re-installed Windows XP & now have no sound?

[tjgoldstein]

Hi there,

I did a re-installment of Windows XP Home Edition about a week ago in the hopes of fixing an issue between World of Warcraft and my Nvidia card.

While the re-installment went well, the original issue wasn't fixed so it means a new video card for me... however, while everything seems to be working just fine and dandy, I can't seem to get any sound on the computer.

I tried to check what 'Sound Device' I  have  via the System Information tab so I could update the drivers but for some reason, I don't have a sound device listed? I have speakers plugged into hte computer as well but the computer is not recognising I even have speakers plugged into it.

This is very puzzling as before I did the re-installment, I had sound working fine as well as the speakers working perfectly. They didn't come with a driver disc, they are just a plug and play... supposedly.. lol.

So, at the moment, I am incredibly confused about what is happening and I just know that there will be some really simply little answer for all this but for the life of me, I  have zero clues left.

Thank you to anyone who helps me

tj

[Sceptical]

tj, go to start/run and type   devmgmt.msc .

Here you will see all hardware on your computer, you should see         sound, video and game controllers.
(If you dont see a sound device go to the top of the list in device manager and right click the computer icon and scan for hardware changes.)   

This should show your sound card, probably with a yellow exclamation mark and, if it is on board sound, it is likely to be a C-media device or something like that.
Highlight it, right click, choose properties and see why it isn't working, ie, this device can't start code10, no driver installed.
Click the driver tab and try updating the driver and if you dont have a disc let windows do it for you.

If none of the above works, chuck it in the bin and go to the seaside for the day.
Not really, come back and let us know what went on.
Have fun.

[tjgoldstein]

ok, have done as you suggested.

Its a Realtek driver which has been updated. I had actually managed to find the driver while I was waiting for a reply.. lol.

Anyhow, while the driver has been updated, there is an error code 39 which, according to the error itself, it says the driver may be missing or corrupted?

Bizarre.

Also, I need to get drivers for a PCI Device and a SM Bus Controller? No idea what they are and am unable to get drivers for them simply by letting the computer scan for them?

Thank you

[Sceptical]

I take it you are connected to the internet? and that you have installed all updates and put an anti virus programme back on?
Is this computer a particular make, ie HP?
Usually the drivers come on a disc, if you have lost it or bought it second hand you can go to the manufacturers web site and find stuff there.

[tjgoldstein]

Ya, connected to the net and I have already tried all the discs I've got here and there. The computer is a Compaq Pressario and unfortunately, no discs came with it even though its from Harvey Norman.

I'll check out the Compaq site and see how that goes.

Thanks

[tjgoldstein]

ok, Went to the Compaq site and that was a disaster.

When I bought the computer, it had Vista on it so I unistalled it and put Xp Home on instead. Unfortunately, the Compaq site only has drivers for my Compaq type compatible with Vista and not XP.

Obviously, there are the right drivers out there, its just a matter of finding them again.

My computer is a Compaq Presario SR5160AN

[WyattSoft]

Its a Realtek driver which has been updated. I had actually managed to find the driver while I was waiting for a reply..

How did you update it? Right click the device and click Update Driver?

[tjgoldstein]

No. Earlier, it wasn't showing an type of audio device and I just can't remember how but suddenly the computer was showing me that I had a Realtek Device so I went to the site and downloaded the current driver.

When I rightclick on the device in Device Manager, it says I have the current driver and cannot update it.

[WyattSoft]

Try uninstalling it then install the driver's by right clicking the device.

[tjgoldstein]

Do you mean unistall the device itself or the driver?

If you mean the driver, how would I do that please?

[tjgoldstein]

Alrighty, I figured out what I had to do.

For the Realtek, I uninstalled and re-installed the drivers. There is still a yellow ! next to the Realtek device in the Device Manager list.. but computer cannot find a better driver for it. But there is still the issue of an error code 39?

I still need to download a PCI Bridge Device and a SM Bus Controller, or at least the drivers for them. I can only conclude they are referring to the speakers themselves?

[Sceptical]

tj, take a look at this thread, it concerns all the drivers for your motherboard.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=175129

[tjgoldstein]

Most awesome!

Will see how this goes.

I do have to say though, after a week of fiddling about with the *censored* thing, I'm giving it one more day and then its time to take it to the shop and handball it to them. I  have to take it in anyhow for a new video card so I may as well let them handle the rest of it.

But then again, nothing compares to the satisfaction of being able to do fix something yourself... with a lot of help from more knowledgable sources of course!

[tjgoldstein]

Alrighty.

I went to the site as previously posted, downloaded all the drivers from each link, making sure to restart my computer each time.

While my computer is no longer wafflign on about having no drivers for Bus Controllers and such like, there is still the error code 39 with my Realtek Device and teh computer still can't tell I've got my speakers plugged in. : sigh ::

Hands up anyone who wants a very heavy doorstopper?

lol.

Where do I go from here please?

And a big thank you to everyone who has helped me so far

[Sceptical]

First, forget the computer 'knowing' it has speakers attached, once the card is installed properly, they just work, obviously if they are 5.1 surround or something you will set them up using the audio config to get them how you want them to be.

Next, try this, go to start/control panel/add remove programmes and look for anything associated with your sound card, remove it, go back to device manager, uninstall the sound card, restart the computer, it should find new hardware, go through the motions, if it prompts you to restart the computer make sure you choose to turn it off NOT restart, i had lots of trouble getting my sound working but as soon as i turned it off and switched back on, there was my sound.
You never know.
If that doesn't work, have you looked for a driver on windows update?
Don't forget that it wont show you a driver update in the main window, it will be in a list in the left hand column under 'hardware updates'