Sound card issues...

[Brad Pears]

I have an embedded sound card on my system. Device manager shows all the
items under "Sound, Video and game controllers" as functioning normally.

However, in teh control panel in the Sounds applet, everything appears to be
greyed out - as if it does not know there is even a sound device present
etc...

What can I do to remedy this situation?

Thanks, Brad

 

[Guest]

Embedded soundcards have many limits of sound settings.
Is yours the Realtek AC97? You could disable it, buy a new PCI
card for about $25 and install that which would greatly enhance
your system. Make sure the drivers are installed properly. Recommend
you go to the manufacturers website and get the latest drivers. JIC
Realtek AC97 audio driver package a3.88 download
http://www.softwarepatch.com/utilities/ac97.html
--
XP - WNP
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rate it below.

 

[Charles...]

Have you tried installing Realtek AC'97 Drivers 3.93 WHQL

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4400.html

 

[Brad Pears]

Well that is EXACTLY what I've got. I will try the driver download first and
see what happens... Why the frick wouldn't the one supplied just work
though??? Makes no sense... I only want it for VOIP calling really...

Thanks, Brad

 

[R. McCarty]

Check to see if your Sound Card has gone to "Phantom" status ( known
to exist to XP but not currently present or active). To do so, you'll need
to add a System Environment Variable:
DevMgr_Show_NonPresent_Devices
and set it's value = 1
Then open Device Manager, Click View, Tic/Check "Show Hidden Devices".
Now expand the Sound Category, check for your base sound card shown
in diminished tone or grayed out. If any appear Right Click and take the
Uninstall option. Reboot and XP should re-detect the card and make it
active in the current hardware profile.

 

[Brad Pears]

Wow, where did you ever hear about this one???

When I did this, I discovered that there are many "grayed" out devices
there - but the base sound card is not - it appears active. The grayed out
ones (all the hidden ones) are Microsoft Kernal devices (7 of them) ,
Microsoft Streaming devices (3 of them) and one called "Microsoft WINMM WDM
Audio Compatibility Driver". Should I uninstall these ones and reboot?

Thanks for your help!!
Brad

 

[R. McCarty]

Those are normally shown grayed out and do not need to be uninstalled.
If removed, XP will almost immediately re-detect and install them. Sorry
that suggestion didn't lead to a solution.

 

[Brad Pears]

Well it was worth a shot!

Thanks anyway.
Brad

Those are normally shown grayed out and do not need to be uninstalled.
If removed, XP will almost immediately re-detect and install them. Sorry
that suggestion didn't lead to a solution.