KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q183069: Ensoniq PCI Sound Card Experiences Static When Disk Is Accessed

Article: Q183069
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): WinNT:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbWinNT400sp4fix
Last Modified: 10-AUG-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SYMPTOMS
========

You have an EIDE/ATA hard drive and you have applied the fix mentioned in the
following Knowledge Base article:

  ARTICLE-ID: Q153296
  TITLE : Write Cache on IDE/ATAPI Disks Is Not Flushed on Shut Down

Your Ensoniq PCI Soundcard is experiencing static when the hard disk drive is
accessed.

CAUSE
=====

This problem is caused by a regression introduced in the fix mentioned in the
above article. That hotfix includes two modifications to Atapi.sys. The first
modification was to flush the write cache on the disk when the system is being
shut down and the second added periodic flushes of the write cache by the file
system. It is this second change that is causing the problem with the sound
card. Because these flushes were being done synchronously, this was tying up the
PCI bus long enough to prevent the Ensoniq driver from updating the synthesizer
regularly. The fix to this problem was to make the flushes asynchronous, so they
would not interfere with other drivers.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or
Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information,
please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack


This fix is a replacement for the fix described in the following Knowledge Base
article and should be used in its place:

  ARTICLE-ID: Q153296
  TITLE : Write Cache on IDE/ATAPI Disks Is Not Flushed on Shut Down


STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT
Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows
NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
Service Pack 4.


======================================================================
Keywords          : kbWinNT400sp4fix 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbNTTermServ400 kbNTTermServSearch
Version           : WinNT:4.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.