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Common Auralia 2.1 for Windows Problems and Solutions

If your problem is not listed here, please see our list of Network and Database problems. This applies to both Auralia 2.1 and Musition 2.0.

Table of Contents

Installation Error - 'The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications'

Some people have reported receiving errors at the start of the installation process. A box labelled '16 bit Windows Subsytem' pops up with the following message;

'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-Dos and Microsoft Windows applications.  Choose 'Close' to terminate application. '

Clicking on either of the buttons does not allow for successful completion of the installation.

To resolve this problem, download this installer and run it. This installer simply copies the autoexec.nt file to your windows system folder. Run the program installation from your CD again once you have finished.

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These instructions below show how to extract this files manually from the Windows CD - it should not be necessary to follow these instructions unless the downloaded file doesn't resolve the problem

There is a note in the Microsoft Knowledge base regarding this - article 142271. Please refer to that article, and the notes below.

  • In the Microsoft article, the figure '%SystemRoot%' refers to the directory where Windows is installed. In most cases, this will be 'c:\windows'.
  • To expand the required files, you will need to open up a command window. To do this, click on 'Start - > Run', type in 'cmd', and press enter.
  • It is likely that you will need your original Windows CD to fix this problem.
  • When in the command window, you will need to expand the files using the 'expand' command. If your CD-ROM drive is drive D, the following command would expand the required files files into c:\windows\system32;

    expand d:\i386\command.co_ c:\windows\system32
    expand d:\i386\autoexec.nt_ c:\windows\system32
    expand d:\i386\config.nt_ c:\windows\system32

Please get in touch with us if you continue to have problems.

Running Auralia when Windows is NOT installed on C: drive

If you are running Windows from a hard drive other than the C: drive, you need to change some settings in the Borland Database Engine.

  1. If you are running Windows XP, click on 'Start -> Control Panel -> BDE Administrator'.

    If you are NOT running Windows XP, click on 'Start -> Settings -> Control Panel', and double click on 'BDE Administrator' in the window that appears

  2. Click on the 'Configuration' tab.

  3. Double click on 'Drivers'

  4. Double click on 'Native'

  5. Double click on 'Paradox'

  6. In the area to the right, you will see a setting called 'NET DIR' appear. This will be set to 'C:\'. Change this to the drive where you have Windows installed (for example 'G:\').

Balancing Wave and MIDI Sound Levels (Question and Answer sounds too soft)

Auralia plays the question sounds using the MIDI device on your sound card, or an external MIDI device if you have one. The Opening, Closing, Right and Wrong sounds are Wave sounds, using a different part of your sound card. If there is an imbalance in these sounds, you can correct it by following the instructions below.

  1. Start Auralia

  2. Click on the small speaker icon located on the toolbar. This will load the Windows volume control.

  3. Adjust the sliders for the 'Wave' device and 'MIDI' / 'Synthesizer' device.

    If these devices are not available, click on the 'Options -> Properties' menu. From this screen, you should be able to enable the devices you require using the list of available volume controls. Click on OK.

  4. Close the mixer and test the new levels in Auralia.

  5. To make further adjustments, repeat the above steps.

Problems running Auralia under Windows XP Home Edition

There is a problem with Auralia when running under Windows XP Home Edition. Unless the instructions below are followed, you can run Auralia under a 'Administrator' account, but not a 'Limited' account. You will receive a 'Permission Denied' error message and a reference to 'C:\PDOXUSRS.NET'.

  1. Before installing the software, login as a user with 'Limited' access.

  2. In the 'C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents' or 'C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents' folder, create a folder called 'Rising'.

  3. Login as a user with 'Administrator' access.

  4. Run the Auralia install program.

    The second screen in the installation program asks you where you would like to install the software. Browse to the folder 'C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Rising'. This is the folder you created as a user in step 2.

    (The folder may also be called 'C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\Rising')

    Select this folder as your installation folder and continue as normal.

  5. Start up Auralia.

  6. Go to the 'Administration -> Network' menu.

    Click on the 'Browse' button.

