Computer question: Help.

[bigwillq]

We had to reboot the hard drive on our desktop. We uploaded everything again, and everything is working fine. However, there is no audio.

Could someone please tell me how to reinstall the audio?

Thanks for any help.

:hi:

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Did you accidentally mute the audio...

during all this? I've done that (usually, it's when the cat steps on that damn "mute" button on the keyboard)

Other than that, I have no clue.

[bigwillq]

2. I can check that.

But I don't think so. Let me go look.

edit: Actually not sure how I would even check that.

[blogslut]

21. Is there a little "speaker/sound" icon in the system tray/task bar?

If so, then your sound card is probably working. Double-click it to open it and see if the box for your master switch is ticked. If it's ticked than it's muted. Untick it.

[bigwillq]

3. Still no luck: I went to Control Panel

Clicked on Sounds, Speech and Audio Devices
Then clicked on Change the Speaker Settings
Then clicked on Volume

It says: No Audio Device
and it won't let me move the arrows from low to high; it won't let me change any of the options, so I am thinking I need to download something.

[nuxvomica]

4. I would think if you're missing the driver it would prompt you

Make sure the sound card is seated properly. It could be that simple.

[bigwillq]

5. What's a sound card?

Sorry, I am awful with the tech aspects of the computer. Just know how to use it, that's about it. I appreciate any help you can give me. Is it worth it to call Dell? :shrug:

[nuxvomica]

6. You can identify the sound card in the back of the cpu cabinet

It's where the speaker jack is. Now that I think of it, if it wasn't seated properly, your system would probably default to the motherboard and you'd be able to adjust the volume. Check "Sounds and audio devices" in the control panel. There should be a hardware tab that has a "Troubleshooting" button. I'm basing this on my system which is XP.
If you have a Dell, go to the technical support area of their website. That may be faster than a call.

[bigwillq]

7. Ok, thanks.

I will check when I come back. I have to run out to the bank for a bit.

[travelingtypist]

9. Two steps, thanks to Win98 I remember this.

Download Everest Home.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/Everest-Home-Edition.shtml

It will tell you if your sound card is connected and what sound card you have.

Then go to driverguide.com and search for and download the appropriate driver for your sound card.

http://www.driverguide.com/

[bigwillq]

10. What if I have the CD thing that came with the computer?

My sister used that to wipe the hard drive and then reload everything. Would that help? I will try your suggestion, but I'm still wondering if the CD thing might be of any use.

[travelingtypist]

11. Hm. Interesting.

When you go into the device manager, what does it say when you click sound devices?

My Computer > View System Information > Hardware > Device Manager

Do you see any yellow warning triangles?

[bigwillq]

12. There's yellow ??

next to multimedia audio controller.

When I go to Control panel, and click Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices, and then click on Advanced Volume Controls, it says there are no audio mixer devices available.

It says to go to Control Panel, Click Printers and Other Hardware and then click Add Hardware. I tried that, but it said hardware did not load properly. I think I need that CD.

[travelingtypist]

13. Sure, if you have the CD, the driver should be there.

That's funny, though, because XP loads all of that stuff when you load the operating system. I've never had to search for a driver.

If you right-clicked on the device and clicked properties, what showed up?

[bigwillq]

14. It says

Update drive, disable, uninstall, scan for hardware changes, properties.

When I click on update driver, it brings me to the install hardware pop-up that I tried before. I think I need that CD. I need to find it. Or wait for my sister to get home from her business trip and maybe she can do it.

[travelingtypist]

16. Not "the device is working properly"?

Was this where you tried to install the driver before?

[bigwillq]

17. It doesn't say that.

Don't know if that's where we tried to install the driver before. My sis did it.

I put the CD in, but nothing popped up. How do I access it?

[travelingtypist]

18. In the pop-up, there should be an advanced option.

It'll ask you to select the location to install the driver from. You select drive D
and it should pull the driver off the CD.

[bigwillq]

19. Ok, I'll try that soon.

I have to go and do something for work now. Thanks for your help. I'll check in again in a bit.

[travelingtypist]

20. No problem.

I hope you have a working sound card that just needs a driver and not a more complicated problem.

L8R

[bigwillq]

15. I found the CD.

I am trying it now.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. OK, I'm assuming your audio card is part..

of the motherboard, most of them are now, so a driver for it is missing.

I got nothing, so try searching "missing audio driver" and see what happens. Also, use the Help" menu in Windows-- it usually doesn't help much but you never know.

Here's something that popped up in a search, dunno if it helps:

http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/forum/drivers/44673-missing-audio-drivers.html