No sound after reinstalling Windows Vista

[Biblost]

First of all I'd like to say I do not have the English version of Windows Vista Home Premium, so I might not use the correct Windows terms in English.

 

My problems started when I wanted to install Service Pack 1 because it's required for a game I wanted to play. I found about 20 solutions for this problem, I tried them all, but none worked. The only solution left (and I wasn't really convinced to try it) was to reinstall Windows Vista.

 

And so I did. I can now install SP1, but there were a lot of problems after the installation of Windows Vista. The keyboard, sound card, printing device, Bluetooth adapter, and many others no longer worked, but I was able to fix all of them, except for the sound card.

 

When I look at the Task Bar in the lower left corner of the screen, the speaker icon looks like this:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/23/1971930/luidspreker.JPG

 

Strangely, when I go to Device Management (correct term?) it says that the driver is installed correctly and that the sound card should actually work. Well it doesn't, because all my software that uses sound indicates it can't detect a sound card.

 

I already tried downloading a more recent driver, without succes. My sound card is 'SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC'. I also tried reinstalling it, again without succes.

 

Does anyone have any ideas?

[Vagrant0]

First of all I'd like to say I do not have the English version of Windows Vista Home Premium, so I might not use the correct Windows terms in English.

 

My problems started when I wanted to install Service Pack 1 because it's required for a game I wanted to play. I found about 20 solutions for this problem, I tried them all, but none worked. The only solution left (and I wasn't really convinced to try it) was to reinstall Windows Vista.

 

And so I did. I can now install SP1, but there were a lot of problems after the installation of Windows Vista. The keyboard, sound card, printing device, Bluetooth adapter, and many others no longer worked, but I was able to fix all of them, except for the sound card.

 

When I look at the Task Bar in the lower left corner of the screen, the speaker icon looks like this:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/23/1971930/luidspreker.JPG

 

Strangely, when I go to Device Management (correct term?) it says that the driver is installed correctly and that the sound card should actually work. Well it doesn't, because all my software that uses sound indicates it can't detect a sound card.

 

I already tried downloading a more recent driver, without succes. My sound card is 'SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC'. I also tried reinstalling it, again without succes.

 

Does anyone have any ideas?

Is your computer self-built, or bought from a store?

 

If your computer is custom, you should have a cd that contains drivers and other stuff that came with your motherboard. If you got it from a store, you should have gotten some restore disks. If vista was something you did more recently, and did not come as standard software with those restore disks, you would need to revert to that earlier version of windows, and then install vista as an upgrade.

 

It might also be a good idea to disable/remove all those devices that aren't working, and then try to re-add them without specifying the location of a specific driver or telling the computer what hardware it is. Where applicable, you should also double check to ensure that it is hooked up properly.

[Biblost]

Thanks for the reply. Let me give you some answers:

 

I've bought my computer online from Dell. The bad thing about Dell is that they do not have the official Microsoft CD's, but they have their own versions of the CD's. I already tried all of them, including the 'Drivers and utilities', but none of them worked.

 

Vista came installed with the computer. I never had anything else but Vista on this computer, and I never had any trouble with the sound card. I won't reinstall Vista, as that is exactly what caused this problem :).

 

I already tried removing the device and installing it again from scratch, without effect. The strange this is that Windows Device Management does not find any problems, but all other software (like Itunes and Windows Media Player) does.

 

So my problem isn't solved yet. Any other suggestions?

[myrmaad]

Thanks for the reply. Let me give you some answers:

 

I've bought my computer online from Dell. The bad thing about Dell is that they do not have the official Microsoft CD's, but they have their own versions of the CD's. I already tried all of them, including the 'Drivers and utilities', but none of them worked.

 

Vista came installed with the computer. I never had anything else but Vista on this computer, and I never had any trouble with the sound card. I won't reinstall Vista, as that is exactly what caused this problem :).

 

I already tried removing the device and installing it again from scratch, without effect. The strange this is that Windows Device Management does not find any problems, but all other software (like Itunes and Windows Media Player) does.

 

So my problem isn't solved yet. Any other suggestions?

 

Have you gone into the control panel and looked at your audio devices there?

 

I ask because if the Device Manager is listing your Audio card as working properly and the driver properly installed, I would look for the problem elsewhere, especially because the audio device is showing up in the taskbar, another big clue that the audio device is recognized in device manager.

 

So try right-clicking on your audio icon in the taskbar (the same one with the red X in your image), and choose sound

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c117/SeaBlossom/otherstuff/crap/Image1-4.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c117/SeaBlossom/otherstuff/crap/Image2.jpg

 

It should take you to pop up window, the same one pictured below which can also be accessed by clicking on Sound in your Control Panel.

 

Also look in the control panel for something labeled SigmaTel High Definition Audio or something similar, or anything that looks to be sound related in there is worth looking at. Check the settings.

 

My similar crappy on-board card is finicky about which of those settings I use in the Sound window.

 

Finally there is one more possibility, but I'd want to know more about your system.

 

You could go to Start / Run

and type:

DxDiag

 

Save the file and post it here.

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c117/SeaBlossom/otherstuff/crap/Image4-1.jpg

[bben46]

Always look at the simple things first.

Is it plugged in? is it turned on? is it selected?

 

Is the speaker connection plugged all the way in? and not 'almost' all the way in?

Be sure it is plugged into the proper port.

Do the speakers work? have you tried them on another device?

Do the speakers have a volume control? Or a power cord?

Is the volume (speaker icon in your tray) turned all the way up?

Is your sound card selected as the default device?

Do you have another audio device - such as a USB headset that may have once been plugged into your system? Sometimes just plugging something in will reset the default to the new device.

