Sound device problems

it could simply be a matter of a bad sound board...... but you say it is
new. since you don't have recovery disks this may be a good option. what
you can do is to go ahead and check your cmos/bios In there you will
see your hardware options. Be sure to have your sound board installed when
you get into cmos.

When you power up the pc, you should press and hold the f1 key or the del
key to access the cmos menu. Browse through it and look for the options for
"sound" or "audio". since I think you have a pentium 4 and your motherboard
requires a pci sound card, there is likely a option to engage the audio.

Look for it and set it to yes or on. In addition you may find automatic
options like setting the motherboard to best or optimized performance. It
doesn't hurt to select one of these as well. Before you exit cmos, ensure
that the sound option is set correctly, save and reboot......
--
~~~~~~~~~~~
"To be a 0 or is it to be the 1 ?
That is the data".......W.Gatespeare


"Keith Povall" wrote:

> By the way I learned from the web site that Packard Bell want 45 pounds ($ 90
> ) for a set of recovery disks.
>
> KP
>
> "databaseben" wrote:
>
> > sometimes alt+f10 after the pc powers on will engage a boot from the hidden
> > partition, if there is one. in there you could have the original
> > configuration that can restore your hd. but usually this is for laptops and
> > not for desktops. however, it will delete everything that is not original.
> >
> > there are some motherboards that do not have an on board sound system and
> > instead will include a sound board.
> >
> >
> > --
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~
> > "To be a 0 or is it to be the 1 ?
> > That is the data".......W.Gatespeare
> >
> >
> > "Keith Povall" wrote:
> >
> > > Tomorrow I shall reinstall the PCI card. It was brand new this morning and
> > > so yes, I do have the manufacturers disc.
> > >
> > > The downloadable Cd from PB was just a boot disk. When i used it, the PC
> > > then asked for the master CD 1 which I never had.
> > >
> > > I once had to reinstall windows and I used a Flopy (now lost) to boot then
> > > the files were on a hidden partition. I have no idea how to get to them. I
> > > followed loads of options at PB and all failed.
> > >
> > > Nuff for one day, i have now put in about 18 hours on this computer.
> > >
> > > Thanks for the help so far.
> > >
> > > KP
> > >
> > > "databaseben" wrote:
> > >
> > > > according to the website, you can create the cd by downloading it to the hard
> > > > drive and then transferring it to a cd r or cd rw.... however, you may not
> > > > need the cd.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > i would attempt to install that pci card you removed.
> > > >
> > > > It was a good move that you took it out when you rebooted. Windows was
> > > > looking for it and since it could not find the multimedia device, windows may
> > > > have removed the driver or disabled it.
> > > >
> > > > Install the pci card and make sure it is screwed down tight. did you get a
> > > > cd setup for that card? it would have the drivers you need.
> > > >
> > > > however, sometimes pc makers use a variety of sound card manufacturers.
> > > > what you can do is to read somewhere on the card for the manufacturer or the
> > > > brand. then visit that website and download the drivers from there too.
> > > >
> > > > It may be possible to consider that if you had to reinstall your windows
> > > > because you were having problems, then the culprit could have been a bad or
> > > > unstable sound card...
> > > > --
> > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~
> > > > "To be a 0 or is it to be the 1 ?
> > > > That is the data".......W.Gatespeare
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Keith Povall" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > No i don't have my original CD I wish I had...
> > > > >
> > > > > "databaseben" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > ok, so as of now you are in windows normal mode and there is no sound device
> > > > > > loaded and there is no audio drivers loaded as well. Now with the cd for
> > > > > > your pc, locaate and find the audio setup program. The setup will not only
> > > > > > install the sound device but will install the audio driver as well.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~
> > > > > > "To be a 0 or is it to be the 1 ?
> > > > > > That is the data".......W.Gatespeare
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "Keith Povall" wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > 9:30 pm my time
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I rebooted and it began to look promising. Firstly Windows said it was
> > > > > > > looking for a multimedia audio controller, then the Sigma tel C major audio.
> > > > > > > It then failed to find a file which I located using search.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Bottom line NO SOUND and I still get an error if I try to play one through
> > > > > > > Windows Media Player
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > KP
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > "databaseben" wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > try this step:
> > > > > > > > startup in safemode by pressing f8 during boot up and selecting safe mode
> > > > > > > > with cmd prompt.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > then in safe mode, delete the sound device driver from hardware manager.
> > > > > > > > you say it is the sim-tel driver, then delete it. then reboot to normal mode
> > > > > > > > and ensure your speakers are plugged in. if windows sees your sound hardware
> > > > > > > > it will begin to add the sound driver or ask you for the driver. select
> > > > > > > > cancel if you cannot find the driver or don't have it. ... provide a status
> > > > > > > > here...
> > > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~
> > > > > > > > "To be a 0 or is it to be the 1 ?
> > > > > > > > That is the data".......W.Gatespeare
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > "Keith Povall" wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I have spent about 9 hours fixing one problem on my PC where it lost the IDE
> > > > > > > > > controller. Fixed that but now I have no sound.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > No, the sound is not set to mute.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > If you click on a wav file for example and Windows media opens to play you
> > > > > > > > > get a message saying there might be a problem with a device.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > i have checked device manager there are no exclamation marks in any of the
> > > > > > > > > sound devices.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I tried windows restore, doesn't matter how far I go back, this fails every
> > > > > > > > > time.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I have double clicked sounds in control panel and the dialogue box says no
> > > > > > > > > audio device
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I have troubleshooted and have no positive information to act upon.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I paid $ 30 dollars to subscribe to a service which reinstalls drivers
> > > > > > > > > following a scan it performs. no dice on getting my sound back.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I thought I would fool the machine by installing a new sound card. this is
> > > > > > > > > registering as working fine, but guess what NO SOUND
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I am not getting sound if I put in a DVD or audio CD.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I have spent 11 hours sitting at the PC, I've tried the manufactuer's site
> > > > > > > > > (no help there)
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I am convinced i have lost something in the operating system (Windows XP
> > > > > > > > > home).
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I am now just about out of all options to try. I have even tried to recover
> > > > > > > > > the machine ot it's ancient factory settings and the files are no longer on
> > > > > > > > > the machine it appears, so I can't even do that but I was reluctant to do so.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > there is a root cause why I have no sound, but I can't work it out.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I am fully up to dat on XP updates (with SP2) At my wits end, so any
> > > > > > > > > suggestions welcome.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Keith
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >

i'm glad it's resolved. it was a tricky problem and you simply didn't have
enough information provided to you when you got the machine... good thing
for newsgroups like these....
--
~~~~~~~~~~~
"To be a 0 or is it to be the 1 ?
That is the data".......W.Gatespeare