    Browse to the folder that we setup in step 2 - 'C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\Rising' and click on OK.

    (The folder may also be called 'C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Rising')

    Ensure that all three checkboxes are checked.

    Click on OK and exit Auralia or Musition.

  7. Login as a user with Limited access - Auralia should run perfectly now!

NOTE: If you have to install both Auralia and Musition, simply follow instructions 3 - 6 for the second progam.

No sound when practising (MIDI Sound)

When you are practising, Auralia plays the questions using a MIDI device. In most cases, this is built into your soundcard, however, you may also use external keyboards and soundmodules. If you can't hear any sound, follow the steps below to resolve the issue.

Check Auralia MIDI Settings

  1. Start Auralia
  2. Open the 'Administration -> General -> MIDI Sound' menu.
  3. Ensure that the box 'Enable MIDI output' is ticked

Check Windows MIDI settings

  1. Start Auralia
  2. Open the 'Administration -> General -> MIDI Sound' menu.
  3. Click on the button 'Open the Multimedia Control Panel'. Another window will open, showing your systems Audio and MIDI settings.
  4. The next step depends on the version of Windows that you are running:

    Windows 95/98/NT
    - Click on the MIDI tab.
    - Check that the correct instrument is selected under 'Single Instrument'.

    Windows ME, 2000 or XP
    - Click on the Audio tab.
    - Check that the correct instrument is selected under 'MIDI Music Playback' -> 'Default Device'.


    You will probably have a number of different instruments available. Instruments with descriptions such as 'MIDI Output', 'MPU-401', 'MIDI UART' or 'External MIDI Device' are typically only used if you have an external keyboard or sound module.

    We recommend avoiding wavetable synthesis devices if possible, as their rhythmical accuracy is often poor.
  5. Click on 'Apply' and then 'OK'. You will be returned to Auralia.
  6. Open a topic such as Interval Recognition, Level 1. If you don't hear any MIDI sound, try another MIDI device, or check your volume levels below.

Check Windows MIDI Volume Settings

  1. Start Auralia
  2. Click on the small speaker icon located on the toolbar. This will load the Windows mixer.
  3. Check that the MIDI slider is not muted. Note that depending on sound card manufacturer, the a ticked box at the bottom of each slider may mean 'mute' or 'active'.

    If the MIDI slider is not available, click on the 'Options -> Properties' menu. From this screen, you should be able to enable the MIDI volume control using the list of available volume controls. Click on OK.
  4. Increase the MIDI volume if necessary and close the mixer.

LANGID Database Error on Startup

This problem occurs if you are using certain versions of Auralia and Musition (full version or demos) on the one computer, and can be fixed by downloading updates for BOTH programs. If you are running demo versions, simply download the demos from our website.

Full Version Patches

Auralia: http://www.risingsoftware.com/support/auralia21/fixes.shtml

Musition: http://www.risingsoftware.com/support/musition2/fixes.shtml

Demo Versions

http://www.risingsoftware.com/support/downloads.shtml

No response when using a microphone in Auralia.

Assuming that your microphone is working, and connected properly, you shouldn't have any problems using the singing topics. To test if you microphone is working properly, follow the steps below.

Check that Microphone Recording is active

  1. Start Auralia
  2. Click on the small speaker icon located on the toolbar. This will load the Windows volume control.
  3. Click on the 'Options -> Properties' menu.
  4. In the box marked 'Adjust volume for', click on 'Recording'.
  5. In the list of volume controls, check the 'Microphone' is ticked.
  6. Click on OK.
  7. Check that the Microphone slider is not muted. Note that depending on sound card manufacturer, the a ticked box at the bottom of each slider may mean 'mute' or 'active'.
  8. Leave the Microphone slider level at roughly half. However, you may need to adjust this later.

Check that the Microphone is working

  1. Click on 'Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Entertainment -> Sound Recorder'. Note that depending on your version of Windows, the Sound Recorder may be under a different menu. It is extremely likely however, that it is somewhere under 'Start -> Programs -> Accessories'.
  2. Click on the record button, speak into your microphone and press stop.
  3. Now press the play button. If you can't hear what you have just recorded, then there may be a problem with the microphone, or the way it is connected to your computer. The type of microphone that you are using should not matter a great deal.

