No Windows System Sounds....HELP!!

Hi all, Thanks ahead of time for any help you may be able to offer, I really appreciate it!

Not sure if this belongs in this forum so please feel free to move me around.


For the last couple of weeks TImW in the malware support forum has been helping me get rid of a really nasty virus infestation I had on my PC.

Well I noticed the other day that my system sounds were no longer working. these sound related programs stopped working right as well...(NOTE: Games, and videos in Windows media player do have sound, DVD's also play sound.)

X-Fire
Ventrilo
anything flash related
Youtube
browser sounds (clicks, etc.)

I have tried for several days searching the internet for a fix. I've tried a K-lite codec fix, registry fixes, trying another user on the computer. All sounds and audio devices are set, the sound scheme is set to default. Nothing is muted and all volumes are up. I've tried TuneUp2008, defrags, diskchks, Ccleaner. Checked in device manager and the only weird thing there is I have the integrated audio and the sound card listed, although there are no conflicts or yellow question marks. I tried disabling and uninstalling the integrated audio but that didnt help. Probably more things I have tried but cant think of them at the moment.

Im running a...

Pent 4 3.2 ghz
Intel 865 Perl board
Soundblaster audigy 2
Nvidia 7600gs vid card

Please if anyone can help this is driving me nuts THANKS!!!

-=Sureal=-

 

Double click your volume to get to the Master Volume Control and make sure nothing is on mute there.

It doesn't really sound like it's driver related. I'm thinking it may be some of the .dlls for .wav got corrupted or removed.
Do you have a XP OS disc or a recovery partition/disc?
If you do, try running System File Checker first. Make sure you have your disc in before doing this, if you don't have a Recovery Partition.
Go to Start>Run and type in cmd
When you get the Command window type sfc /SCANNOW
(there is a space between sfc and /Scannow)
What this will do is compare all the original Windows files to yours and fix the missing or corrupted ones, with no data loss.

 

Musksnipe,

Thanks for the response. I performed the system files scan with no luck. I would really hate to have to re-load wondows all over again.

Note: I also chedked and made sure the windows audio services were started and running. Any other Ideas??

Thanks for the reply!!

-=Sureal=-

 

OK, if it is a driver problem, best to start here:
This is your chipset drivers.
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=N&ProductID=949&DwnldID=10884&strOSs=45&OSFullName=Windows*%20XP%20Home%20Edition&lang=eng

This is your on-board audio driver:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Det...&OSFullName=Windows* XP Home Edition&lang=eng

Install the chipset drivers, re-boot, check your sound, install the audio driver.

Do you have the Sound Blaster disc with their driver on it?

 

Msnipe,

Ok chipset upload successful, Audio Driver for integrated successful. When I updated the SB audigy driver the computer kept locking up on re-boot. I booted into safe mode and disabled the integrated audio and was able to reach normal operating status. Still no sounds....

Any other suggestions. Once again I really appreciate your help!

-=Sureal=-

 

http://adrynalyne.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!AB9DE24BE9AF1B9F!183.entry

Always backup your registry before making changes to it.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=1090321#post1090321

Here is a screenshot of what I am talking about. Note what is highlighted to the right. Don't worry about the extra entries that I have, because you may not.

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/7616/capturedf2.jpg

 

Adrynalyne,

I found the exact registry entry but when I try to delete it it says. "Error Deleting Values" : Unable to delete all specified values!

Did I do something wrong? I am on an administrator account, do I need to be in safe mode? Thanks for the reply.

-=Sureal=-

 

Post a screenshot of what you are trying to delete.

 

Ok I attached the pi, since I dont have time to set-up a image hosting account.

Im just following the directions in the link u posted and am looking basically at the same image u posted. Let me know what to do next! Thanks again for all the help!!

-=Sureal=-

 

That actually doesnt look to be corrupt.

Have you checked the Sound Event settings in the Control Panel?

I find that OS Shutdown value curious...

Did you backup your registry? It might be worth it to remove that value and see if it changes anything.