"Keith Povall" wrote:

> I have spent about 9 hours fixing one problem on my PC where it lost the IDE
> controller. Fixed that but now I have no sound.
>
> No, the sound is not set to mute.
>
> If you click on a wav file for example and Windows media opens to play you
> get a message saying there might be a problem with a device.
>
> i have checked device manager there are no exclamation marks in any of the
> sound devices.
>
> I tried windows restore, doesn't matter how far I go back, this fails every
> time.
>
> I have double clicked sounds in control panel and the dialogue box says no
> audio device
>
> I have troubleshooted and have no positive information to act upon.
>
> I paid $ 30 dollars to subscribe to a service which reinstalls drivers
> following a scan it performs. no dice on getting my sound back.
>
> I thought I would fool the machine by installing a new sound card. this is
> registering as working fine, but guess what NO SOUND
>
> I am not getting sound if I put in a DVD or audio CD.
>
> I have spent 11 hours sitting at the PC, I've tried the manufactuer's site
> (no help there)
>
> I am convinced i have lost something in the operating system (Windows XP
> home).
>
> I am now just about out of all options to try. I have even tried to recover
> the machine ot it's ancient factory settings and the files are no longer on
> the machine it appears, so I can't even do that but I was reluctant to do so.
>
> there is a root cause why I have no sound, but I can't work it out.
>
> I am fully up to dat on XP updates (with SP2) At my wits end, so any
> suggestions welcome.
>
> Keith
>
>