OK. Progress (maybe) but problem not resolved yet. Here is what I have done thus far:

1) Deleted entire folder C:\BB This was the install folder of new 2011 version, as that's were the 2011 exe was so this delete is to to prepare for a reinstall.

2) Copied entire 2009 version folder C:\Program Files\BB to D:\BB, as a backup, mainly to b/u its associated files. In fact, I don't care to retain runnable copies of both versions, so in due course I will delete all but my own compositions and other goodies in here. However, I will only do this after the new 2001 install issues are sorted.

3) Copied entire 2009 version folder C:\Program Files\BB to C:\BB putting the 2009 version and all its allied goodies to where 2011 seems to want to install.

4) Deleted folders C:\Program Files\Coyote and C:\Program Files\Roland. I wanted the 2011 to put its versions of these synths where it wants them to be, without potential conflicts.

5) Ran Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs and removed a Roland DX synths app (which were probably now merely registry entries pointing to stuff in the folders I deleted in step 4).

6) Also in the Add/Remove Programs list was an entry for BIAB 2011. Probably should have looked in here first. To be safe, I renamed my new instance of C:\BB (which is now 2009, but was 2011) to C:\BB temp, and double checked that the BIAB HDD was not connected, then hit remove for the 2011 BIAB app. After it did its thing, I renamed the directory back to C:\BB.

7) Also in the Add/Remove Programs list was an entry for something called Band in a Box Server. This BIAB server entry indicated a file size of 40Gb, so it clearly pointed to the HDD holding the new 2011 version, even though this was not now connected. I decided it best to to leave that alone.

8) I ran some searches in C:\ on "Band" and "Roland" and "BB". Aside from the some unimportant stuff and the 2009 stuff in C:\BB which I intended to retain, I found a few things in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Star Menu\Programs and deleted these.

9) OK, just to be safe, I then did a restart of the system, this time with the 2011 HDD plugged back in, and started the "Band In A Box Setup" exe on the 2011 HDD. I chose "everything", the third option.

Seeing this again, I recall that the last time, I chose the fourth option, "Custom" but once in there, I selected everything again. When the wizard got to the file locations, I let it option to C:\BB, the default. The difference this time is that that is where my old stuff now lies. The installer's file copy is then off and running.

10) The install process ran on for 40 minutes or so, the when the progress bar reached the end and the final update announcement came up ("Installing Coyote Wave Table") and a second window opened, with its own progress bar. When the Coyote install reached the end and its final update announcement came up ("Registering Files"), all of a sudden up popped an error message, my old friend: "Can't find sound font file GM.DLS" !?!

11) I clicked OK through this error box, and the coyote install window closed itself, and the original BIAB install window announced its completion and offered a "Launch Band in a Box" tick box, which I ticked, then hit "Finish".

12) The 2001 version does then launch, and does not display the GM.DLS error immediately on launch as before.

13) Next, before trying to play anything, I look at the MIDI/Audio Drivers Setup under Opt. menu. Choices under output drivers are three: Microsoft MIDI Mapper, Microsoft GM Wavetable SW Synth and Delta AP MIDI (my midi/audio card). No sign here of Roland or Coyote. When I try the Driver Wizard, the only alternative shown for internal sounds is again the Microsoft GM Wavetable SW Synth.

It appears no new synths have successfully installed, although no error massage warned my of this during the "Install Everything" from HDD run.

14) Just to test, I select the MS GM Wavetable, and the try loading a demo song from the new 2011 style demos. This loads, but when I push play, I get "Beat Map Stretcher was unable to load in the Wav file" error, which presumably is linked to the lack of wav files. This is probably because the MS GM SW Synth needs GM.DLS to run.


Conclusions thus far:

Apparently, in a standard Windows install, the OS supplies GM.DLS, and that's what MS GM Wavetable SW Synth uses.

One BIAB user a few posts back checked and said his system did not have this file either but runs OK. My best guess is that when alternative soft synths are installed, GM.DLS is replaced with something else, pointers to it (pointers either in BIAB or somewhere in Windows itself - registry?) are modified.

However, in my case when the BIAB 2011 synth installers try to put their own substitute wavetable files in place, they did not find the "original equipment" GM.DLS because mine had already been replaced by my 2009 BIAB install.

However, neither can they find any alternative wavetables for one of two reasons: the first time around my old install was not in the same directory and the new installers couldn't find pointers to the alternative wavetable files; and the second time around I had deleted something. If this is what's going on, I have probably inadvertently muddled things worse by deleting old Coyote and Roland folders in my attempt to clear the decks for a clean reinstall.

whew... what a wearying mess.

OK, here's what I think I ought to do now:

I. Get a copy of GM.DLS and put it in its proper location. (It's probably in a CAB file somewhere on the original Windows XP install disk.)

II. Try again to install Roland or Coyote from the 2011 HDD.

The one thing which worries me with this plan is what pointers to GM.DLS need to be set and where. In an earlier post I mentioned that I had seen something about a registry entry pointing to GM.DLS. I'll try to find out more on that.

Before going ahead and doing this, I thought it better post my results thus far, and then see what advice I get from the helpful expert panel following this thread. In particular, if my plan is the correct way forward, which of Roland or Coyote should I use (or both) and specifically how best to go about installing?

Thanks again to all. Sorry for lengthy post - hopefully this thread will help some one else, should anyone be unlucky enough to stumble into the same problem. (Assuming we can get it sorted ! )