No sound (before or) after new HD/Windows install

Phoo — thought I'd posted this early today but it seems to be absent. I'm supposing this is the right forum… Wife's computer (Vostro 200) sound apparently vanished awhile ago (no biggie to her). Just some hissing out of the speakers and the occasional anemic click that might have been the ghost of a Windows event marker. Subsequently the HD quit. I installed a new one (thanks for help!) and reinstalled XP and after some wrestling got all of the yellow question marks out of the device mgr, and the tray icons for volume and sound mgr reappeared. But….no sound. That's with or without external speakers. Ran Fix It, no problems detected. Actually, I do not now see a sound device listed in Device Mgr, and can't seem to figure out how to tell if I have one. ( I see a list of drivers, capture devices, codecs…) Don't think there is a sound card added, just whatever comes with the motherboard. Y'all got a diagnostic procedure? (S'pose installing a sound card will ultimately work around whatever hiccups Windows is exhibiting). Thanks, Denno

Hiya Denno, Sorry to hear about your problems.

I can try to help a little, could you give us more info as to what operating system you have, What service pack installed SP1, 2 or 3 and how much memory you have.

Now reading from what you are saying their is no sound device listed under device manager, if so once we know which OS you have I may be able to help.

From what I see If it's an XP or Vista OS then go to the MFG web site and download the drivers Realtek ALC888 HD Audio and install them.

But I also see this one also, be sure you do not have another sound card installed in this ystem as some mfg's do installed them beside the built in one (onboard sound cannot explain why they do but sometime they do)

If so it should be a PCI card installed and if it is, then these are the ones to use Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer driver.

Post back with the results please.

Jimbo1

Glad to hear from you Jimbo I was thinking either I'd stumped the stars or the question wasn't interesting enough. Lessee, here…. Dell Vostro 200 I've just installed XP home SP 3 2GB RAM Looking from the outside, there appear to be 4 expansion slots and they all have their blank metal guards intact: no expansion devices. Just downloaded that driver, gotta restart the computer, so I'll post this so far….

No soap. And went through the Windows troubleshooter. Only thing I cannot determine is whether the sound device is turned on in the BIOS. But at some stage of my adventures here I seemed to be updating the BIOS. And, now that I know what I'm looking for, the sound device is in fact listed in the device manager, which reports it is working properly. Realtek HD Audio That's all the news so far. Denno

No soap. And went through the Windows troubleshooter. Only thing I cannot determine is whether the sound device is turned on in the BIOS. But at some stage of my adventures here I seemed to be updating the BIOS.

And, now that I know what I'm looking for, the sound device is in fact listed in the device manager, which reports it is working properly.
Realtek HD Audio

That's all the news so far.

Denno

Ok several more questions then
1. Are they any other yellow question marks listed in device manager?
2. Hate to ask this question? Do you have your speakers plugged into the right slot, most system are the green plug in.
3. Go to your control panel and look under where your speaker looking icon that says Sounds and Audio Devices and then under that see click on the audio tab to see if it's showing any devices at all and report back when done please.

Jimbo1

No yellow question marks. Speakers are USB. No sound with or without speakers plugged in. I can't guarantee they work, but green light is on and there's a little static, volume maxed. Device Manager under Sound. Video, and Game Controllers: audio codecs legacy audio drivers legacy video capture devices media control devices realtek high definition audio video codecs Same list under Sound stuff in Control Panel, plus DVD/CD player Default device is Realtek HD input/output Denno

No yellow question marks.
Speakers are USB. No sound with or without speakers plugged in. I can't guarantee they work, but green light is on and there's a little static, volume maxed.

Device Manager under Sound. Video, and Game Controllers:

audio codecs
legacy audio drivers
legacy video capture devices
media control devices
realtek high definition audio
video codecs

Same list under Sound stuff in Control Panel, plus DVD/CD player

Default device is Realtek HD input/output


Denno

Denno if you can please see if you can try another set of speakers, it may be the ones you are using are bad, I have a USB set and it has a usb plug and a 1/8 plug, the usb powers the speakers and the 1/8 plug is plugged into the sound card. I have not fooled with other usb speakers so I am not sure how yours work.

But if possible and if you can borrow a set to test and see if its your sound card or not or if its not a speaker problem. Then try them speakers in another pc if possible to see if they are working.

Jimbo1

Well, isn't this embarrassing….. Sound is on…..works with speakers (with usb and mini both plugged in) but not without speakers. Guess it doesn't matter about not working w/o speakers. Unfortunately, the first thing I found to listen to was a Lady Gaga cover…… Thank you, Jimbo. For not forgetting to question the obvious, and for your help. Any thoughts why it doesn't work w'o speakers? Denno

It's a Desktop system so doesn't have built in speakers, requires external speakers.

Hm. Not even beeps and twitters? Thought they all had that. Arrgh. Why don't I know this? Anyway, thanks much.

Older Computers have an inbuilt speaker with post sound beeps, but a lot of the newer ones (sometimes it's the case that's lacking and somtimes it's the mobo) are saving cents and not including a speaker and post sounds. My expensive MSI Platinum mobo in my home built PC has no sounds. No big deal. Cheers, Lee

…and a history lesson. Or is that economics 1? Thank you all. Next project is new HD/Windows on my own computer, so…..I'll be back….. Denno

Well, isn't this embarrassing…..

Sound is on…..works with speakers (with usb and mini both plugged in) but not without speakers.
Guess it doesn't matter about not working w/o speakers.

Unfortunately, the first thing I found to listen to was a Lady Gaga cover……

Thank you, Jimbo. For not forgetting to question the obvious, and for your help.
Any thoughts why it doesn't work w'o speakers?


Denno

No problem Denno and I am glad you were able to fix your problem, Job well Done

As you saw in the other post by Ztruker he gave you the other answer.

Glad everything worked out for you and may you have a good Day.

Jimbo1