The installation has two ways of finding the information it needs. First, it reads all the entries in a file on the virtual music CD called SSC.DAT. That’s sort of a database containing the characteristics of all the sound cards we were able to test before the game was released. If the installation doesn’t find an entry for the card, it then tests all the sound devices on the card to determine which ones will produce the best possible sounds and support volume control.

Unfortunately, when the installation is performing these tests, it sometimes encounters devices that either don't work correctly, don't work the way we expect them to, or cause the sound card to stop working completely. When any of these things happen, as I'm sure you've experienced or you wouldn't be reading this, the installation fails and you can't play the game.

But, don't give up just yet! We have ways of getting around it.

Using the updated SSC.DAT from the Website

The first one is to download our updated SSC.DAT from the website and rerun the installation. Since the game was released, we’ve continued to test sound cards and add entries to SSC.DAT. In fact, the updated SSC.DAT you’ll find on the Website contains about three times as many entries as the one on the Quest For Fame CD did. So, there’s a good chance that one of the new entries is for your card.

1. In the root directory of your hard drive, create a directory called VMUSIC

2. Open the VMUSIC directory and create a directory called QF2

3. Download the SSC.DAT file into the C:\VMUSIC\QF2 directory.

Hold down the Shift key and click here to download the updated SSC.DAT file

4. Run the installation using the default directory.(C:\VMUSIC\QF2)

5. If an entry for your sound card was found in the updated SSC.DAT the installation will proceed smoothly.

If the installation fails again, it’s probably because there isn’t an entry for your card in the Updated SSC.DAT . Don’t give up! There’s still one more thing you can try.

On the Virtual Music CD, there's a utility called CARD.EXE that allows you to test each device on your sound card individually, just like the installation does. But, with CARD EXE, you can eliminate the ones that are troublesome, and manually create the SSC.DAT entry you’ll need for your card to work with the virtual music game.

The procedure is lengthy, but if you follow it, step by step, you should get the game to work.

WARNING: Read through the procedure first. If it sounds too confusing or you're not real comfortable working with your computer, call the IBM Support Line at (716) 871-7594. A trained technician will talk you through it.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If at anytime after running CARD.EXE you lose all sound in windows, or the following procedure does not work, RESTART the computer from a complete power down to correct the situation (A complete power down means turn the power switch off on the CPU and wait 10 seconds.)

1. Completely exit the installation of Quest for Fame. Then exit windows and completely power down the machine. then restart it. If you've tried to use the updated SSC.DAT file and have already created the C:\VMUSIC\QF2directory , skip to step 4.

2. Exit to a DOS prompt.

3. Create the Directory C:\VMUSIC\QF2 .

From the C:\ prompt, type the following:
CD \ [Enter]
MD VMUSIC [Enter]
CD VMUSIC [Enter]
MD QF2 [Enter].

COPY D:\TEST\*.* C:\VMUSIC\QF2 [Enter]

Please note: This assume that D is the letter that designates your CD-ROM drive. If your system uses a different letter, use it in place of the D.

5. Type: EXIT [Enter]. Then return to Windows.

6. Using File Manager or Run, navigate to C:\VMUSIC\QF2 and run CARD.EXE.

7. Once in the Device Summary dialog box, select the first Wave Device by double-clicking on it. A Wave Device Test screen dialog box should appear.

a) Click on the Start. Listen for the music.

b) Move the Volume slide bar up and down. If you can hear the music and the volume slide bar controls the volume, click on the box for "Works OK .."

c) Click on Stop, click on Close.


• If the Wave device worked OK, proceed to Step 9.
  
• If it did not work OK, proceed to Step 8.

NOTE: If, while testing a device, you receive an error message similar to the one you saw when you ran the installation, that device is not working correctly and may be adversely effecting the other devices. Make a note of it, and then exit the program by clicking on "Done". Exit Windows, and shut the power off to your system. Restart it and run CARD.EXE. again. Repeat this procedure, but DO NOT TEST THE DEVICE THAT CAUSED THE ERROR MESSAGE.

8. If the first Wave device did not work OK and there are other Wave devices listed, double click on the next one and repeat steps 7a through 7c. Continue until you find a Wave device that does works correctly.

9. Select the first Midi device by double-clicking on it. A Midi Device Test screen dialog box should appear.

NOTE: If a Warning Screen that says "This Midi device doesn’t support volume changes" appears. Click on "OK" and continue with the test.

a) Click on the "Start" button. Listen for the music. You’ll notice that the sound is quite different from that you heard during the Wave device test.

b) If you hear the notes, click on the box labeled "Plays notes."

c) Move the Volume slide bar up and down. If it effects the volume, click on the box labeled "Volume works".

d) Listen closely to the tune. If the last note in the series has a different pitch or sounds out of tune, click on the box labeled "Last note wrong".

e) Click on "Stop", click on "Close".

11. Select the first Aux device by double-clicking on it. An Aux Device Test screen dialog box should appear.

a) Click on the "Start" button. Listen for the music. You’ll notice that there are two tunes playing together. The one you heard during the Wave device tests and the one you heard during the MIDI device tests.

b) Move the Volume slide bar up and down:

• If moving the slide bar effects ONLY the volume of the tune you heard during the Wave device tests, click on the "Wave" circle.
• If moving the slide bar effects ONLY the volume of the tune you heard during the Midi device tests, click on the "Midi" circle.
• If moving the slide bar effects the volume of both tones, click on the "Master" circle.
• If moving the slide bar has NO effects on the volume, click on the "Unknown" circle

c) Click on Stop, click on Close.

12. Repeat steps 11a) through 11c) until all Aux. devices have been tested.

13. On the right of the screen about half way down, you’ll notice a box with the number 220 in it. Double-click in the box so the number becomes highlighted. Then click on the "Test" button. The OPL3 Test Screen should appear.

14. Click "Start" and listen for music.

• If you hear anything, click on "Works OK", then "Stop", then "Close"
• If you hear nothing, click on "Stop", then "Close."
• If you see a Problem screen that says it’s unable to start OPL3, Click on the "OK" box, then "Close"

15. Click SSC.DAT in the lower right corner of the card program. This will create an SSC.DAT file in your VMUSIC\QF2 directory that contains an entry for your sound card.

16. Exit the Card Program by clicking "Done"

17. Re-install Quest for Fame. The installation will read that new SSC.DAT file entry and the game should install without problem.

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