, select the VESA option in the gfx board section (read the 2.2 FAQ).
If SAMPLED keeps on messing up the screen, run the TESTVESA.EXE program coming with the release, in order to check whether your gfx board is really a VESA compatible card.
If it says that everything's ok, you're ok; if it says 'You're in trouble', just delete SAMPLED from your PC, 'cause you cannot run it!


While running SAMPLED, I can't push any button on your beautiful screen...

Sure, if you don't load anything, you cannot edit anything...
The only buttons working at startup are ABOUT, LOAD, CREATE, PREFS, SAMPLER, QUIT, MIXER.


Sometimes, while moving the displayed wave, or while switching between domains or something else, the machine hangs up...

This means you've got a resident program that doesn't like SAMPLED to do whatever it wants.
Most of the times, the resident program is SMARTDRV: remove it or use it with the /X option.


How can I make SAMPLED run under Win95?

Ok, if you really want SAMPLED to be launched under Win95 clicking on its beautiful icon, follow these steps: (the names in BOLD font are translations from my Italian Win95 version, so please be smart and clever, and guess the real names!)

  1. Create a link to SAMPLED on your desktop (you can use the icon coming with the release)
  2. Using the right mouse button, click on the icon and choose the PROPERTIES menu item.
    A window will appear.
  3. From the top of the window, choose the PROGRAM tab.
    The window contents will change.
  4. From the bottom of the window, choose the ADVANCED button.
    A new window will appear.
  5. Within this window, check the MS-DOS MODE box, and the SPECIFY A NEW CONFIGURATION FOR MS-DOS cirular box.
  6. Be sure the contents of the text window labeled CONFIG.SYS FOR MS-DOS MODE are:
    DOS=HIGH,UMB
    Device=C:\WINDOWS\Himem.Sys
  7. Be sure in the window labeled AUTOEXEC.BAT FOR MS-DOS MODE there isn't any line talking about EMM386 or SMARTDRV (in case remove them), and be sure there is a line talking about your mouse (read the 1.3 FAQ).
  8. Click on the OK button on the bottom of the window. The window will disappear.
  9. Click again on the OK button on the bottom of the window. The window will disappear.
You're now ready to double-click on the SAMPLED icon. Are you happy?

Another simple way to run Sampled having Windows95 your PC, is booting in DOS-MODE.
From the START menu, and the CLOSE SESSION item, choose RESTART THE SYSTEM IN MS-DOS MODE.
Once in DOS, simply run SAMPLED.


How shall I specify the gfx board settings in Setup?

If you've got a TSENG LAB gfx board, or any board existing in the list, select it.
If this is not the case, select the NEURO CARD option. This lets you use the boosting gfx routines that accelerate most of the GFX drawing. Not all GFX card are compatible with this option.
Finish your setup and run SAMPLED: if the GFX is messed up, run again SETUP and choose the VESA option. This should work correctly.
Anyway, read the 1.6 FAQ.


How shall I specify the sound board settings in Setup?

You should know your sound board parameters (I/O Base Address, IRQ number and DMA channel), 'cause I guess once in your life you launched a game that required this.
However, there are three ways to get them:

  1. Check out your AUTOEXEC.BAT file: if there's a line labeled "SET BLASTER=..." you've got them: the I/O Base Address is the number after the A, the IRQ number is after the I and the DMA channel is after the D (and, if you've got a SB16 compatible sound card, the DMA-16 channel is after the H).
  2. Under Win95, open the CONTROL PANEL. Launch the SYSTEM icon and find the way to get the AUDIO PERIPHERALS parameters.
  3. If you've already played a game on your PC, run its SETUP and get your parameters from there.
However, if you can't get any of these ways, try to specify random parameters in SETUP, and TEST AUDIO CARD to see if they're effective... Keep in mind that:



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Written by Neurodancer