AHI error in every game I start
  • Caterpillar
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    dirkvl123
    Posts: 33 from 2014/5/27
    WARNING: Could not open audio device: Unable to open AHI device! Error code -1.


    It is a nasty thing. I tried to go in my morphos3.5.iso and go to /devs, and
    copy the original ahi folder in my active systems /dev folder. Same for ahi.device and audio.device.

    After, I tried to copy these files to my morphos folder. (I still didn't found out what actually is my real system folder) but to be sure, I did every location where I found a /devs folder.
    Rebooted several times. Nothing changes anything.

    I tried to change settings in "audio" and "sound" settings from the system menu, that didn't help.

    I have no sound in games or in any other application. Many programs
    refuse to start and give the AHI device error.
    Seems my AHI setup is corrupt and I can't correct it.
    Has anybody got an idea?

    I wanted to go for a fresh reinstall anyway, but I can't accept I don't know
    to solve this problem. I still don't understand the morphos system well enough....

    Thanks for any help offered.

    dirkvl123





    [ Edited by dirkvl123 02.06.2014 - 23:43 ]
  • »03.06.14 - 01:42
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  • jPV
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    jPV
    Posts: 2096 from 2003/2/24
    From: po-RNO
    First, what hardware are you using? Which computer/mobo and do you have separate sound card?

    Does the audio work if you boot from the MorphOS installation CD?

    MorphOS's internal files are located in SYS:MorphOS/ and in this case devices are in SYS:MorphOS/Devs/ but it's not recommended to touch them, they'll be replaced without asking on next system update.


    [ Edited by jPV 03.06.2014 - 05:48 ]
  • »03.06.14 - 05:46
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  • Caterpillar
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    dirkvl123
    Posts: 33 from 2014/5/27
    Yes, I forgot to add that information. Good question.


    I use a mac mini G4 1.5 ghz. with the standard intrigated sound card on the mac mini main board.
    This is a software related issue. It must be. But I will load the morphos 3.5 cd and check to
    be sure.

    About the automatic system update, I forgot to mention to, that the problem started when I
    was messing around trying to install a classic amiga called "Myst" on my morphos system.
    At some morphos forum I read a post of a guy who said to have managed to install the game in Morphos. For me it didn't work, only a frozen morphos as result. After trying and experiment I found
    The "Myst" application folder had a folder called "prefs". In this folder there was a classic amiga ahi config file. I clicked on it one time and this was a mistake. I think it corrupted my morphos AHI perminantly.

    My first trial to correct the problem was to re install the morphos 3.5 cd over my corrupted system.
    I assumed that all ahi driver files would be automatically would be corrected.
    This didn't work. I'm sure that a fresh install will work, but for knowledge improving reasons I like
    to learn to tackle the problem.

    I will try the live cd and report.

    Thanks for your help.
  • »03.06.14 - 10:47
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  • MorphOS Developer
    geit
    Posts: 1049 from 2004/9/23
    The problem is probably a missconfiguration due a broken/inkompatible settings file.

    Open system settings

    Select AHI prefs panel.
    Choose "music unit" in top cycle and select "unit 0: .... hifi ...++" in list.
    Now select all other cycle options (unit 0-3) and select the "apple ... hifi ...++" in list. Also make sure the number of channels is set to 4 on each page.

    Now select "sound" from the left prefs panel list or select the icon depending on the mode you use to visialize the system settings. Make sure all units are in the right list. If now, drag them over.

    After saving these settings sound should work.

    The easiest way to test if sound is now working, is double clicking a mp3 file.

    [ Edited by geit 03.06.2014 - 10:00 ]
  • »03.06.14 - 10:55
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  • jPV
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    jPV
    Posts: 2096 from 2003/2/24
    From: po-RNO
    Replacing AHI system files doesn't replace messed up config files. You probably find the AHI config files from ENVARC:

    Anyway it should be fixable quite easily, so don't do any OS reinstalling.

    Old working prefs file may even be found from sys:.recycled dir.