 

In addition to the above suggestions, there are some other things you can try. Go to Add/Remove Programs and remove all the Creative drivers. Shut down the PC, unplug the power cord, and remove the Creative sound card from the PC. Plug the speakers into the green on-board jack, and power up the PC. Go into the BIOS and make sure the on board sound is enabled. Boot into Windows. If you get sound, GREAT! If not, follow MSnipes steps again for the chipset and audio software/drivers. If the on board sound works without the Creative card, then we know there's either a conflict, or the Creative card has taken a :crap. If you get sound, reboot again and go into BIOS and disable the on board audio. Go into Add/Remove programs and remove the on board sound drivers. Shut down and re-install the Creative card. Boot up and reload the Creative drivers. Hopefully all this will do the trick... If you have another healthy PC around (or a friend's PC) try the Creative card in it and see how it goes....

 

Ok guys, thanks for all yoru help up to this point I appreciate it!

I followed directions as follows. I removed the creative drivers and everything associated with it. Shut down PC and removed the soundblaster card. Re-boot, enabled on-board sound. updated chipset drivers and onboard sound drivers. Double checked sound events and scheme setting.

:cry Still have no system sounds. Winmedia has sound and so do my games but Ventrilo, Xfire, Youtube and pretty much anything flash does not. In the sounds scheme page I also noticed I can not play the sounds individually. I attached a screenie of the page I am talkign about. nay other ideas guys?

Thanks,

-=Sureal=-

 

Adrynalyne,

I also removed that registry value OS Shutdown and it had no effect.

Thanks,

-=Sureal=-

 

Have you gone into Master Volume control and checked that one it's the components is not muted?

 

Oh yes, it is the first thing I checked. Any other ideas?

-=Sureal=-

 

If you are using Windows XP:
Select Control Panel from the Start menu.
Select Tools | Folder Options
Go to the File Types tab.
For the MID and MIDI extensions
Highlight the file type
Click Change under Details
Select Windows Media Player under Opens with
Click OK.
Now click Sounds, Speech and Audio Devices.
Select Sound and Audio Devices.
Go to the Audio tab.
Make sure Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth is selected under MIDI music playback.
Click OK.

If you are using Windows Vista:

Select Default Programs from the Start menu.
Click Associate a file type or protocol with a program.
For the .mid, .midi and .rmi types
Highlight the file type.
Click Change program.....
Highlight Windows Media Player.
Click OK.

 

Musksnipe,

Ok I completed those steps, still no system sounds... I did notice something though not sure if it makes a difference.

When I looked under voice playback while I was in sounds and audio devices properties there was no device selected, although I know for a fact that last time I was on this page I selected one for it to use. Well everytime I select a device it clears it out when I hit apply. I posted a pic to show you what I mean. Let me know if this is our problem.

-=Sureal=-

 

I'm not sure about that. I'm not really familiar with voice set-ups, but in the sound tab there, is Windows default chosen? Or is it something else?
I see you have SoundMax, try using the SoundMax Synth in the Audio section. (if there is one.)

 

I'm having the same issue with a HP laptop. Windows sounds do not work at all. Youtube or any other IE based sounds do not work. Media player is fine. Even the system startup sound does not work (should mean not a user specific issue). Removed/reinstalled the sound driver (Conexant High Definition Audio), no luck. BIOS firmware is up to date.

Oh, BTW: running Vista

 

@ Sand_Dune_Dude, it's basic MG policy to start your own thread to avoid confusion and because your problem or fix, may end up totally different than this one.

 

Musksnipe,

Yeah windows default is chosen. A couple posts down I have posted that screen shot. I tried again today to wipe out every driver possible associated with my system and start fresh with new drivers form intel and still no luck. I really fear a windows re-install or repair is in order. I ran sfc /scannow with the xp disc in the drive and that didn't help either. I'm totally stumped and racked on this one. Haven't had many problems before this that I couldnt google and fix myself.

-=Sureal=-

 

In the Master Volume Control, click Options>Properties. Make sure all the boxes are checked.
Goto Start>Control Panel>Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices>Sounds and Audio Devices, click the Sound tab. Is SoundMax chosen as Default device?

 

Musksnipe,

Yeah I must have visited Sounds and Audio Devices a number of times just to make sure everything is checked off and selected correctly. I have sound now, but I performed a clean install of windows. Took me about 4 hours to re-install and move all of ym files back onto my main hard drive. It's nice having proper sounds now and being able to use youtube.

I thank everyone for the help, it was greatly appreciated. I will pay the help I received forward and keep you all in mind on your good deeds.

Thanks Again!

-=Sureal=-