Computer Help

[imported_vega]

Hopefully someone can help me, I am unable to play any songs on my computer anymore. When I try to play a song on Windows Media Player, I get this message:


Windows Media Player cannot play the file because there is a problem with your sound device. There might not be a sound device installed on your computer, it might be in use by another program, or it might not be functioning properly.


anyone know what i should do? thanks

[jag]

open control panel
select system
select hardware tab
select device manager
expand sound, video, and game controllers...

report back any yellow "?" marks or "!" marks...

[imported_vega]

Ok thanks jag I did that but nothing. there is a list "audio codecs", etc, but i don't see any yellow ? or ! marks

[jag]

ok
now open control panel
open sounds and audio devices
make sure mute is not checked under the volume tab

also,
double click the speaker icon on your task bar
look at each volume control and make sure they are not at zero or mute is checked

[The Doctor]

Buy a new computer and download iTunes.

[imported_vega]

well, now this is kind of interesting. i went to control panel, opened up "sounds and audio devices"........then i got this in the top left hand corner: "no audio device"......???

[jag]

what make and model computer?

integrated soud or seperate card?

[The Doctor]

Do you have a PCI Sound Card? If so is the card seated in the PCI slot properly. If so, do you have the correct drivers for the sound card installed. Run Windows Update and see if it lists any driver updates for hardware (sound card or on-board sound specifically).

[imported_vega]

it's a toshiba laptop, so no external sound card, i don't think anyway. i didn't add anything myself to it after i bought it.

[The Doctor]

What exactly is listed after "Audio Codecs" in the ZDevice manager under "Sound, video and game controllers"?

Does it list an Audio Controller? For example, on my Dell laptop it lists "SigmaTel C-Major Audio" That is the hardware sound device. If yours lists none then it may have died. Have you re-booted?

[jag]

just for sh^ts and giggles, open control panel and select add new hardware and let the wizard run... see if it detects your audio...

[imported_vega]

i tried what jag suggested, it didn't detect anything. yes i have rebooted several times, even tried the system restore. here is what it lists under "audio codecs":


Avance AC97 Audio
Legacy audio drivers
Legacy Video Capture Devices
Media Control Devices
Video Codecs

[The Doctor]

Avance AC97 Audio is your sound device. Right-Click on it and select Properties and see what it says. Try updating the driver.

[imported_vega]

it says that the device is working properly. when i try to update the driver, it tells me that i'm already using the best available one.

[The Doctor]

If that's the sound hardware on your laptop, it must be pretty old. Spring for a new one you cheap bastard. You can get a really nice Dell for about a Dime if you use one of their 35% off coupons. Got one for my brother for his birthday. Can't go wrong with that price.

[The Doctor]

Sorry Vega, that's about all the tech advice I have for that. You could go buy an add-on PC Sound Card. Creative Labs makes a really nice one for laptops.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...p?Item=N82E16829102185

[jag]

do you have a small speaker icon on your task bar that looks like this



if so, double click the little rascal and make sure your results look something like this

[jag]

and, select "Advanced" and make sure somebody isn't playing a practical joke by selecting the pc speaker mute button...

[jag]

will assume above is not an issue...

now you need to check to make sure sound is not disabled in your bios settings... you may need to hold the escape key or f2 key during power up...

and if that is not the culprit; the last suggestion i have is to remove and then reinstall your sound drivers...

good luck