Posted on 03/31/2008 5:48:17 PM PDT by Chasaway
Okay…I give up. I’ve got to ask for some help. Freepers have given me great advice on holsters, guns, etc., but now I need computer help.
I recently re-installed XP Media Center on my Dell Dimension E310. Now, whenever I re-start I have no sound. And when I go the Control Panel, I get the “No Audio Device” with all of the selections grayed-out. And I mean all of them: The Volume section, the Sounds section, the Audio section…all of them. When I troubleshoot the hardware it says the device is working properly.
I’ve searched the web (and lots of techie sites!) and have noticed this same problem reported by many others. And I’m pretty sure I’ve tried all the solutions presented. Either I’m a dope (real possibility there), or something’s wack.
I’ve reloaded the correct motherboard drivers, the video drivers and the sound card (SigmaTel, onboard) drivers, from both the Dell site and from the individual manufacturer sites. I’ve un-installed and installed again. Everything. In the correct order. I’ve re-installed XP Media Center and even re-installed just plain ole XP Pro, trying to figger this out. I’ve gone through the PNP Device Enumerator “solution”.
I’ve gone to the “services” and made sure the Windows Audio is set to “Automatic” and is started. I’ve stopped it, rebooted and re-started it and re-booted it.
I’ve read and read and read and then tried and tried and tried potential solutions, but it keeps being a bad, bad, misbehaving system. I’ve used both Belarc and Everest Home Edition. When the sound’s not working, neither one even see my sound card. When it’s working, they see it. These programs are how I know it’s a Sigmatel card and how I know my motherboard manufacturer, for the correct drivers.
Periodically, the sound will come on and everything will work perfectly. The machine is fast, the sound is great and nothing seems wrong at all. I will set a restore point at that time, place and configuration. When the sound “fails” again, I go back to the restore point and…no sound.
I can log off and re-logon and it’ll be fine. BUT…if I re-start, it comes back up with the no sound, no device thing I described above.
When I look in the Device Manager, the only yellow question mark I get is the “PCI Simple Communications Controller” one. And when I try to “update” the driver, the system won’t find one. I’ve tried to search the web for one, but nojoy up to now.
Two more pieces of info: When the sound’s not working, many times the PC will just seem to lock up. The cursor “hourglass” will just spin. Like for 5 or 10 minutes (sometimes until I just power the thing off). And periodically, when the PC catches up, the sound will work fine. It’s as if the computer’s trying to bring the drivers up, is having a hard time with it, and once it gets it all straightened out everything works great. ‘Til I re-start.
The second thing is that when I look in the device manager, I have TWO instances of the Plug and Play Device Enumerator. And they’re the same. Maybe they’re colliding. I can’t find out how to uninstall one of them. “Uninstall” isn’t an option presented.
I’m at my wit’s end. I’m not at that particular computer right now (on the road for work), but I’ll try to answer any questions you have to try to help diagnose/solve this deal. I do have logmein working, so I can probably find out whatever’s necessary from where I am.
As a side note, I’ve tried drinking more, but that just makes things fuzzier and doesn’t solve the problem . Maybe I’m not drinking the right stuff…Any suggestions along this line may not solve anything, except help kill the pain…
Any help would be appreciated.
Chasaway
Or, even direction as to where I can find an answer...
Thankee...
C
You’re not logged in. Oh, wait, no sound...
YOU’RE NOT LOGGED IN!!
You’ve tried re-seating your sound card, ay.
Maybe go back to vanilla XP [pro]? I really have a hard time crashing XP Pro, I can do it if I open about 40 IE windows and have different graphics standards running in several of them, but other than that...pretty robust.
Apart from that, select the best gun you’ve been reco’ed from all those FReeper posts and do the “Terminator” on your Dell? “Dude, you’re getting a hollowpoint!”
I am far from a Linux geek but I keep a copy of Knoppix handy and boot from CD on a machine I suspect of having dodgy hardware. If my audio/video are OK in the Knoppix environment (it has a startup sound enabled) then I can point the finger back at Windows.
And..if Windows is the culprit then the old uninstall/remove routine is required along with a possible scan of the registry for references to the SigmaTel.
When in Device Manager make sure to view hidden devices and/or uninstall them. You may have multiple instances of a device and/or driver installed.
Assuming you did, and you've installed the chipset drivers, did you install service pack 1 & 2 for Windows XP?
Try this, to make sure your audio isn’t turned off:
START Button >> Programs >> Accessories >> Entertainment >> Volume Control
Make sure that Mute is NOT checked for Volume Control and Wave.
If either/both were checked, uncheck and play a test file.
are your speakers pluged in....
I can't really help you other than to suggest you check to see if your speakers are plugged in.
If they are then lets go get another drink...........
Install this:
http://www.codesector.com/audiosliders.php
have it replace Windows Volume Control.
caveat: I've never used this software for a Media center edition of WinXP, I'm not sure what affects on Media Center specific software it will have.
If you tell me the exact make and model number of your laptop, and the make and model number of your sound card (if you have a separate sound card, I can point you toward a 2nd option that is a proper solution that I found when I had this problem.
The first thing I always do is go to Start>Run, and type in... eventvwr.msc ... and hit enter. This will bring up your event logs. Browse through these, paying particular attention to “Applications” and “System”.
Post back if you find something that is reported as a “Warning” or as an “Error”.
It’s most likely an on-board sound device. Installing the driver should fix the problem IF you are installing the right driver. If it doesn’t work, you may have a motherboard problem. The good news is that sound cards are dirt cheap. Less that $20.
BTTT!
Wait!
Slow down!
: )
Your responses are overwhelming! I'm going to take each response and work through them, one by one...
You guys are absolutely terrific!
Keep 'em coming!
Chasaway
And, yes...I AM logged in!
I’ve made posts here in the past where I may not have been, but this time I made damn well sure I was.
Chasaway
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