Sound Problem

[MA-Caver]

Why is fixing something on the computer has to be so damned hard?

All I'm trying to do is get the sound back on my computer (speakers). I don't know what I did but now the sound doesn't work. I've typed in google just about every fricken combination of words to find a free fix. All I get are free SCANS to tell me what's wrong with my computer but I of course gotta PAY for them to fix it.
You-Tube vids aren't much help though I followed their instructions to the letter.
Found out what sound card I have and try downloading the drivers from the site and it took an act of God, Nature and Congress COMBINED to even get it going. Then it tells me the download/zip file is incomplete.
I'd ask a friend to come fix it and they probably will... of course not telling me how to the next time it happens.

Sigh... it's getting old and I'm getting awfully tempted by the monasteries sitting high upon the mountains in Tibet.

Help... something simple would be appreciated.

 

[mook jong man]

Maybe you could try a system restore to a date just before you noticed your sound had gone.

 

[jks9199]

Dumb question; have you ruled out something like a loose plug or volume control turned off?

 

[granfire]

do head phones work?

I had the hardest time on my old computer switching between headset and speakers.

 

[Sukerkin]

What card is it, Caver? Getting drivers for a sound card should be as easy as falling off a log but if the maker's site is not being helpful then there may be an alternative source (e.g. drivers written for the chipset on the card rather than the manufacturers ones).

Also, how did it fail? I've never had a soundcard pack in on me (they don't work hard enough to burn out, unlike graphics cards ) but it can happen.

Check the simple things first e.g. card's come loose, cables have broken inside their sheaths or not plugged into the right ports, power supply failed, sound accidentally muted via Windows etc.

If all that is okay, then we get into the software arena run!!!! First off, have a look in the System/Hardware panel and see if there are any warnings there. If not, for Windows often claims a non-fucntional device is working fine {:lol:} then we'll have to dig deeper ...