Question for the tech geeks

[dbair1967]

Have had the same desktop PC for a couple yrs, have never made any changes or adds to how the thing was configured, no new hardware or devices.

A couple days ago for reasons I have no idea about, whatever I had for a sound card/device just went away. I get some sort of weird "troubleshooting" box when I try to adjust the sound (tool bar menu at bottom), saying troubleshooting is completed but it doesn't tell me what happened. If I go to the control panel under sound it says no sound devices are installed.

Any idea what happened and how to fix it?

 

[Iamtdg]

It's most likely a corrupt driver. You can go into the hardware manager to find out what kind it is, find the driver online and reinstall it. I would try that first. If not, your sound card may have gone out.

 

[dbair1967]

ok will do...thanks Iam

 

[dbair1967]

Looked..its like a driver for sound doesn't exist...cant find anything to do with it

 

[Iamtdg]

Looked..its like a driver for sound doesn't exist...cant find anything to do with it

Yeah, that's what happens when a driver gets corrupt, it basically looks like it disappears. Like it was never there. You have to reinstall it.

 

[Iamtdg]

You might also be able to do that with the drivers disk that came with the computer if you still have it.

 

[dbair1967]

I'm assuming I'd have to reinstall the same one? What if I don't know (or cant figure out) what kind it was?

 

[cmd34(work)]

Unplug it and never log back onto the internet again. It's overrated.

 

[Iamtdg]

I'm assuming I'd have to reinstall the same one? What if I don't know (or cant figure out) what kind it was?

Yes, the same one. It should show in the hardware manager even if the driver isn't installed. If it doesn't show up there, it has either become dislodged (not likely) or has gone out.

 

[Midswat]

Get better anti virus and stop looking at porn.

 

[SixisBetter]

Unplug it and never log back onto the internet again. It's overrated.

Optional:try to jump start with a welder.

 

[dbair1967]

Unplug it and never log back onto the internet again. It's overrated.

I thought about it, but pissing CABALers such as yourself off is my mission in life

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Do you see if in the hardware manager? Like Iam said, it should at least be there, probably with a yellow exclamation point to mean is isn't working properly.

Usually if you right click and uninstall it, and then restart your system, it'll automatically install the driver when it starts back up. If it's Windows, it'll go online and find the driver so you don't have to find it yourself.

 

[Iamtdg]

Do you see if in the hardware manager? Like Iam said, it should at least be there, probably with a yellow exclamation point to mean is isn't working properly.

Usually if you right click and uninstall it, and then restart your system, it'll automatically install the driver when it starts back up. If it's Windows, it'll go online and find the driver so you don't have to find it yourself.

Good call. I had forgotten that Windows is smart enough now to go online to find the driver on a restart. Shows my age, I suppose.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

Naw, I well remember the days when you had to find the damn cd and point to it yourself...

 

[dbair1967]

Do you see if in the hardware manager? Like Iam said, it should at least be there, probably with a yellow exclamation point to mean is isn't working properly.

I opened devices and printers from the hardware and sound tab, and there is no sound card. Then if I go to "manage audio devices" it says "no audio devices are installed"

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

I don't think it'll show up there if it isn't working properly, though. Do you know how to get to device manager? What windows are you on? It's usually start, computer, then right-click (not left) and hit "properties". Not sure about Win8, I've only used that on a tablet.

 

[dbair1967]

I don't think it'll show up there if it isn't working properly, though. Do you know how to get to device manager? What windows are you on? It's usually start, computer, then right-click (not left) and hit "properties". Not sure about Win8, I've only used that on a tablet.

I found the device manager, but nothing related to sound is in it.

I have Windows Home 7 Premium

 

[Doomsday]

In your "sounds and audio devices" properties, change your sound card to "USB Bus" you'll thank me later.

 

[dbair1967]

In your "sounds and audio devices" properties, change your sound card to "USB Bus" you'll thank me later.

Cant find that. What do I click to get there?