    [ Edited by jPV 03.06.2014 - 11:02 ]
  • »03.06.14 - 11:01
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    dirkvl123
    Posts: 33 from 2014/5/27
    Hi Geit,


    Thanks for helping this quickly!
    Ok, I tested the 3.5 cd live session, than ahi works perfect, as expected.

    Run my install, morphos already opens with a red cross in the sound icon in the top bar.
    I tried following your procedure, and there i have I thi nk what is the problem;


    Looking in music unit (audio) in the system settings, I can select following options:

    -music unit -unit 0 -unit1 -unit2 and unit 3.

    Problem: In music unit I can select from a long list , but when I switch to unit 0/1/2/3, the
    list is completely empty! Nor can i select number of channels. The channels selectors are greyed out.

    I tried to go to sound, and drag all units from the left window to the right and save. But it makes no difference
    under "audio" (music unit). When I select music unit , I see a list. when I select any of the unit numbers, I see nothing...
  • »03.06.14 - 11:30
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  • Caterpillar
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    dirkvl123
    Posts: 33 from 2014/5/27
    JPV,

    I tried to locate those config files, but all were modified today.
    This means it is not possible to use them to restore a situation of last week.

    Geit,

    I will wait till there is some news, thanks till sofar for all attempts in offering help.


    D.
  • »03.06.14 - 13:08
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  • Caterpillar
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    dirkvl123
    Posts: 33 from 2014/5/27
    So Geit and JPV, guys, I supported myself. I found a solution.

    You're gonna love this!

    It is not beautiful, but it works. All my games run again and the sound is back on the sytem. AHI runs.


    Ok, what I did:


    It was a bit quiet after the last messages yesterday, so today I had time and I decided try out more.
    I took the risk to fuck up my morphos system for good and be not able to restart morphos from the HD.So, reader if you have a problem like mine, be careful, the boys from the morphos development team will never approve of this method. If you use it, it must be the last resort. First, try all things Geit and JPV told me. Secondly back up all your stuff in case it goes wrong. You are warned.

    1. Have a morphosxx.iso install file somewhere on your hd. Note that this iso file must the exact morphos version you've installed on your HD.
    2. Go in the iso file (Morphos is beautiful)
    3. Select "all files"
    3. Go to this location in the iso: /Morphos
    4. Select the devs drawer, and click right mouse button. Click copy.

    Now be careful, the next step can give you a lot of trouble if it goes wrong.

    5.Open a second explorer with the "My morphos" icon on your desktop.
    6. When it opens, you see your Morphos Drive. Open it. You are now in : My morphos / morphos
    7. Click right mouse button and choose "paste"
    8. When a window comes up and ask to overwrite, you choose "yes"
    9. Reboot your system.

    10. After Reboot you probably already see a blue sound wave on the sound icon instead of a red cross. Now, follow the exact steps Geit describes in article 4 of this post.

    That's all.

    Afterwards seen I never located the real problem. But I know it was not in the AHI folder, or a missing ahi device. Or corrupt config files. I tried to copy those earlier without result. And something else, the devs drawer in the root of the iso file, also not works. It must be the devs drawer under #iso#/Morphos/





    [ Edited by dirkvl123 04.06.2014 - 11:32 ]
  • »04.06.14 - 12:55
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  • Caterpillar
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    dirkvl123
    Posts: 33 from 2014/5/27
    One more thing, I never got an answer for the thing that caused all trouble...
    Is there a way to run Myst on morphos? (native)




    [ Edited by dirkvl123 04.06.2014 - 11:19 ]
  • »04.06.14 - 13:12
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    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12161 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > Is there a way to run Myst on morphos? (native)

    https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=9971&forum=10
  • »04.06.14 - 13:52
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  • MorphOS Developer
    geit
    Posts: 1049 from 2004/9/23
    Quote:

    dirkvl123 wrote:
    Afterwards seen I never located the real problem. But I know it was not in the AHI folder, or a missing ahi device. Or corrupt config files. I tried to copy those earlier without result. And something else, the devs drawer in the root of the iso file, also not works. It must be the devs drawer under #iso#/Morphos/




    In other words you simply reinstalled (-> == repair) MorphOS like you would do when booting/installing from CD.

