Sound does not work on Windows computer. There is no sound on a Windows XP computer, what should I do? Why the sound card on the computer does not work

Users often encounter this problem when the sound suddenly disappears on Windows 7. The reasons can be completely different. Depending on them, the methods of eliminating the problem themselves differ. It is important to understand that any information related to your computer will help solve it. Often faced with this problem:

1. Tried to update the drivers for the sound card or any others.
2. Connected other speakers to the device.
3. Reinstalled the Windows operating system.
4. Made changes to system settings and registry.
5. Installed additional software to improve your computer.

If your sound card worked fine before reinstalling Windows, but now it fails, then the problem most likely lies in the drivers. In this case, the volume icon can be displayed quite safely in the tray, and after reinstalling Windows will notify you that it has installed all the drivers. However, this does not mean that the drivers were installed correctly and are suitable for your sound card.

To fix this problem, you need to do the following:

1. If you have a laptop, then simply go to the manufacturer’s official website and download the latest drivers for your model (this is a whole update package, so you don’t have to look for a specific driver);
2. You can also look for a disk with all the drivers, which usually comes with the computer and other disks (for example, for installing Windows).
3. If you have a desktop computer, then you need to find out the model of the motherboard.
4. Then go to the official website of the motherboard manufacturer (that is, not your sound card or audio chip) and download the driver package from there.
5. After completing the steps and installing the drivers, do not forget to restart your computer.

Checking the correct connection and functionality of the speakers

To figure out why the sound on the computer disappeared, although it was there just yesterday, let’s look at a few main points. First, check if your speakers or headphones are turned on correctly. It is possible that one of your family members accidentally turned off the speakers or plugged the plug into the wrong socket.

In any case, double-check that the speakers and other equipment on your computer are connected correctly.

If you are sure that everything is connected correctly, try checking the speakers themselves. To do this, connect them to another device: player, phone or TV. If they work, then the problem is in the computer itself.

Windows Settings

The next thing to do is find the volume icon in the tray and right-click on it. A context menu will appear. In it you need to select the line “Playback devices”.

In the window that opens, check which device is used as an audio output (that is, playback devices, not recording devices). By default this should be your computer speakers. All the necessary information about the sound card on the computer will also be indicated here. If you are using an additional audio card (USB), it may currently be used as the default device, so change it to external speakers.

If the playback device is selected correctly, then select the speakers in the list and go to the “properties” tab. Here's a closer look at each individual tab:

1. general (information about the audio card will be indicated here, and by clicking “properties” and going to the “drivers” tab, you can check the presence and date of installed software) make sure that in the “use of device” section it is “use”;
2. levels (check that the volume sliders are not at the very minimum);
3. improvements (it is advisable to disable all effects);
4. SRS Audio Enhancement;
5. additionally (here click on the green triangle “check”, an audio signal should appear, check that the default format is “16 bit, 44100 Hz”).

If all the settings are set correctly, but there is still no sound on the computer, then we look further for the root of the problem. In addition, if you use special software to configure the audio system, then check all the settings there.

Playback devices are empty

If, when you go to the playback devices on your computer, you find that there are absolutely no devices there, then you need to do the following:

• Right-click on the empty space.
• A context menu will appear.
• Check two boxes: show disabled and disconnected devices.

After these steps, all your audio devices should appear in the window with the “disabled” mark. Therefore, we right-click on the speakers and select “turn on”.

We carry out similar actions with other devices, for example, headphones. If you managed to do everything correctly, then there should be no problems.

Playback devices are on but there is no sound

It also happens that a green checkmark is displayed next to the playback devices, notifying that the device is working, but there is still no sound. Connect other headphones or speakers to the computer again. Still no audio signal? So the problem is definitely not in the speakers. We continue to search further. The drivers for the audio card may not have been installed correctly. Therefore, it would be useful to remove them again and install them again. In order to do this, you need to go to the device manager. Therefore, open Start and enter “device manager”.

Or open the toolbar, go to the “Hardware and Sound” block, and then “Device Manager”.

The “Device Manager” itself will open. Here you need to remove all sound drivers installed on your computer. To do this, right-click on them and select “delete”.

