Sound issues - No sound [Solved: Guide - 1st post]

[oxymoron_02]

My problem, a Mk II type up using past tense rather than present. Pretty much defunct computer specs at bottom of quote, but similarities may occur.

I had a large sound problem in that I was getting none. I had both the Creative Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit 7:1 surround sound card, and onboard (sound device built into your motherboard) Realtek AC'97 sound, but neither would produce an iota of sound.
Applications to play media files reported that they were in fact playing them correctly, indicating that the problem lay not in the sound devices, but elsewhere. I had tried two sets of speakers and neither worked, and had tried plugging the audio out cable into various different jacks; still no sound.
Driver updates did nothing, and disabling one sound card and then the other still had no effect.

On to the solution: In the end I stumbled across the answer myself. I was tinkering with the Windows Volume Control,expecting to have no effect, but had quite the opposite. Here is the following steps I took (including by the shorter steps if available to you).

Start --> Settings --> Control Panel --> Sounds and Audio Devices --> Advanced (in the default Volume tab underneath "Device Volume")
OR
Double-click Taskbar Volume Control icon (I disabled mine)
THEN
Options --> Check "Advanced Controls". The "Advanced" button then appears underneath the main volume slider, and if you go into that, you can uncheck a box labelled "Digital Output Only".

My problem immediately vanished, no reboot needed. In fact I did then get a little carried away and ended up accidentally blaring out some rather loud music into my bedroom at half past twelve at night, only to have to dive across the room to switch of the sub in panic.

I certainly hope this helps and my above guide is understandable), as the answer was not evident anywhere online, and nor could anyone else help (though of course they tried their based on what they knew). It was by sheer fluke and stubbornness I found this out.

Operating System: Windows Home Edition XP (SP 2)
Mainboard: nVidia/ASUS A8N SLI Deluxe
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 XP 3000+
RAM: 512 DDR, unsure of operating frequency
Hard Drive: 72 GB SATA, unsure of make/model
Sound Card: Creative SoundBlaster Live! 24-bit (internal)
Onboard Sound: Realtek AC'97
Video Cards: nVidia GeForce 7300 GS
Other Cards: VisionPlus Freeview TV Card

[soybean]

Have you looked in your software settings to see whether sound is muted?

[oxymoron_02]

Yes. That was one of the first things I tried.

[oxymoron_02]

Little bit of an update: My speakers are now randomly crackling a little bit, but still no real sound.

[soybean]

Operating System: Windows Home Edition XP (SP 2)
Mainboard: nVidia A8N SLI Deluxe
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 XP 3000+
RAM: 512 DDR, unsure of operating frequency
Hard Drive: 72 GB SATA, unsure of make/model
[highlight]Sound Card: Creative SoundBlaster Live! 24-bit (internal)
Onboard Sound: Realtek AC'97[/highlight]
Video Cards: nVidia GeForce 7300 GS
Other Cards: VisionPlus Freeview TV Card

Well, there's one problem.  If you have a sound card installed, then you need to access your BIOS and disable the onboard sound.  You may have a conflict with both active at the same time.

[oxymoron_02]

The onboard sound wasn't actually installed at first, in terms of the drivers/software. I installed it after I found that the SB wasn't working, only to find that the Realtek didn't either.

Could the BIOS still be causing a problem, though?

[oxymoron_02]

Just disabled the onboard sound and still no luck.

[soybean]

Does Device Manager show any yellow triangles, any unknown devices?  Does it report your sound card as working properly?

[oxymoron_02]

No error or conflict reports, no, and the card is displayed as operating correctly.

I admit it's a real doozy of a problem, since technically the card is working, since media player (and other applications) will 'play' a file. The signal is somehow being lost somewhere between the file/software, and my speakers, however.

[soybean]

You have two sets of speaker connectors on back of your computer, right?  One for onboard sound, which would be grouped with mouse, keyboard, USB, etc. connectors, and another set of connectors from your sound card.  Are you absolutely sure you have your speakers connected to the right jack?

[oxymoron_02]

Like I said, I've tried them all.

[soybean]

I give up.  Anyone else want to take a stab at this?

[patio]

Little bit of an update: My speakers are now randomly crackling a little bit, but still no real sound.

This means it is an external / physical problem...speakers shorted out= try new speakers.
You said the sound card is good= try it in another machine ?

patio.    8-)

[oxymoron_02]

It can't be the speakers, since I tried two sets, one of which most definitely worked yesterday.

I could try it in my old system tomorrow, but certainly not now; it's too late at night.

[oxymoron_02]

Problem solved. Explanation in first post.