Computer Hope

Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: infamousace2 on June 29, 2006, 05:30:55 PM

Title: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: infamousace2 on June 29, 2006, 05:30:55 PM: A couple of days ago, my speakers started messing up. Sometimes the sound isn't there, and when it is, it sounds all choppy. I thought my speakers blew, so today I went out to buy some new ones. Well, I plugged them in, and its doing the same exact thing. Can someone point me in the direction to go? Thanks
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: soybean on June 29, 2006, 05:36:44 PM: Are you using onboard sound or a sound card? Did you install or uninstall any software around the same time this started happening? Does this happen when listening to a CD or DVD in a CD/DVD drive? What about streaming audio from the Internet? Same problem or not?
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: infamousace2 on June 29, 2006, 05:39:17 PM: Quote
Are you using onboard sound or a sound card? Did you install or uninstall any software around the same time this started happening? Does this happen when listening to a CD or DVD in a CD/DVD drive? What about streaming audio from the Internet? Same problem or not?

I guess its the sound card?? I'm not sure, I've had this PC for about 4 years now, and this is the first time its happened. It happens with music, and when my AIM goes off and everything....
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: soybean on June 29, 2006, 05:51:06 PM: AGAIN, music from where? A CD? Your hard drive? The Internet?

Let's cover this base. Do you have anti-virus software installed? Do you use any spyware removal tools?
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: infamousace2 on June 29, 2006, 05:53:13 PM: Yes...its music from my hard drive. I just ran a diagnostic test and it said...

DirectSound test results: Failure at step 19 (User verification of software): HRESULT = 0x00000000 (error code)
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: soybean on June 29, 2006, 08:17:31 PM: You could try installing the latest driver for your sound but I suspect you may be experiencing hardware failure of onboard sound. Onboard means your sound function is integrated into the motherboard, the main circuit board in your computer. A sound card in a separate hardware component that can replace onboard sound. If a sound card is installed, onboard sound probably must be disabled from a BIOS setup screen.

I'm guessing you have no idea where to go to get the latest driver for your onboard sound. Do you? Here's a good reference explaining how to Determine Your Audio Driver Version and How to Update Audio Drivers (http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/CS-020642.htm#version). But, do not use the Download Center link there unless you have an Intel motherboard, which I doubt.

What is the brand and model of your computer? You need to know that and the web address of their website to download a driver if you're using onboard sound.

If you want to just skip the search for a driver to see whether that will solve your problem, I suggest you go ahead and buy a sound card, such as PPA 4-Channel CMEDIA PCI Sound Card (http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1272151&CatId=0). If you've never installed any such components and do not feel comfortable doing that, you'll need to find someone to install it for you.
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: Dead_reckon on June 29, 2006, 09:04:10 PM: time to visit newegg... www.newegg.com

you can buy a nice soundcard there, for cheap
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: soybean on June 29, 2006, 09:31:51 PM: And you can at TigerDirect.com, the source I linked to in my previous post. Actually, I was going to suggest the same sound card I have, which did come from newegg, but newegg's site was down earlier today and I could net obtain the URL to the item.

I see they are back up. Here's the card I bought about a year ago: CHAINTECH AV-512 5.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?N=2010360057+4024&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=57). But, the one I suggested from TigerDirect might be just as good.
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: infamousace2 on June 29, 2006, 09:42:20 PM: Ummm...lets see...I have a Gateway CPU that I purchased in 2002.

Oher than that...I know nothing about it...
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: infamousace2 on June 29, 2006, 09:48:11 PM: Let me just see...Most likely, it will be fixed if I change the Sound Card?
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: soybean on June 29, 2006, 09:53:09 PM: A sound card will almost definitely solve the problem. Let me restate that. Assuming the computer is otherwise fully functional, a properly installed sound card will definitely solve the problem.
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: GX1_Man on June 29, 2006, 09:54:10 PM: Quote
Ummm...lets see...I have a Gateway CPU that I purchased in 2002.

Oher than that...I know nothing about it...

Download and run Everest Home. It will give you all of that info and a lot more:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

An new sound card will fix this if the drivers do not. But once we know your computer information (Model # and the onboard sound chip) we can help you get the most current drivers to see if that works for free.
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: infamousace2 on June 29, 2006, 10:13:14 PM: Okay...I dl'd it...but how do I run it?
Title: Re: Can someone help me with my speaker problem?
Post by: infamousace2 on June 29, 2006, 10:29:24 PM: Ummm....I'm not sure what I did...but its working now...

I would like to thank all of you that helped, and to everyone....this is a great website. Keep up the good work...