BleepingComputer.com: No sound

I have tried to play a video on You Tube and could not get any sound - it is one I have played before and there is sound on the video. Tried to play some music I have played before in Windows Media Player and a message comes up to say it cannot play it because there is a problem with my sound device or there may not be a sound device installed. I have noticed that there is usually a symbol for sound on my taskbar at the bottom right hand corner but that isn't there now. I would welcome any advice to try and find out why I am not getting any sound now.

Go to Device Manager....Start/Run...type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter.

Uninstall the drivers for your sound card/chip (they may be damaged), reinstall the drivers.

Louis

When I go to Device Manager and Click on Sound, Video and Games a list comes up and one of them says Legacy Audio Drivers. When I click on it a box comes up to say it is working correctly. When I right click on it to update the drivers I get a message which says it couldn't continue the Hardware Wizard as it could not find a better match. I don't know anything about my sound card to know how to delete the drivers and reinstall them as I wouldn't know where to reinstall them from.

When I just tried a test on Skype it said there is a problem with the soundcard inside my computer and suggested I try a USB headset which I haven't got.

Do you think it sounds like I need a new sound card or could you suggest anything else I can try?

You need to look for the listing for your sound device, which might be SoundMax, some Creative Labs entry (Audigy/X-fi), or something else. Legacy Audio Drivers is a standard XP listing.

If an actual sound card is not listed, there are no question marks or yellow exclamation points, and you have onboard sound, you need to go into your computer's setup (the BIOS) and ensure that the onboard sound is enabled.

If there are question marks/yellow exclamation points, you need to reinstall the drivers.

If the onboard sound is enabled and there are no driver issues, you should check to see if the audio service is running. Go to start, run, and type services.msc. Then hit enter. Scroll all the way down and see if the Windows Audio service is running. If not, double-click the entry and click "start", also ensuring that the startup type is set to "automatic".

Let me know what happens when you've checked all that.

I probably sound a bit silly but I have no idea how to find my sound card. I couldnt see anything else listed in the Device Manager that seemed to be a sound card. There is a question mark against Other Devices and under that Multimedia Audio Player which also has a yellow question mark but it couldn't install any drivers when I clicked on it. I checked the Windows Audio Service is running.

I am not very clever am I because I also don't know how to go into the BIOS and alter anything!!

System manufacturer and model?

Let's say that you have a Dell Presario 123...the drivers for that system can be found at the Dell website, usually under the Support category.

You also should have received a drivers CD when you purchased your system or your motherboard.

Most likely, drivers from either will take care of your situation. Many drivers CDs are set to automatically run and detect devices which need drivers...and then install same.

Louis

You are in the right place...Device Manager. Try running the setup/install option on your drivers CD.

This post has been edited by hamluis: 07 September 2009 - 12:35 PM

Yes, drivers will take care of your problem. The multimedia audio controller is your sound card. You just need to get the drivers.

vivienne, on Sep 7 2009, 01:10 PM, said:

I had the same thing happen a few days ago.. I got help from ThunderZ in the Video forum.

I'll tell you what I did. First I went HERE This is Microsoft support. In the Box put you Computer Serial number in. It'll search for the system you have. Select your version. Check the Drivers, on the file page scroll down and select the Audio File.

Down load this file to your Desktop. Now when you open this file, the Help page will open, read it closely, where it says

Quote

#2 just copy and paster this in Start > Run > then click OK. The system will do the rest for you.. After your finish setting it up, you should have loads of sound..

Good luck on this..

This post has been edited by Oldcrow: 08 September 2009 - 09:10 AM

Oldcrow, on Sep 8 2009, 10:08 AM, said:

A slight correction to avoid confusion Old crow my Friend.

The link is not to Microsoft support. It is to the Gateway support and drivers site. If Vivienne has a Gateway then this should work fine. If not then it will do no good.

Thank`s for the honorable mention by the way.

Yes, I just did that and ended up at the Gateway website. The problem is that I purchased my computer a few years ago with Windows 98 on so that will give you an idea how long ago. I have updated it a couple of times with the hard drive, processor and memory. It was bought from a local store and I haven't seen them advertising for a long time.

I have had a look through my CDs and can find one that says Drivers and Utilities CD for M7MKX Chipset Mainboard but not one for a soundcard. I have found a Sound Card Driver for Dos & Windows but don't know whether that was for a previous computer with Windows 95 on. When I put it in it says "You are attempting to open a file of Type DAT. These files are used by the operating system and by various programmes. To edit or modify them could damage your system"

I felt a bit nervous of doing anything else. Is it likely to be all right if I try and load it?

PS - the Sound Card Driver is on a floppy disc.

The drivers and utilities disk should do the trick for you.

That is assuming you have an on board\built-in to the motherboard sound device. If you have never upgraded to an add-on sound card then the disk should work for you.

Just put the CD in and it comes up with Windows NT Mainboard Software. There are only two things to select, one for bundled software and the other for Flash which says Award Flash Utility for updating the BIOS in the Flash ROM on Mainboard (Please run under DOS). Doesn't mention about sound.

Sounds like I am stuck if I can't find the drivers. Perhaps I will have to make enquiries about having a new sound card put it.

Thanks anyway for trying to help.

ThunderZ, on Sep 8 2009, 10:48 AM, said:

Thanks for the correction..

Click Start/Run...type in msinfo32 and hit Enter.

What is listed for System Name, System Manufacturer and System Model in the right screen?

Louis

Name: HAYESGYPG9RPH3 (Hayes is my surname)
Manufacturer: VIA Techologies Inc
Model KM4008235
Type: X86-BASED PC