Further microphone problems

If you are consistently getting incorrect answers, consult the instructions in the Auralia help file.

From within Auralia, click on 'Help -> Using Sound2MIDI Pitch Recognition'.

Problems with uninstalling Auralia

If you have both Auralia and Musition installed, and try to uninstall using the Windows 'Add/Remove Programs' option in the control panel, you may get an error 'Unable to locate the installation log file 'xxxx'. Uninstallation will not continue'. This problem cannot be rectified, and the software must be deleted by hand if you wish to uninstall the software.

Typically, Auralia and Musition are installed under 'c:\program files\rising software\', in directories called 'Auralia21' and 'Musition2'. There will also be directories called 'data2' and 'network'. Only delete the 'data2' and 'network' directories if you intend to delete both programs, as they are shared between the two programs.

Locked out of administration

If you have forgotten your administration password, or have forgotten your user name and password, you will be locked of of the program, or perhaps just the administration areas. If this is the case, you can get back into the software by editing the 'auralia.ini' file.

  1. Search for the file 'auralia.ini' (typically will be found in 'c:\program files\rising software\auralia21\'.
  2. Open the file in notepad, and find the line 'security=1' or 'security=2'.
  3. Change that line to 'security=0' - this disables all security.
  4. Save the file and exit notepad.
  5. You will then be able to open the software and use all functions without needing any passwords.

Note that if you are running the software on a network, you may be using a shared .ini file. This will mean that you will need to edit the 'auralia.ini' file that is on your file server. Editing this will allow anybody on any workstation to access the software without passwords! So, be careful; perhaps do it out of school hours... it would be best to consult with your network manager before editing a shared 'auralia.ini' file.

Invalid Serial Number when starting Auralia

This is a problem encountered most often on networks. Typically, the software has been setup and working fine, clients all talking to server databases. Then, over a holiday period, the network admin may rename or move some shares on the file server, which breaks the link to the software. The share might then be recreated, and the 'data2' directory copied across. However, if the clients have been configured to use a shared 'auralia.ini' file, and the Auralia21 folder isn't copied across, then you will get the 'Invalid Serial Number' message.

To fix this, is is best that you find old .ini file and move it to the 'Auralia21' directory. So, in your share you should end up with something such as 'rising software\data2', 'rising software\auralia21' and 'rising software\network'.

If you are only running Auralia on ONE computer, then it is likely that your 'auralia.ini' file has been corrupted, or deleted. Reinstall Auralia on that computer.

Auralia 'crashes' on startup - 'fatal exception has occured'

This problem is typically soundcard related. When Auralia starts, it attempts to open the soundcard MIDI device, and send it a 'reset' command, to ready it for use in Auralia. Generally, if this fails, then Auralia will report back an error message and continue on without sound. In some instances, poor quality or buggy soundcard drivers can cause Auralia to crash.

Update Sound Card Drivers

  1. The first thing to do is to download and install the latest soundcard drivers for your particular soundcard.

Disable MIDI Reset command

  1. Search for the file 'auralia.ini' (typically will be found in 'c:\program files\rising software\auralia21\'
  2. Open the file in notepad, and find the line '[Auralia21]'
  3. Underneath that line, add another line 'gmReset=0'
  4. Save the file and exit notepad
  5. Auralia should now startup correctly.

No sound/response when playing in answer on keyboard

To use midi keyboard input you must enable midi thru.

  1. Start Auralia/Musition and go to the >Administration>General>Midi Sound menu.
  2. Check that the 'Enable MIDI through during practise' box is ticked.
  3. Check that the correct device is selected under MIDI input device.
  4. Close and then restart Auralia/Musition and you should have midi input.

If you are not getting any question sounds please see No sound when practising (MIDI Sound)

Go to: Auralia 2.1 support, support index, main index.

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