sound problem

[django]

I have been experiencing a strange problem.

Three times over the last 10 days or so, my Soundblaster Audigy LS
soundcard has stopped working. I put a CD in and windows media player
just started to skip through the track numbers. I then the get the
error:

Windows Media Player cannot play the file because there is a problem
with your sound device. There might not be a sound device installed on
your computer, it might be in use by another program, or it might not
be functioning properly.

After this I have no PC sound at all.

I checked device control, which says:

Sound and Audio Device properties tab says No Device.

However...

The hardware tab says the Audigy soundcard "device is working properly"

I tried Winapm but I get:

DirectSound output v2.2.12 error:
Bad DirectSound driver. Please install proper drivers or select another
device in configuration. Error code: 80004005

Strangely, this error seems to screw up my internet connection. I
cannot send email (unknown error), or download files from the net
(transfer window opens but no download starts).

I can fix the problem by doing System Restore, but it's puzzling me
what the problem is. The internet problems suggest more than just a
driver problem., and a Bullguard scan says my system is free of virus.

Thanks

Andy

 

[Yves Leclerc]

You can have some type of spyware/malware/hackware that is controlling your
system. These may not show up in antivirus scans. Locate and download:

AD Aware SE
Spybot: Search and Destroy
CWShedder
Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta

and try Trend Micro's free bug scan Housecall.

 

[django]

Thanks for the reply.

I have already run those spyware checks. I went to Housecall as
suggested and it came up clean. Strangely, after the check I couldn't
open any other website and outlook express refused to launch. Again I
had to reboot.