No Audio devices are installed

[papalump]

Hello all,

I'm new to this forum and new to forums in general. I have a problem with my laptop all of a sudden. I went to you tube the other day and had no audio sound coming from my computer. Using my limited computer knowledge, I went to Control Panel then Sound and I have 3 tabs, Playback, Recording and Sounds. Playback and Recording both say "No audio devices are installed." My little speaker down in the lower right corner of the task bar has a little red circle with a white "x" in it. When I hold my mouse over the little speaker in the task bar, it says " No audio output device is installed". When I right click on the little speaker, a box pops up and the option to "Open the volume mixer" is ghosted out.

Why did this happen and what are my options?

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark

 

[richc46]

Welcome Mark
Go to search by the start button
Type device manager
In device manager, you may see a small yellow triangle, near the audio driver, if so download the most current driver as iyours is corrupt.
If not small triangle, update to the newest driver as this may be the cause of the problem
Follow the instructions in this tutorial. At the end search for driver, do not go to browse this computer
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/193584-device-manager-install-driver.html

 

[papalump]

Hello Richard

Thank you for that information and tutorial. I followed the tutorial, but when I got to the device manager I did not have a "sound, video game controllers" tab or plus sign to click on. I have nothing listed there that seems to relate to sound. When I did this, I remembered that a friend of mine that is much more computer literate than myself, looked under the device manager yesterday when I asked him about this problem and he told me there was nothing there and that there should be. Where could it have gone and do I have any other options given this turn of events?

Thank you sir.

Mark

 

[richc46]

Hi Mark
Things dont just happen, there is always a reason
Update your anti virus scanner and make a full scan
Download and make a full scan with the free version of malwarebytes, be sure to update first.
If they are negative, with system restore go back 3 days before the problem
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html
Wish you luck.

 

[vista890]

The same thing happened to our pc a few days ago. Checked in device manager and couldn't see the sound, video, games controllers either. I just went to the pc manufacturers website (HP) typed in the model of the pc and downloaded the sound driver for it. Restarted and it worked again. Hope you get it sorted soon

 

[ilikefree]

Go to Realtek and download one.

Realtek

 

[papalump]

Dear richc46,
I have been busy using my computer, since I just came back from vacation, and have not had the time to do everything you suggested until now. But, I updated virus and did full scan, I updated the malware and did a full scan and there was only one problem with the malware and it supposedly took care of that. I then tried to restore, but I stopped because I could not go back to a date far enough to be before the problem. In the link you sent me, it says to check "show restore points older than 5 days", but I do not see this anywhere. I know this existed though, because you will remember that I told you about my friend that I had discussed this with earlier, and at that time we were looking at restoring it and after seeing the initial 5 or so restore points that were in the last 3 days, he clicked something that brought up a bunch of older dates like 3 weeks old or so and now I can't get any dates but about 5 that only go back about 4 days which is definately not enough.

Why isn't that option to check "show restore points older than 5 days" showing for me now??????

Also, after this, I did as some of the other fine members had suggested and went to Compaq's website to download the driver for my laptop and when I went to install it it failed because "Driver installation failed, could not find the device for this driver"

There is a black cloud over my head I believe.

Thank you.

 

[richc46]

Go back to system restore. When you see the dates available, in the lower left there should be a box to check (see additional dates) if so check it.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Tips-for-fixing-common-sound-problems

 

[papalump]

I know you mentioned that there should be a box to check for additional dates and it was there last week but its not there now. My bad luck huh? Does that box just show up when it feels like it?

 

[richc46]

I have always seen the box when I check system restore, but many others members have commented that it was not there. It leads me to believe the box is not present if corresponding dates are not available.

 

[papalump]

Well thank you for your help anyway. It's puzzling that the box was there before but not now though.

I guess I'm out of options then, true?

 

[richc46]

Did you check the link that I sent just one or two posts ago?

 

[papalump]

Yes, I've tried all of your suggestions as well as the other helpful folks that recomended downloading drivers from compaq. Its like the the thing disapeared.

 

[richc46]

Please send me a screen shot of your device manager.

 

[papalump]

Thank you, I hope I did this correctly.

 

[richc46]

Yes, you did fine and you learned how to take a screen shot, too.
I wanted to make sure that the Device manager was as you said.
I have checked on line and the problem is experienced by others, but not one valid solution.
Maybe, I can become a Google favorite by finding the solution.
I can think of only two things at this point.
One, make a SFC check Run 3 times if unrepaired errors are found.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html
Second reseat your sound card.

 

[papalump]

Well sir, I did the SFC scan, I did the first listed one which was "A" and it seemed like the most thorough, and I only did it 1 time because I think you said to do it 3 times if unresolved errors were found, but no errors were found. Go figure. Am I correct, do the first, thorough scan and only once since no problems found?

Next question sir, can the sound card be reseated on a laptop or is it part of the mother board that is now junk?

Life is good.

Mark

 

[richc46]

It can be separte or part of the mother board. If it is part of the MB you cant do anything.

 

[papalump]

Hello Richard

New forensic evidence has been unearthed! I hope this helps steer us to a possible fix.

Yesterday I took my laptop to another friend's house who wanted to see what he could do to fix my audio problem. Another part time techy friend of mine. Low and behold, when he went to device manager there was an entry that said "Unknown device" with one of those little yellow exclamations or whatever. He clicked on it, redownloaded the audio drivers that I had downloaded before, and wala! I had sound again. But alas, it only lasted for about 5 minutes. Then there was no more "Unkown device" in my device manager so I was screwed again. Then wala! "unkown device" was back again and I had sound for a good half hour until I shut the laptop down to come home. I got home and no sound again and no "unknown device" in the device manager again so now I am with out sound again.

If nothing else, I think this shows that it is not a hardware problem, no??? Maybe with this new info you have some other thoughts???

Thank you sir.

Mark

 

[richc46]

Mark,
I have never heard of such a situation and based upon the help from other members, it appears that they are, also, confused.