Could anyone please help me with one really fundmental question re PC sound? I've dabbled with PCs for over 10 years, repairing and renovating for family and friends. It's always been Windows XP or Windows 7 for me. (I know they're no longer supported, but I only ever bother with making them have basic, minimum functionality). In that time I'd like to think I've become quite proficient on the software side, and can solve most errors that I came across, plus install new software. However, the hardware side leaves me cold. Never wanted to get into all that! I'm aware of the BIOS aspect, but have only really used it to change boot-up sequences, when needs be. Anyway, I'm currently having problems with "no sound device" - something I've had half a dozen times over the year, and always had to abandon the PC in question as a lost cause! Can I tell you my understanding of PC sound and have someone stop me as soon as I'm making a false staement?!
1. Some PCs have sound cards for better quality sound (e.g. Sound Blaster), and I have actually installed a few successfully over the years.
2. A sound card is NOT compulsory because all PCs have simple, built-in sound capability anyway, called "onboard sound"(?). This equates to the ports at the back of the PC which usually have jack-plug holes (blue, green and pink, or sometimes just blue and green). Usually they work with the green one, I've found, but not always. Inside the PC there are little silver boxes (technical, eh?!) which I presume are what does the necessary business with the motherboard.
3. For this feature to work, the BIOS settings for "integrated audio" have to be turned to "on" (which they always have been whenever I've been trying to diagnose this problem).
Yet I still find myself with various Windows screens (be that XP or W7) in various places saying there is no sound device. I've exhausted all the places I can think of looking for a clue. I've got a free little reporting utility called "SIW" which analyses hardware (very useful for memory queries, btw!) but no help this time. I've even looked for something in the registry (which I can successfully edit if needs be, although I don't like to make a habit of it), but no clues in that.
I really have spend hours on this issue over the years. I'm fed up of looking at "help" web sites which start off with suggestions to check the speakers (oh please!!!) but I particularly want to crack it once and for all now.
Sorry for going on a bit and sorry if it's a bit too elementary for all you hardware experts, but if anyone CAN help me resolve it, it will do wonders for my sanity (and hair!)
Thanks for reading!
1. Some PCs have sound cards for better quality sound (e.g. Sound Blaster), and I have actually installed a few successfully over the years.
2. A sound card is NOT compulsory because all PCs have simple, built-in sound capability anyway, called "onboard sound"(?). This equates to the ports at the back of the PC which usually have jack-plug holes (blue, green and pink, or sometimes just blue and green). Usually they work with the green one, I've found, but not always. Inside the PC there are little silver boxes (technical, eh?!) which I presume are what does the necessary business with the motherboard.
3. For this feature to work, the BIOS settings for "integrated audio" have to be turned to "on" (which they always have been whenever I've been trying to diagnose this problem).
Yet I still find myself with various Windows screens (be that XP or W7) in various places saying there is no sound device. I've exhausted all the places I can think of looking for a clue. I've got a free little reporting utility called "SIW" which analyses hardware (very useful for memory queries, btw!) but no help this time. I've even looked for something in the registry (which I can successfully edit if needs be, although I don't like to make a habit of it), but no clues in that.
I really have spend hours on this issue over the years. I'm fed up of looking at "help" web sites which start off with suggestions to check the speakers (oh please!!!) but I particularly want to crack it once and for all now.
Sorry for going on a bit and sorry if it's a bit too elementary for all you hardware experts, but if anyone CAN help me resolve it, it will do wonders for my sanity (and hair!)
Thanks for reading!