    Well, sort of, as you messed up all file flags and other things. :)

    The devs drawer on the CD is empty. It is just a place holder so the user finds where to put custom data in. Same for most other drawers on the CD. All system files are always stored in MorphOS drawer and *any* attempt to install it the official way, will *completely replace it. *everytime*

    I suggest to do that again, as you already messed up your system by performing a simple copy from cd, which is not a proper install and you system will fail here and there in the future.

    If you really did the same (CD install) earlier, I would check the ISO md5 used and maybe burn on a different CDRW. And if that is causing trouble check harddrive for damages.

    Geit



    [ Edited by geit 04.06.2014 - 15:49 ]
  • »04.06.14 - 16:46
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  • Caterpillar
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    dirkvl123
    Posts: 33 from 2014/5/27
    Geit,

    I hear a lot of cynism in your response. I understand you are not happy with
    my ideas. Well, I'm not sure what you mean by flags etc, but you are the developer, not me.

    I already had foreseen that my "simple copy" is a risky aproach. But in one thing I do not agree to you,and I can motivate it.

    " In other words you simply reinstalled (-> == repair) MorphOS like you would do when booting/installing from CD."
    "f you really did the same (CD install) earlier, I would check the ISO md5 used and maybe burn on a different CDRW. And if that is causing trouble check harddrive for damages."

    No.

    I burned the disc a month before to update my system from 3.4 to 3.5. In that time after using the cd, I had a perfect Morphos 3.5 system. So, the iso I burned (with the burner of my mac mini G4, which was replaced with a new one about 2 years ago, and I practically never used it besides of installing morphos 3.3/3.4/3.5 on the device) was good. It did it's job.
    I put it safely away 4 weeks and later (last week) used it in attempt to solve my AHI problem.

    It didn't work. This time the re install attempt didn't replace the file I appearently needed. Why? I don't know, I'm not a Morphos developer. But I'm sure that cd is good. Also my HD works ok. Everything is possible I agree to that, but the theory of a corrupt cd or HD is too much of coincidence.It seemed later that this "simple copy" approach did what I needed, at least for a temporary solution.

    Don't worry I will soon install morphos 3.5.1. A complete new installation. But I'm waiting for a Papiosaur's chrysalis 3.5.2 edition.( http://www.meta-morphos.fr ) I thought to combine it. For now my AHI works, I 'm listening to jukebox songs while I'm typing. No strange behaviour of my system last days. I was wondering; Seen you "file flag" critic, what would have happened if I had completely deleted the devs folder on my faulty ahi system, and after performed a new reinstall attempt? Would the absence of the /devs folder be noted and compared by the Morphos installer... Would that have been a better go, in relation to later problems because of a direct copy? (missing flags...)

    But I agree to you, that actions like mine, could result in other problems later. With a new upgrade to 3.6 for example.(Will we have airport support finally? :) ) By the way, I never ment my action as an alternative to install morphos.

    One more thing I like to ask you, Maybe I missed something, but is there a technical manual for morphos? I have never seen one.
    For example microsoft has given the world a lot of crap os 'ses lately, but they always offer a course to have people being able to deal with it's weaknesses. MSDE for example, for a local understanding of the architecture. Since I have started using Morphos i always had lots of trouble with finding clear information about how the system really works. For people that never left the Amiga scene it is all logical I suppose. But in my case for example, the last experience before Morphos was Amiga 500.....



    Anyway, Thanks for Morphos!







    [ Edited by dirkvl123 06.06.2014 - 08:22 ]
  • »05.06.14 - 22:43
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    Andreas_Wolf
    Posts: 12161 from 2003/5/22
    From: Germany
    > I'm not sure what you mean by flags

    I think he means the protection bits:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AmigaDOS#Protection_bits

    > With a new upgrade to 3.6 for example.(Will we have airport support finally? :) )

    https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?forum=11&topic_id=9235&start=118
  • »06.06.14 - 15:30
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