After you remove all audio drivers, restart your computer. Immediately after turning on, it should automatically begin searching for missing drivers and installing them.

Usually, this procedure helps restore sound. You can also solve this problem by performing a system restore.

There are strange symbols in the device manager

The next problem is when the user installed Windows 7 on his computer and everything except audio works fine. If you start Device Manager, the following icons will appear next to the drivers.

This usually means that outdated drivers are installed (you have Windows 7, but the drivers were installed for XP). If you are unable to download other drivers, then to fix the problem, you need to do the following:

Turn on sound in BIOS

It also happens that a virus or any other malfunction simply disables the sound card in the BIOS settings. To make sure everything works, you need to do the following:

Checking the health of services

The next thing you can check is whether the Windows Audio service is running on your computer. To do this, you need:

• Open "Start" - "Control Panel".
• Select the “system and security” block.
• Open "administration" - "services".

For easier searching, sort services by name. Find the line "Windows Audio".

Make sure this service is enabled. To do this, look at the information in the “status” column - it should be “working”, as well as the startup type “automatically”. If one of these is indicated differently, then right-click on it and change the parameters we need.

After this, don't forget to restart your computer. If this doesn’t help, then we move on to desperate measures and try to use the problem-finding utility built into Windows.

Windows Diagnostics

Many users are quite critical of this function. However, she should not be underestimated. Especially in cases where nothing seems to be helping. To begin diagnostics, you must do the following:

An additional dialog box will open where you can select a specific area to troubleshoot. Since we are now trying to configure the sound, we select the appropriate “sound and equipment” block.

Then the “playback” item.

You will see a built-in service for troubleshooting Windows problems. For the utility to start working, you just have to click “next” and wait for its results.

If Windows manages to find the source of the problem, it will automatically download the missing drivers or return the default settings. All you have to do is restart your computer.

Audio card malfunction

If none of the above actions help, then most likely your audio card or other hardware has failed. You can try to perform a system restore or a complete reinstallation of Windows. Especially if you are sure that nothing could have happened to the computer, and the problem appeared after you installed a new operating system. Don't forget that the audio card is exactly the same part of the computer as RAM or processor. Therefore, it has a limited validity period. Perhaps the fact that you have lost sound indicates that it’s time to change it.

In contact with

The main components of a computer's sound system are a sound card and an audio output device - speakers (speakers) or headphones. Sound cards of modern computers are sold in two main categories:

1. integrated into the computer motherboard (on board);
2. separate (discrete) sound cards installed inside the computer system unit.

There are also cheap or very expensive (for professional musicians) external sound cards with a USB connector.

The widespread first option involves wiring the sound chip onto the motherboard. The more expensive the latter, the better the chip used in it. But even in this case, the sound quality in on board cards cannot be called high, although it is quite satisfactory for ordinary users. The influence of interference from nearby other elements of the system unit sometimes leads to the audio signal in such cards being distorted. In addition, if the processor is heavily loaded, the sound stutters.

Discrete sound cards have significantly higher audio performance. The audio signal is processed in them by a specialized sound processor. The delivery package of such a board includes special software that implements various acoustic effects. It should be noted, however, that the potentially high sound quality can be offset by ordinary speakers or headphones. It is recommended, in particular, to use speakers with wooden bodies.

Reasons for sound loss

Sometimes, after turning on or during operation, the computer may lose sound. Why is there no sound on my computer? The reason for the disappearance or distortion may be problems in its software or hardware components:

• poor contact or failure of speakers or headphones;
• incorrect audio device settings;
• driver damage;
• malfunction of the sound or motherboard (for on board version) board;
• incompatibility with other programs or drivers;
• incorrect BIOS settings;
• exposure to viruses.

The easiest ways to recover

If the sound just disappeared, you should restart your computer. It happens that problems with sound are the result of an accidental failure. If the problem persists, make sure that the speaker switch is turned on and not pushed to its extreme position. Then visually check that the speaker (or headphone) plug is securely connected to the corresponding (green) socket on the computer. Poor contact with the jack can also cause the sound to wheeze. The functionality of the speakers themselves can be checked by connecting to another sound source - a player, smartphone, or another computer.

