No Audio Output Device is installed

Hi everybody.

This problem intially began quite a while ago, Last year or so where I attempted to repair it with no success.

Since then I have gotten along without sound since I have an XP netbook also and this desktop was essentially relegated to documents(king of ironic I guess) because stupid me never made use of system restore :-o.

Anyway I have again been attempting to restore the machine's sound which I have had little to no success with despite scouring the web and using many solutions to this seemingly common problem.

I have attempted installing two Realtek audio drives, whose names went along the names of Realtek High Defintion Audio device and Realtek ac67 or something like that(IIRC my computer before it lost its sound used realtek for audio, though I could be mistaken). Since neither of them had any effect, I uninstalled both of them.

I have also gone into device manager to find that the "High Definition Audio Controller" is in System Devices (which I think is incorrect, it should be in Game,Video and Audio Controllers) with an exclamation mark next to it and the error:"Windows cannot initialize the device driver for this hardware. (Code 37).

I have both tried disabling + reenabling the Audio Controller and uninstalling it then restarting the computer in the hope of it being automatically and correctly installed. Disable-enable did nothing and the uninstall technique resulted in me being prompted upon start-up to find the Audio Controller is being installed, only to be let down in dissapoint to see that this fails and the evil exclamation mark of death returning next to it in Device Manager.

I am now fresh out of solutions and starting to believe there is something specifially wrong with my computer, rather than believing this is a general Vista problem. I have no Service Packs as they fail when installation is attempted which also leads me to believe there is a problem with my computer in particular and fear my attempts to fix the sound has only made things worse. :banghead

My desktop has in the past been attacked by malware but were removed by Malwarebytes, though I think maybe something in the registry or elsewhere has been damaged which is causing the problems with audio. I plan to run another scan straight after this post.

This lack of volume has been a tremendous frustration to me and would like to see it destroyed.

Any assistance will be greatly appreciate.

 

Hi and welcome to MG's,
Download and SAVE this driver to your desktop....

http://www.via.com.tw/en/resources/download-center/audio/

Do Not install it yet.

Please go to Start > Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a Program > uninstall any Realtek Audio Drivers/Software..... re-boot your machine.

Install the Driver from your desktop once set up has finished please re-boot your machine again, it is important that you do as it will help your system recognise the changes.

Please let me know the outcome and if you now have sound.

iain.t :major

 

The link directed me to a web page advertising audio but unless I'm missing something there wasnt a download for an actual driver. :confused

I went to support and to drivers on that website however and tried all of the Audio drivers available for 32 bit Vista (After uninstalling the Realtek stuff first) but none of them installed correctly, giving errors that "We cannot find Audio device" or that it cant find the appropriate supported hardware.

I checked afterwards to find none of them appeared in Programs so its appears they did not interfere with each other when each tried to install.

 

Ok.
we need to install the chipset drivers again and then install the audio..
on the link provided select ...... 1. Microsoft Windows... 2.Vista (32bit)... 3.Hyperion Pro Driver.. then 1. .. 2. .. 3.Audio.. 4.VIA AC'97

1.) Chipset.... http://www.via.com.tw/en/support/drivers.jsp

2.) Audio.... http://www.via.com.tw/en/support/drivers.jsp

You must install the chipset driver first then reboot then install the audio and reboot again.

let me know how you get on.

iain.t :major

 

The Chipset installed just fine but the driver is still giving the same errors. :***

 

Hi
Can you please give me the make and model of the tower, is this an e-machines or similar brand??.

thanks.

iain.t :major

 

The make on the tower is E-System and the model sticker on the side says Ei 106/Ei 206/Ei 306.

 

I thought as much :cry these can be notorious to find, but I have found that you have a Foxconn board and I have found the audio driver for that board..

http://www.foxconnchannel.com/support/downloads_detail.aspx?ID=en-us0000969

download and install then re-boot, hopefully your audio will be back .

iain.t :major

 

iain.t I'm just wondering about Electroenzo's code 37 cos as you know I had this on my 2nd drive when we were sorting out my realtek network prob.

It's invariably, but not always caused by another conflicting driver/device as it is too specific, usually, for a malware prob ?

Maybe disable ms uaa in system and try a reinstall of the reltek driver after ?

My 2nd drive had no updates - windows or gpu - like Electro's old bios's ( 5yr's old ) - but worked long before my totally driver current main drive!

As you might recall on my un updated 2nd boot hdd the realtek muscled out the UAA and it worked fine - the UAA still shows yellow but sound shows realtek HD !!

But my main now fully op hdd, with all drivers current, they work together!No yellows :yum

Hope I ain't stepping on your toes bro
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=238891 - mi bad :-o

 

Hey Handal,
You aint stepping on anyones toes friend . all input to try and help solve posters issues are always welcome, thats why I love this forum there is always some one there with an alternative swing on things.

iain.t :major

 

Well the realtek audio driver you linked me appeared to install just fine but upon restart still no sound.

I'm going to give Handal's method and thread ago so I'll get back to you on how that goes.

 

Ok, well it appears that uaa is not even appearing in my device manager, am I looking in the right place here or could this lack of uaa appearing be the cause of the problem?

 

No I can't see how the uaa driver could be missing as it is integrated into windows from XP SP3... though you could try to install it again as it may have become corrupted......

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?cc=uk&lc=en&dlc=en&softwareitem=ob-47284-1

download it from there.

if you still have no sound post back and we will run through a few more things with you.

 

Installed and restarted, no sound and it appears the uaa is still not in Device manager.

What and where should it appear as in Device Manager because I may just be missing it.

 

Download and install Driver Sweeper (BUT do not run it yet!!)

http://majorgeeks.com/Driver_Sweeper_d6171.html

Download the driver from here and SAVE it to your desktop.....

http://www.foxconnchannel.com/support/downloads_detail.aspx?ID=en-us0000969

Go and uninstall anything that is related to audio/sound in programs (VIA/Realtek) then restart your machine but do so to enter safemode (f8 on boot).

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>YOU MUST COMPLETE THESE STEPS IN SAFEMODE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

run driver sweeper by rightclick "run as administrator".. in the left hand side of the main window you are given a few options you need to select all that are related to sound... click Analyze... click Clean ... run the Clean process twice as this will clear up any residual leftovers.

Boot back into windows and click out of any found new hardware prompts. Install the audio driver from your desktop.Let me know if you get any error messages and if you have sound.

iain.t :major

 

Also check in start menu run type in msconfig and see under the services tab if Windows audio is enabled.

When you do your next reboot go into bios and see what settings there are for onboard sound and lan; I know your lan is working but realtek lan and sound often share resources, so with this age of board you could have jumpers on the mobo to enable onboard devices....as it's via and easily pre jumperfree config rolleyes....OEM's often left them disabled to get the customer to take out extended warranties

Good luck

 

Ok then, I will get the potential malware problem checked out first then report back to this thread. Looking at Malwarebytes vault the malware was pretty serious, trojans and the like. :eek

Thanks for the help so far everyone.

 

Well I got the all clear from Malware removal and continued on with your instructions but when I tried to use VIA device manager to uninstall components all I get is "Installshield module has stopped working".

Is this even the right way to uninstall the chipset?

 

Hi Electroenzo,

Use driver sweeper again to uninstall the chipset driver then reinstall the one from here...

1.) Chipset.... http://www.via.com.tw/en/support/drivers.jsp

(1.Microsoft Windows... 2.Vista (32bit)... 3.Hyperion Pro Driver..)

2.) Boards Audio driver from here....

http://www.via.com.tw/en/support/drivers.jsp (1. .. 2. .. 3.Audio.. 4.VIA AC'97)

iain.t :major