Games Using the PC Speaker May Run Slowly or Hang

Last reviewed: August 23, 1995
Article ID: Q134591

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you run a game that uses the PC speaker to play sounds, your computer may run slowly or stop responding (hang).

CAUSE

This problem can occur if the game tries to set the timer chip to a rate faster than Windows 95 can handle. When this occurs, the game does not receive timer ticks as rapidly as it expects, causing the game to run slowly.

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem, configure the game to run in MS-DOS mode. To do so, follow these steps:

In Windows Explorer or My Computer, use the right mouse button to click the game's executable file, and then click Properties on the menu that appears.
On the Program tab, click Advanced.
Click the MS-DOS Mode check box to select it, and then click OK.

To run the program with the new configuration, double-click the game's executable file. Do not type the game's executable filename at an MS-DOS prompt to start the game.

KBCategory: kb3rdparty
KBSubcategory: posfest win95
Additional reference words: 95

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Last reviewed: August 23, 1995
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