Troubleshooting Audio Codecs in Windows 95

 Last reviewed: November 20, 1997
Article ID: Q141801
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 95

SUMMARY

This article lists troubleshooting steps to help you troubleshoot problems with audio codecs in Windows 95. An audio codec is an algorithm used to compress and decompress sound files. The following problems are addressed in this article:

  • Missing codecs
  • Disabled or damaged codecs
  • Conflicts between 16-bit and 32-bit codecs

MORE INFORMATION

Missing Codecs

Windows 95 includes 32-bit versions of several common codecs. These 32-bit codecs are installed by default during Windows 95 Setup when a sound card is installed in the computer, and are used by multimedia programs even if a 16-bit version of the same codec is available.

To verify that the 32-bit codecs included with Windows 95 are installed, follow these steps:

  1. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.

  2. Click the Windows Setup tab.

  3. Click Multimedia, and then click Details.

  4. Verify that the Audio Compression check box is selected. If it is not selected, click the check box to select it, and then click OK.

If you still cannot play a particular .wav file after verifying that the 32- bit codecs included with Windows 95 are installed, the .wav file may have been compressed using a third-party codec that is not included with Windows 95. To determine which codec was used to compress the file, use the right mouse button to click the .wav file in Windows Explorer, click Properties on the menu that appears, and then click the Details tab. The Audio Format line should contain information about the type of compression used to compress the file, the sound quality of the file, and whether or not the file is in stereo.

If the codec used to compress the file is not one of the codecs included with Windows 95, contact the codec manufacturer for information about troubleshooting the problem. The following 32-bit codecs are included with Windows 95:

  • Microsoft Adaptive Delta Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM)
  • Microsoft Interactive Multimedia Association (IMA) ADPCM
  • DSP Group Truespeech Software
  • Microsoft Groupe Special Mobile (GSM) 6.10
  • Microsoft Consultative Committee for International Telephone and Telegraph (CCITT) G.711 A-Law and u-Law
  • Microsoft PCM Converter

If the codec used to compress the file is one of the codecs included with Windows 95, you can verify that the particular codec is installed by following these steps:

  1. In Control Panel, double-click Multimedia.

  2. Click the Advanced tab.

  3. Double-click the Audio Compression Codecs branch to expand it.

If the codec used to compress the file is not listed, install that codec using the Add New Hardware tool in Control Panel. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. In Control Panel, double-click Add New Hardware.

  2. Click Next, click No, and then click Next.

  3. Click Sound, Video, And Game Controllers, and then click Next.

  4. To install the ADPCM, IMA ADPCM, GSM 6.10, or CCITT G.711 A-Law and u-Law codecs, click Microsoft Audio Codecs in the Manufacturers box, and then click the particular codec that you want to install in the Models box. To install the DSP Group Truespeech Software codec, click DSP Group in the Manufacturers box, and then click TrueSpeech(TM) Software Codec in the Models box.

  5. Click Next, and then click Finish.

Disabled or Damaged Codecs

If you still cannot play a particular .wav file after verifying that the codec used to compress the file is installed, the codec may be disabled or damaged. To verify that a particular codec is enabled, follow these steps:

  1. In Control Panel, double-click Multimedia.

  2. Click the Advanced tab.

  3. Double-click the Audio Compression Codecs branch to expand it.

  4. Click the codec used to compress the file that you are attempting to play, and then click Properties.

  5. Verify that the Use This Audio Codec option is selected.

To ensure that you are not using a damaged codec, follow these steps to reinstall a codec:

  1. In Control Panel, double-click Multimedia.

  2. Click the Advanced tab.

  3. Double-click the Audio Compression Codecs branch to expand it.

  4. Click the codec used to compress the file that you are attempting to play, and then click Properties.

  5. Click Remove, and then click Yes.

  6. Restart your computer.

  7. In Control Panel, double-click Add New Hardware.

  8. Click Next, click No, and then click Next.

  9. Click Sound, Video, And Game Controllers, and then click Next.

  10. Install the codec used to compress the file that you are attempting to play. To install the ADPCM, IMA ADPCM, GSM 6.10, or CCITT G.711 A-Law and u-Law codecs, click Microsoft Audio Codecs in the Manufacturers box, and then click the codec that you want to install in the Models box. To install the DSP Group Truespeech Software codec, click DSP Group in the Manufacturers box, and then click TrueSpeech(TM) Software Codec in the Models box.

  11. Click Next, and then click Finish.

Conflicts Between 16-Bit and 32-Bit Codecs

If the 32-bit version of an audio codec that Windows 95 needs to play a particular .wav file is not installed or is disabled, Windows 95 uses the 16-bit version of the codec if it is available. If the 32-bit version of the codec is installed, Windows 95 uses this version by default. However, you may experience problems when both the 16-bit and 32-bit versions of a particular codec are installed.

The following 16-bit audio codecs are installed by the run-time versions of Microsoft Video for Windows, Microsoft Windows Sound System, and many other Microsoft multimedia programs:

  • Microsoft ADPCM
  • Microsoft IMA ADPCM
  • DSP Group Truespeech Software

These 16-bit codecs appear in the [Drivers] section of the System.ini file, but do not appear when you double-click the Multimedia icon in Control Panel, click the Advanced tab, and then expand the Audio Compression Codecs branch of the Multimedia Drivers tree. To disable a 16-bit codec, remark or remove the line in the System.ini file that corresponds to that codec. After disabling the 16-bit version of the codec, you should reinstall the 32-bit version using the steps described in the "Disabled or Damaged Codecs" section above.

The following lines in the System.ini file correspond to the 16-bit versions of the Microsoft ADPCM, Microsoft IMA ADPCM, and DSP Group Truespeech Software codecs, respectively: 

   [Drivers]
   msacm.msadpcm=msadpcm.acm
   msacm.imaadpcm=imaadpcm.acm
   msacm.trspch=ts_soft.acm
If you are using a 16-bit program in Windows 95, you may want to disable the 32-bit version of a particular codec, instead of disabling the 16-bit version. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. In Control Panel, double-click Multimedia.

  2. Click the Advanced tab.

  3. Double-click the Audio Compression Codecs branch to expand it.

  4. Click the codec you want to disable, and then click Properties.

  5. Click the Do Not Use This Audio Codec option to select it.

  6. Click OK.

Additional query words: 95
Keywords : win95 kbmm kbsound
Version : WINDOWS:95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbtshoot

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Last reviewed: November 20, 1997
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