Larian Studios Forums Divine Divinity (English) Technical Problems Serious sound issues made worse by patch

I've installed the patch to get rid of the horrible screeching high pitched noise in Iona's dungeon, and now ALL dungeons have the noise, even the ones that didn't previously.

I can't play the game at all now. My save prior to the noise starting is so long ago that I have no intention of going back that far.

I have run a dxdiag but for some reason I can't paste it in here, so I can't give any further information. I'm running XP

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System Information
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Time of this report: 12/22/2004, 18:39:04
Machine name: MAIN
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp2.030422-1633)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: NVIDIA
System Model: AWRDACPI
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 3000+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.2GHz
Memory: 512MB RAM
Page File: 142MB used, 1107MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0b (4.09.0000.0902)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.0001.0902 32bit Unicode

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Try lowering your hardware sound acceleration (click Start | Run, type in dxdiag and hit Enter, then switch to the sound tab).
Did you check for updated drivers for your sound card/chip?

directX can be updated to 9.0c now as well.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
and probably service pack 2......too! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/XmasJump.gif" alt="" />

If you have Realtek AC'97 Audio on your motherboard and NVIDIA video chip try going to the OEM MFGR’s web site of your computer and download the sound driver specific for your particular computer.

I do know for a FACT that Windows Update will say there is a New Sound Driver for you and it will say it is an NVIDIA sound driver.
This is Wrong, Wrong, Wrong for your computer.
You need the Realtek AC'97 Audio driver.

Again, this is only the case if you have Realtek AC'97 Audio on your motherboard and NVIDIA video chip.


Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

One more thing...

if you have a HP or Compaq Computer don't let Windows Auto Updates install that new Realtek 97 audio driver.

Oh it works fine until you play a game.
For some reason that driver makes all of my games sound like I'm in an echo chamber all of the time.
I went back to HP and installed the OEM MFGR driver they have and my sound was perfect again.

I setup my Windows auto updates to tell me if any are there, but not to download or install any.
That way things don't screw up anymore.

If you don't have an HP or Compaq computer look into that anyway.
You never know.


Kyra_Ny <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

I'll have to check into what's on my computer and do some updates, I guess.

I'll also do the DX update.

I actually had this problem the other two times I played this game (many updates ago, but only in the one dungeon and I just turned the sound off and played without until the dungeon was done. Installing the patch really made it worse.

Thanks for the help.

I have the exact same problem. I have headphones, so whenever I go into a dungeon, I take the headphones off - but it's seriously wrecking the experience. Even the Divine Ritual has it so what should be a dramatic moment is wrecked.

In my case I have all the latest drivers direct x 9.0c, windows XP, service pack 2, latest sound/graphic drivers. Does anyone know how to stop the screeching?

Did you try lowering or disabling hardware sound acceleration in dxdiag? (click Start | Run, type in dxdiag and hit Enter, then switch to the sound tab)

If you reboot your computer, does that help? Someone else encounter this problem but rebooting cleared it up.

Try deleting all of the files in the '..\Divine Divinity\Run\Dynamic' folder.
This folder is used as a cache for the game. Files are created / copied there from the save game folder when you load, and written / copied from that folder when you save a game. The files will be re-created as required the next time you start Divinity. If there was a corrupt file in that folder, deleting the files should fix the problem.

If you play with the volume for the different sound categories, does that effect the screeching? The sound during the blessing ceremony is from the video, though....

Have you tried backing up your saved games and doing a clean install? (see Troubleshooting Tips)