Windows default sound problem

Hi there. Hope someone can help.

I recently installed a new hard drive in my computer and installed a new copy of Windows XP Pro with SP3. It is a volume licence edition, apparently (don't know if that has any bearing on the matter).

Anyway, after installing Windows, and before installing all my usual programs, I went through, as I usually do, and changed one or two of the default sounds and disabled the Start Navigation 'click' sound. I went back to start installing my programs and discovered that the click is still there. All other default sounds I can change and the change stays in place, but not this awful clicking sound. It's the first thing I normally do as it really gets on my nerves, but I am totally baffled as to why the change will not stay. Even if I try to save the sound as a new scheme (which I have never had to do before) it doesn't work. The sound scheme drop down box goes blank. The only way I can stop it is to choose 'No Sounds' from the dropdown.

 

only thing i can think to would be to delete or rename the click sound file.
It is C:\Windows\Media\Windows XP Start.wav

 

I'm assuming that you are referring to the 'Start Navigation' sound under the Windows Explorer section, and when you 'disable' that sound you are setting it to 'none'.

Have you tried selecting a different sound, click Apply and then OK and see if that works. If that 'sticks', then maybe you can go back and select 'none' again and it may stick.

I know that that's really simple, but sometimes some back and forth dickering will cause the proper value to be stored in the manner necessary for it to work. Anyway, I think it's worth a shot.

 

Thanks for your answers. I'm at work now so I will have to check later when I get home. It's a real mystery to me, as I've never had this issue before.

I had thought about deleting or renaming that sound file, but thought I'd see if anyone had any other ideas.

I have never altered Complete Navigation - I just normally go straight for that annoying click on Start Navigation. The setting on this PC at work for Complete Nav is set to None, but I haven't altered that so that must be the default. I assume that is what is set on my home computer.

mjnc - yes, it's the Start Navigation under the Windows sound schemes settings, and I am setting it to 'none'. I haven't tried selecting a different sound, but I will try that trick. I can change other sounds and have them stay to that new setting, but for some reason this one will not play ball.

 

I have now tried selecting a different sound for the Start Navigation but it does not stick. I have tried changing sounds for other actions, and they all stick with the change, but not Start Navigation.

Complete Navigation has no sound associated with it on the default settings. Strangely, when I add a sound it does not stick! Seems to be that whole Windows Explorer section will not keep changed sound events.

The Sound Scheme drop-down box, where you can select No Sounds or Windows Default, changes to a blank line when any of the sounds are changed, and when I then change it back to one of the original settings, I get a message box asking if I want to save the previous scheme before changing. I have tried saving the new settings as a new scheme, but this still does not make the changed settings stick.

Think I'll just stick with No Sounds at present.

 

I apologise if im mistaken, but would this be a downloaded copy of windows?

Q

 

@Digibirder

Check this out. This solution works for 'both Internet Explorer and the Windows shell' and requires a minor registry edit:
http://serverfault.com/questions/16...ing-sound-when-browsing-web-pages-in-internet

The original question was posted on the following news group:
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general

here:
Google Groups

 

No, it wasn't downloaded, but I am beginning to wonder about its legitimacy as I've seen some comments about this company (based here in the UK - called InterGlobal Software - probably not allowed to put the link) on another forum. As I said, it is promoted as a volume licence version, and it was quite a low price. It came as a CD-ROM, but one that had obvously been produced in-house. According to the other forum, they should only be selling volume licences to companies and schools.

I assumed it would be better than the one already on my PC, as that one was obviously not legit. The computer was purchased at a computer fair and although Windows was installed, it came without any original or recovery disc and when I downloaded the Windows Genuine Advantage it immediately flagged it as an illegal copy.

 

Well, to further update this problem, even setting No Sounds does not work. They become reactivated as soon as I exit the Sound Properties window. I think I'll try the tactic of renaming or deleting the start.wav file!