No sound

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I'm getting no sound for any of my games. How do I tell if the sound card went phooey or the speakers?

EDIT: I traded my speakers for hubby's (don't tell him ) and still no sound. I don't have mute on either.

So, new question - what's a decent, inexpensive sound card I can buy?

[ May 04, 2006, 19:48: Message edited by: kuemper ]

 

Does the sound card appear in the Device Manager at all? Perhaps with a yellow << ? >> or << ! >> sign? If so, the problem could be caused by inapropriate (or none) drivers installed, or an IRQ conflict rather than a soundcard mechanical issue.

To access Device Manager, right-click My Computer, go to Properties. There, click on Hardware and then on Device Manager.

 

Even if it's not muted, the volume could still be at zero. Check the main volume and the "Wave Out" volume. Also make sure you've got the speakers plugged into the right socket (I usually have to check by trial and error since I can never remember which one I'm supposed to plug it into).

 

Both of the above advice is good, but if it does turn out to be your sound card, Creative Labs makes the best sound cards on the market.

You can get a Creative Sound Blaster SB0570 Audigy SE (kind of a low end card, but it will work just fine) for $35. If you want a good card however, I highly recomend the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS. It's about $80 and it's awsome. I have the external (USB) version of it for my laptop, and I just love it!

 

It's an onboard card and I don't think it has drivers. I had problems with it with my XP install, too.

I put the speaker plug in the holes it would fit and got nothing. The volume is up on everything. I even resorted to the American fix-it: and nothing.

The sound card is a SoundMAX Integrated Digital Audio. It's on the Device Manager with the + sign beside it. When I double-click on it, it says "This device is working properly". The only things with yellow ? are:

- ?Other Devices
?PCI Simple Communications Controller
?RAID Controller

PCI and RAID have yellow ? and black !. The ! is on top of the ?.

EDIT: Hubby insists this thing requires drivers, so we went asearching for them. The motherboard company doesn't have drivers for this sound card. The maker of the sound card just directed us to the motherboard manufacturer. I had sound for a while earlier, so it can't be compatibility issues from 2k to XP.

[ May 05, 2006, 03:25: Message edited by: kuemper ]

 

@kuemper: I have a SoundMAX Integrated Digital Audio at work and found the same problem when I was rebuilding the lab PC with XP SP2.

What are your computer and motherboard models? I may have a driver for you.

 

The motherboard is an Asus A7V600-X. The computer is an Athlon xp.

Does this mean I don't get to go shopping?

 

Nope

How about here:
http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us&model=A7V600-X

Click on the "Drivers" tab, and check for "SoundMAX Audio Driver version 5.12.01.3663 WHQL driver for Windows 98SE,ME,2000,XP"

 

Hey, those drivers worked! And both my speakers do, too!

I'd been looking off the motherboard disc for info. Obviously those manuals are quite handy.

Thanks, Colthrun! *hugs*

 

The sound card keeps cutting out on me, so I bought some Logitech speakers. I can hear myself type.

 

Another really bizaare problem.

I got a 2.1 speaker system and the drivers for my sound card. Okay, things were working okay for a day. Now, I can have sound, but no internet. When I can access the internet, I have no sound. What in the blue blazes is going on? Something reasonable or do I chalk this one to the ghost in the machine?

 

Hmm. I normally would say it's an IRQ conflict between modem and sound card, but since you're on WinXP, it seems unlikely, but it's not impossible. Check your IRQs, my beloved marilith. Check if either modem or sound card conflitcs.

 

kuemper, some analog modems use the sound card to produce the beeping "connection" noise, rather than using the PC speaker.

If there are no IRQ conflicts in the Device Manager, check whether your modem card has some configurable options through Windows. You may be able to select the sound source (Internal = modem, external = card).

Alternatively, check if there is a small (one or two wires) cable connecting your modem directly to the sound card, or to any section of the motherboard. If so, remove the cable at either end, and your poblem sould be gone. You may not be able to hear the modem "ringing", though.

[ May 17, 2006, 10:50: Message edited by: Colthrun ]

 

What is an IRQ?

I have to wait to check anything. Last time I did open the case, I broke it.

 

Basically, an IRQ is like a direct line that each device has with the processor of the PC, to let it know when something happens. If two devices are sharing the same IRQ, one may be unable to communicate with the processor if the other one is doing so.

I like this definition:
http://www.pchell.com/hardware/irqs.shtml

You can see if there are IRQ conflicts by checking the Device Manager (right-click MyComputer, Properties, Hardware, Device Manager), or by System Information (Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Information). In System Information, you go to Hardware Resources, then select Conflicts/Sharing.

 

My computer says I don't have an internet connection. I hit it with my foot (just a love tap) and it works now as you can see. Shoddy chips and bytes.

 

I used to have a red "X" drawn on the "hit-here-to-solve-all-trouble" spot of my old computer case... It took me many love taps to discover that computing panacea.