sound is gone!

[NEILLSHO94]

I do not know muchabout PCs. It just happened, the sound died. If i go to the devices, everything looks ok, but when i try to open anything that plays sound i get this
"Windows Media Player cannot play the file because there is a problem with your sound device. There might not be a sound device installed on your computer, it might be in use by another program, or it might not be functioning properly."
I do not know what else could be running..is there a way to check other than the obvious? Also, absolutely nothing dealing with sound works. The little sounds that are normally heard with Windows not there. I get the beeps from the system, but thats it. If i try to play a basc sound no matter what it is, i get the same error code. i did get this from Everest..
-MOBO is Biostar M6VCF
-Chip set. VIA VT82C694X Apollo Pro 133

I bought a sound card from Creative (Sound Blaster Live LS ) . DOES ANYONE THINK THIS WILL HELP IF I INSTALL IT. If so, what do i need to do for the installation? Again, I am not computer inclined, but can follow instructions well..

Thanks

[spyder003]

Do you get any flags under sound controllers in the device manager??

[NEILLSHO94]

no..nothing. I cannot even use the play button in the sample feature of windows. Not sure if this is right, but there is nothing listed in the properties box when i open the Legacy Audio Drivers box. In the codecs box, all files seem to be ok (enabled)

[kram 2.0]

Welcome to PC Mech forums

Did the sound die just abruptly - as in it was working for a while and then on a random given time, it gave out? Or it is a new build? If this is new, you may consider installing the sound drivers, or the chipset drivers.

kram

[suitcase]

I screwed up my sound like that when I tried to install my Audigy II. If you have XP, or ME, try restoreing back a ways to see if that helps. But if some files are gone, then they're gone. I had to do a windows repair and that reinstalled the sound codecs and all was well. You may have to do it also. I know with ME, I had sound problems on my Dell with the Soundblaster. I could go to device manager, and remove sound devices reboot and they would reload and work.

[NEILLSHO94]

it is XP and I have had it for a couple of yrs. Would it make a difference if i just tried installing the sound blaster with it's software/. Do i have to remove anything to do this correctly ...ie some old card etc.

[Harry]

Two days ago I came down with the same problem you have. My sound stopped working for what seemed no reason. Nothing was wrong in Device manager. Then later mysteriously the sound worked again. Then later on it stopped again. I then began testing to see if it was just one program or all programs. I loaded up my ATI TV tuner and the sound worked perfectly so it seemed like it wasn't the hardware or at least the speakers. But Media Player and Winamp would not play. Then I tried my DVD because I have been using it like mad lately. I started up Intervideo WinDVD 5. The sound was turned all the way down so I turned up the volume and it played fine. I then went back into WinAmp and miracles of miracles it played fine. Same thing for Media Player. I am above the ape level of evolution so it was Bingo for me. I then went back to WinDVD 5 and turned the sound down to nothing again and WinAmp and Media Player would not play. So obviously WinDVD 5 has some kind of universal control over all the sound. I don't know if your problem is the same as mine but if you have WinDVD 5 it certainly could be. Let us know.

By the way, if anyone knows how to get WinDVD 5 to give up universal sound control that would be nice. I'm not on that advanced scale of evolution just yet.

[kram 2.0]

Installing SB Audigy LS might be an option - go ahead and do that but first, disable the onboard sound in the BIOS (Pressing DEL as you boot up). Then install the creative drivers that come with it.

kram