[Biblost]

Thanks for the reply. Let me give you some answers:

 

I've bought my computer online from Dell. The bad thing about Dell is that they do not have the official Microsoft CD's, but they have their own versions of the CD's. I already tried all of them, including the 'Drivers and utilities', but none of them worked.

 

Vista came installed with the computer. I never had anything else but Vista on this computer, and I never had any trouble with the sound card. I won't reinstall Vista, as that is exactly what caused this problem :).

 

I already tried removing the device and installing it again from scratch, without effect. The strange this is that Windows Device Management does not find any problems, but all other software (like Itunes and Windows Media Player) does.

 

So my problem isn't solved yet. Any other suggestions?

 

Have you gone into the control panel and looked at your audio devices there?

 

I ask because if the Device Manager is listing your Audio card as working properly and the driver properly installed, I would look for the problem elsewhere, especially because the audio device is showing up in the taskbar, another big clue that the audio device is recognized in device manager.

 

So try right-clicking on your audio icon in the taskbar (the same one with the red X in your image), and choose sound

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c117/SeaBlossom/otherstuff/crap/Image1-4.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c117/SeaBlossom/otherstuff/crap/Image2.jpg

 

It should take you to pop up window, the same one pictured below which can also be accessed by clicking on Sound in your Control Panel.

 

Also look in the control panel for something labeled SigmaTel High Definition Audio or something similar, or anything that looks to be sound related in there is worth looking at. Check the settings.

 

My similar crappy on-board card is finicky about which of those settings I use in the Sound window.

 

Finally there is one more possibility, but I'd want to know more about your system.

 

You could go to Start / Run

and type:

DxDiag

 

Save the file and post it here.

 

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c117/SeaBlossom/otherstuff/crap/Image4-1.jpg

So about your first possibility, I can't open the control panel. When I right-click on the icon, the option 'Open control panel' is grey and I can't click on it. When I go to the configuration screen (correct term?) and than to Sound it says:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/23/1971930/Geluid.JPG

 

Translated in English, that means: "There are no audio devices installed."

So I think there is something seriously wrong.

 

Now, about the DxDiag, I won't sens it because a friend of me says it allows you to get rather personal data from my computer. I'll just post my specs then:

 

Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium (build 6.0, build 6002)

Language: Nederlands (= Dutch word for 'Dutch)

System manufacturer: Dell Inc.

System model: Dell DM061

BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 2.2.1

Processor: Intel® Core2 CPU 4300 @ 1.80 Ghz (2 CPU)

Memory: 2046 MB RAM

Graphics Card: 256 MB ATI Radeon X1300PRO

 

I hope that's enough.

 

Always look at the simple things first.

Is it plugged in? is it turned on? is it selected?

 

Is the speaker connection plugged all the way in? and not 'almost' all the way in?

Be sure it is plugged into the proper port.

Do the speakers work? have you tried them on another device?

Do the speakers have a volume control? Or a power cord?

Is the volume (speaker icon in your tray) turned all the way up?

Is your sound card selected as the default device?

Do you have another audio device - such as a USB headset that may have once been plugged into your system? Sometimes just plugging something in will reset the default to the new device.

 

Of course I tried this all. I'm very sure it's the sound card because software like Windows Media Player indicates that when I start it.

[myrmaad]

Thanks for the reply, it was late yesterday and I had to have dinner and go to bed.

 

Thanks for posting the DXDiag excerpt, but it's hardly enough without the sound card and device driver listings.

 

the only thing that could be considered personal is the networking information and you can certainly take that out.

 

 

In the meantime, this MS Knowledgebase article might help you out.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948481

 

Don't be lazy, read all of it, and there's a link at the bottom you should review there as well:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971220/

[Biblost]

Thanks for the reply, it was late yesterday and I had to have dinner and go to bed.

 

Thanks for posting the DXDiag excerpt, but it's hardly enough without the sound card and device driver listings.

 

the only thing that could be considered personal is the networking information and you can certainly take that out.

 

The problem is DXDiag doesn't list anything about the sound card, it's all blanco. But if you really think it can help you, I'll sens you the whole DXDiaf file.

[myrmaad]

That's fine, you can delete it now.

 

All right, go back up to the knowledge base articles I posted above your last post, and do all those things listed.

 

Most importantly, you should have updated your windows vista drivers with Windows update. Do not choose the express version. Choose custom and look for sound drivers particularly.

 

 

Next time you restart, take a look in the BIOS and check that selected Audio hardware setting. One of them is AUTO, most likely, you may have to change that and force the selection of your on board card. If you are uncertain about looking at the BIOS let us know. Only save if you have not changed anything but the one thing you are there to touch. If you're unsure do not save, just exit.

 

You can write down the choices if you're unsure, exit without saving, and research those options before making a choice.

[Biblost]

That's fine, you can delete it now.

 

All right, go back up to the knowledge base articles I posted above your last post, and do all those things listed.

 

Most importantly, you should have updated your windows vista drivers with Windows update. Do not choose the express version. Choose custom and look for sound drivers particularly.

 

 

Next time you restart, take a look in the BIOS and check that selected Audio hardware setting. One of them is AUTO, most likely, you may have to change that and force the selection of your on board card. If you are uncertain about looking at the BIOS let us know. Only save if you have not changed anything but the one thing you are there to touch. If you're unsure do not save, just exit.

 

You can write down the choices if you're unsure, exit without saving, and research those options before making a choice.

 

I'm sorry, but I'm not very familiar with the BIOS. I looked, but the only thing related to audio I could find was 'Integrated Audio On/Off' and that setting was turned On.

 

I couldn't find an 'Audio Hardware' setting, or something like that.