My default sounds stopped working. I can go into the Windows Media folder and they play just fine as does all other sounds on my computer. When I go Control Panel-Sounds-Sounds Tab they don't work. I also have noticed that no sound on the internet work. Youtube, commercials or sounds on my online games. What is going on. Youtube sounds have been gone for awhile now but my son noticed that. I thought it was just a Youtube thing going on.
Firstly I'd try to update your sound driver.
Go to Start / Right click on My computer / Manage / Click on Device Manager / expand Sound, Video and Game controllers / Scroll down to Audio and double-click it / Click on Driver Tab / Click on upgrade driver.
Do you have SP3 installed?
If your not sure, Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
See if Service Pack 3 is listed in the System section, SP3. If it is not listed, Click Start, click All Programs, and then click Windows Update. Click Express (Recommended). SP3 will be one of the updates.
Try creating a new user account and check if the issue persists there too.
To open the User Accounts tool, open Control Panel from the Start menu, and then double click User Accounts.
To Create a New User Account
1) Click Create a new account in the Pick a task list box.
2) Type the name that you want to use for the account, and then click Next.
3) Select the desired account type, and then click Create Account.
Failing any of the above, have you made any hardware or software changes recently?
Cheers,
Lee
PS.Edit: You could also try a System Restore to a date that is before you started experiencing the sound problems.
Update Vista with the latest updates and see if that fixes the problem.
If not,
1) Navigate to the Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools program group.
2) Click on the System Restore program icon.
3) Select the "Choose a different restore point button" and then click Next / Choose the restore point that was before you started experiencing sound problems / Click Next / Click Finish on the Confirm your restore point window to begin the System Restore.
4) Immediately after logging in after the reboot, you should see a message that System Restore completed successfully.
That might fix the issue.
Cheers,
Lee
one of the easiest ways to solve sound problems sometimes, is to just go into device manager and uninstall/delete the sound device and do a reboot to let it find and re-install itself too.
sounds silly but if sounds works in the other account, have you maybe muted it in the account that doesn't work??
one of the easiest ways to solve sound problems sometimes, is to just go into device manager and uninstall/delete the sound device and do a reboot to let it find and re-install itself too.
sounds silly but if sounds works in the other account, have you maybe muted it in the account that doesn't work??
All my sounds work if I log in as Guest. The default sounds work and if I go on youtube I have sound but not if I'm log in as my usual Administrator. You can't find anything on Microsoft website. You would think with a company that makes millions from their software being installed on all computers there would be a little more help.
If everything is working OK in the guest account, you could try transferring to a newly created user account as that should work OK too.
Using Windows Easy Transfer, you can migrate most files and program settings to another computer or another account. Below is a table describing the types of data and settings that can be moved.
Any files found in My Documents, My Pictures, and Shared Documents folder will be selected to be moved automatically. You can also add other documents that are in other locations.
E-mail messages and Settings E-mail messages, contacts, account settings, and address books from Outlook Express, Outlook, Windows Mail, and other programs. Program will have their settings transferred
User Settings, Desktop settings, color settings, screen savers, fonts, Windows options, printers, etc. Internet Settings Favorites, cookies, and Internet Explorer settings. Pictures, Video, and Music Music files, playlists, and album. Pictures (gif, jpg, bmp files) and personal videos.
Or transfer Manually:
Log on with the new user account that you have created. Make sure that this new account has Administrator privileges.
Open Explorer / Organize / Folder and Search Options / View tab / check Show hidden files and folders box / OK to save settings.
Now navigate to your C: Users (Old Username) folder and copy all the files and folders in the C:\Users (Old Username) folder to the C: Users (New Username) folder.
Cheers,
Lee
I uninstalled the sound then created a new user account and set it as administrator. Shut my computer off. Started it back up and went into the new user account. The computer reinstalled my sound device. No sounds. Changed the new account to standard user. Logged off and then back on and had my sound.
I found a solution to this problem and here it is:In Regedit - went to Edit-permissions…-advanced-edit the adminstrator- click full controll-ok-apply-apply. I have my sounds back. Thanks for trying to help.
thanks for the solution.
does seem strange tho, would of thought admin account had full control anyway, that's why it's an admin account.
i'd never have thought of the solution.
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does seem strange tho, would of thought admin account had full control anyway, that's why it's an admin account. 
i'd never have thought of the solution. 