Computer Gurus: My soundcard has vanished...

dano

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Jeez...whatever happened to the simple stuff? Anyways..I wasn't getting sound...Plugs were o.k., Under Device Manager, there is no listing for any sound device (game controller, etc.). For kicks, I tried reinstalling it, and Windows couldn't find it...Hmmmm...

In safe mode, there is a listing in Device Manager for the sound card.

The sound card has disappeared...*poof*

Im on a HP Pavilion 7950, WINME.

Not sure what brand the sound card is...

Any ideas? I'm thinking the sound card went bad physically?

Thanks!!
--dan
 

Saaby

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Hmmmm---sure it's seated firmly in it's slot? That is to say---positive? Move it to another slot and try again
grin.gif


I won't touch Windows ME with a hasmat suit so that's about all the advise I can offer you...sorry!
 

Rothrandir

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have you recently changed any settings? installed any new devices or software? how recently did this happen? if you had some software like GoBack, you could take your computer back to before when this happened. it doesn't really sound like a hardware issue to me.
 

bmsmith

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Something else to try if none of the above worked is to boot into safe mode, remove all soundcard devices in the device manager and then reboot into normal mode. If the card is "alive", it should be detected when Win ME boots up and possibly prompt for driver locations.

If not, go to control panel and try "add new devices" and let the system scan for it.

If that doesn't do it, shut down, then physically remove the sound card, and then boot all the way into Windows (and verify no sound card devices are listed in the device manager), then shutdown again. Then re-install the card and boot again.

Also, see if a new version of sound card drivers are available at the web site and see if they "redetect" the card.

If that doesn't work, I'm not sure what to do next. Reinstall?

- Brian
 

dano

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I used the System restore to a point in which I knew the sound was working, and there was still no sound device in Device Manager.

I tried reinstalling the hardware, but windows did not detect it, and I don't have the drivers handu to do it manually, yet.

Nothing was changed, and no software was added.

Last night, I turned the computer off, received the shutdown noise as normal, and this morning, no soundcard...ugh...

--dan
 

geepondy

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I used to work in a computer shop and I never saw a soundcard completely die but there is always a first time. To completely disappear from your hardware settings without any hardware software changes is very strange so maybe it did die.
 

geepondy

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Originally posted by Stefan:
Might be a silly response, but are the speakers turned on this time?
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">That's the first thing I thought of too (or speaker power supply died) but he stated that it completely disappeared from his device manager.
 

Stefan

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Dano, that system has onboard sound. Go into BIOS and see if there is an option for "disable onboard sound". Enable it if its disabled, and the problem should be fixed.

My two cents. (It helps when my father is a computer technician)
 

star882

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I just discovered that EISA sound cards will not work on new NT based windows(2000, ME, XP).
Replace your sound card with a PCI one, they are not that expensive.
 

Saaby

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My dad used a ISA Sound Blaster Awe 64 for years with Windows 2000. Now my sister uses it, with windows 2000...

Try again...
 

star882

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Well at least this is the case with my computer.
Trying to use an EISA sound card on 2000 results in skipping sound(the same card works fine in the same system with 98).
I ended up finding a PCI sound card(brand unknown, aureal vortex 2 DSP) lying around and installed it.
It works like a champ!
Not only the sound works, I get dolby surround.
 

Graham

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You have an EISA sound card? Are you sure you don't mean ISA? EISA only had a very brief life about 6 or so years ago, and even then most EISA stuff was server based. If your motherboard supports EISA it must be pretty old (Pentium Pro vintage..)

Graham
 

dano

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WOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Stefan was completely CORRECT!!! In BIOS, the sound was disabled...Not sure how that happened, I don't play with BIOS settings...THANKS!!!

I did find an update for my BIOS, which is supposed to be a "fix" for some audio problems. My question is, should I update the BIOS, or is that a potential screw-up?

--dan
 

Stefan

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If in the process of "flashing" the BIOS you lose power, you have an expensive paperweight. If everything seems to be working fine, leave it as it is. If in doubt, take it to a certified technician.
 

star882

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"You have an EISA sound card? Are you sure you don't mean ISA? EISA only had a very brief life about 6 or so years ago, and even then most EISA stuff was server based. If your motherboard supports EISA it must be pretty old (Pentium Pro vintage..)"
The test system is a 200MHz Pentium MMX.
 
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