Cannot Install Sound Blaster AWE32 Sound Card from Setup Disk

 Last reviewed: February 18, 1998
Article ID: Q141597
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you run the Setup disk for the Sound Blaster AWE32 sound card, you may receive the following error message 

   We've encountered an error as follows:
   On script line 184 we had a problem:
   Unable to create directory C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\<filename>
   Continue installing? "Y" or "N"
where <filename> is Sb16snd.drv, Cspman.dll, or Sbawe32.drv.

After you receive this error message, you receive a series of error messages, including general protection (GP) fault error messages.

CAUSE

The Windows 95 drivers for the AWE32 sound card were loaded and in use when you tried to run the Setup disk. Some of the drivers were replaced by Windows 3.x drivers from the Setup disk.

RESOLUTION

Remove the AWE32 sound card in Device Manager and then use the Add New Hardware tool in Control Panel to redetect the sound card.

Note that it may also be necessary to disable lines in the System.ini file that reference the following files before you can redetect the sound card: 

   Sb16aux.drv
   Sb16snd.drv
   Sbawe32.drv
To disable these lines, open the System.ini file in any text editor (such as Notepad), and place a semicolon (;) at the beginning of each line you want to disable. After you disable the lines, save the System.ini file and restart Windows 95.

MORE INFORMATION

After you receive the error messages described above, you receive the following error message when you restart your computer: 

   Sound Blaster AWE32 MIDI Synth VSBPD.386 not installed
When Windows 95 starts, you see a blank desktop. Running a program restores the desktop. Windows 95 seems to work correctly, but trying to use any audio component results in GP fault error messages such as: 

   MSGSRV32 caused a general protection fault in MMSYSTEM.DLL
   RUNDLL32 caused a general protection fault in SB16AUX.DRV
   MMTASK caused a segment not present fault in CSPMAN.DLL
   SYSTRAY caused a general protection fault in SB16AUX.DRV
Shutting down and restarting the computer results in the following error message: 

   System File Error - The following system files have been replaced
   with older versions:

      cspman.dll, sb16snd.drv, msmixmgr.dll
This is followed by a blank desktop and GP faults as described above.

Additional reference words: 95 gpf homemm awe 32
Keywords : win95 kb3rdparty kberrmsg kbsound
Version : 95
Platform : WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: February 18, 1998
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