Hi Dave--
Check Device Manager to see if your driver is installed correctly. DM is
not reliable up through Vista if you can believe Redmond MSFT did that (they
did) for driver health (maybe next OS--Blackcomb/Vienna or some other ski
slope or city), but it is useful to see if a driver is installed and your
sound card entry is there.
In your run box type devmgmt.msc and see if you have a Sound, Video and Game
Controller Entry and expand it and see if your card is there>rt. click
it>properties>driver>driver details tab and see if drivers are installed.
Touch base with this checklist:
I Can't Hear Sound from My Vista PC:
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/1e87a3e8-c0e8-49af-980f-9eb6686f42d21033.mspx
and this one:
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/f76f244d-56db-4b68-b560-37eb4000253a1033.mspx
My personal ck. list:
1) Check connections from PC to your speakers and any other sound related
peripheral.
2) Ck Control Panel>Playback Tab>Rt. click Speakers and hit items on
context menu including Speaker Configuration and Test them; Click the
Properties button (lower rt. corner)>check the levels tab and make sure
nothing is preventing sound there particular the "Master" lever at the top.
Also on the Advanced tab check that the appropriate pull down menu item is
selected.
3) Get newest driver appropriate to your sound card by visiting the Sound
Card's website.
Some of these principles apply to Vista:
Resources for Troubleshooting Sound Problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307918/en-us
Sometimes WMP can be fixed by referring to specific error fixes. You don't
get an error on the desktop, but you can try looking in event viewer to see
if you can get a numbered error. Then you can use the two resources I give
you to try to match it up. If that doesn't work, then I know you can fix it
with the measures that follow.
I'd do these:
Eventvwr.msc in run box>Windows Logs in left pane>Application>use down arrow
to look for WMP errors as source.
References that you can use to match errors you find in Event Viewer:
Windows Media Player Help Articles List
http://msmvps.com/chrisl/articles/17315.aspx
Windows Media Player: WMP mini FAQ (Zach Robinson Lead Developer WMP Core
Team MSFT
http://www.zachd.com/pss/pss.html
If you cannot find the error in Event Viewer to match with these resources
then use one of these to fix it:
***SFC as a Remedy***:
SFC or System File Checker is a bit like the spare tire in your car or a
backup battery I suppose. In Vista of course, they have changed it somewhat
and come up with a new name--Redmond stands for name it something different
twice a year and now it's part of WRP or Windows Resource Protection. It
scans protected resources including thousands of files, libraries, critical
folders, and essential registry keys, and it replaces those that are
corrupted with intact ones. It fixes a lot of problems in Windows XP, OE,
Windows Vista, Win Mail, IE6, and on Vista or if it is installed on XP, IE7.
It protects these things from changes by any source including
administrators, by keeping a spare of most of them.
How to Run SFC:
Type "cmd" into the Search box above the Start Button>and when cmd comes up
at the top of the Start menu>right click cmd and click "run as Admin" and
when the cmd prompt comes up at the cmd prompt type "sfc /scannow" no quotes
and let it run. This may fix things quite a bit. It replaces corrupt files
with intact ones, if you're not familiar with it.
***Startup Repair from the Vista DVD***
How to Use The Vista DVD to Repair Vista (Startup Repair is misnamed by the
Win RE team and it can be used to fix many Vista components even when you
***can boot to Vista):
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm
If you elect to run Startup repair from the Vista DVD (it can fix major
components in Vista--I've verified this many many times; it's good for more
than startup problems, and the Win RE team simply screwed up when they named
it not understanding its full functionality):
Startup Repair will look like this when you put in the Vista DVD:
http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png
You run the startup repair tool this way (and system restore from here is
also sometimes effective):
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925810/en-us
How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm
It will automatically take you to this on your screen:
http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png
That will allow you to go to the Vista setup that has a Repair link on
thelower left corner>click it and then you'll see a gray backgrounded list
and I want you to click Startup Repair from it and follow the directions.
The gray screen after you click the first link in the above pic will look
like this:
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winvista/images/repair/staruprepair/Image17.gif
Click Startup Repair, the link at the top and after it scans>click OK and
let it try to repair Vista. It will tell you if it does, and if it
doesn't, try System Restore from the Recovery Link on the DVD. If these
don't work booting into Safe Mode by tapping the F8 key and using System
Restore from one of the safe modes besides VGA may work. That means you
have the option to try 4 different safe modes to get to system restore, (one
from the Recovery link on the DVD) and sometimes one will work when the
others won't.
You could also try a Repair Install with Vista which is done exactly the
same way as in XP:
***Repair Install Steps*** (can be used for Vista) MVP Doug Knox
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx
***Using the F8 Environment***
***Taking Full Advantage of the F8 Options (Windows Advanced Options Menu)
by starting the PC and tapping F8 once per second when the firmware screen
with the pc manufacturer's name shows a few seconds after restarting***:
The F8 options in Vista are the same as XP, and the link for Safe Mode Boot
options is labled XP by MSFT but they are the same for Vista (they haven't
updated to add Vista to the title as they have with several MSKBs that apply
to both).
Again, pressing F8 repeatedly when you seem the firmware screen may be is a
generic way to launch Windows RE on some OEM Vista computers.
You could also:
Think: I have 4 different ways to get back my XP at F8 and try 'em in order.
1) Safe Mode 2) Safe Mode with Cmd to Sys Restore which is simply a cmd
prompt in safe mode 3) Safe Mode with Neworking 4) LKG or Last Known Good
Configuration
Try to F8 to the Windows Adv Options Menu>try 3 safe modes there (I don't
use WGA) and Last Known Good>then I go to Win RE in Vista. That gives you a
choice of Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking,and Safe Mode with Command
Prompt.
These methods are outlined in
A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP/and Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding System Restore from MSFT:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/plan/faqsrwxp.mspx
System Restore can be run from the Win RE recovery environment from the same
link as Startup Repair, and sometimes it will work from one F8 safe mode
location or from the Win Recovery Environment when it won't work from other
locations.
How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449
Good luck,
CH