In the entire line of operating system versions in use - Windows 7/8/10, as well as in the outdated Windows XP, there is a universal tool - “System Restore”. It allows you to return your computer to a working state. If the sound was normal, for example, a day or a week ago, then you can “roll back the clock” and return to this state. The screenshot below depicting sequentially opened windows explains the return algorithm (“Control Panel” -> “System” -> “System Protection” -> “Recovery” -> selecting a restore point -> “Next”). After the computer automatically restarts, the sound should be restored.

Configuring Audio Settings

Inexperienced computer users could unknowingly turn off the sound from the taskbar (crossed out speaker or down slider). If this is the case, then you need to restore it, as shown in the screenshot (to delete the shutdown, click on the speaker icon).

Then you should go to “Start” -> “Control Panel” -> “Administrative Tools” -> “Services” and make sure that the Windows Audio service is automatically started and running; otherwise, restart it.

To check the audio settings, go to “Start” -> “Control Panel” -> “Sound” and make sure there is a green checkmark next to the sound device you are using. This means the speakers are working. Otherwise, click on the “Properties” button,

then open the lower list in a new window, select the “Use this device” option and click OK.

Reinstalling drivers

You can verify that the sound card is working in the device manager: “Start” -> “Control Panel” -> “Device Manager”. After opening the “Sound, video and gaming devices” list, the presence of a model (Realtek High Definition Audio) and the absence of an alarming yellow exclamation mark next to the line means that everything is in order. If you right-click on this line, then click “Properties”, a notification “The device is working normally” will appear in a new window.

Otherwise, you need to update or reinstall the driver. The same need sometimes arises after installing a new, partially incompatible device or program. To update, right-click on the Realtek High Definition Audio line and click “Update drivers” in the drop-down list.

A new window offers two ways to find updated drivers with explanations.

In some cases, the effect is achieved only after removing the existing driver (see previous screenshot) and installing it again from scratch. The Windows 7 operating system should automatically install the missing driver upon reboot (Plug and Play). If this does not happen, then the required driver can be taken from the disk included with the discrete sound card or motherboard upon purchase. Finally, as a last resort, the driver can be found and downloaded on the Internet on the website of the card or board manufacturer.

Sound or motherboard problems

These faults are complex and are detected using special equipment in service workshops. However, if you have the same computer in your office or home (for example, a neighbor), you can replace the suspected board with a known good one. After checking in this way, the problem can be solved by purchasing a new board.

BIOS Settings

It is possible that an inexperienced user, unwittingly, turned off the integrated sound card in the BIOS settings. To enable it, you need to restart the computer, enter the settings (by pressing the Del key before the system boots), find the Onboard Devices Configuration section and replace Disabled with Enabled. At the same time, keep in mind that if you are using a discrete sound card, this option must be disabled.

No sound may be due to insufficient antivirus protection. In such cases, you need to carefully scan the entire computer, possibly using other antiviruses. Once viruses are detected and removed, the drivers will most likely need to be reinstalled as described above.

Conclusion

Consistent application of the above recommendations will restore normal sound on your computer. Similar advice can be found in other articles for the search query “Why the computer sound disappeared.”

Every user should know how to deal with certain computer problems. Especially if the problems concern the main components: input/output devices, Internet and sound. What if there are no audio devices on the computer? What could be the cause of this phenomenon? How should the user behave to cope with the problem? There are a lot of options for the development of events. Therefore, you should either immediately contact professionals at service centers, or independently, by going through possible situations, understand what is the matter.

Drivers

This scenario occurs most often. Are there no audio devices on your computer? Windows XP or any other operating system - it is not so important which one a person uses. After all, the problem does not depend on this.

Why? It's all about the drivers. This software is installed on all existing operating systems so that the computer sees the connected audio playback device. If they are not there (or they are outdated), then the audio devices will either work malfunction or completely refuse to perform their functions.

No connection

But it also happens that even after reinstalling the software, audio devices are missing. So that's not the problem at all. For what other reasons could the problem being studied occur?

For example, if there is no sound playback device at all. Most often this point relates to desktop computers. In other words, when the speakers are not connected to the PC. In this situation, the operating system, even after installing or updating drivers, will show that the sound component was not found.

What should I do? It's very simple: the intended audio playback device must be connected to the computer. And if the drivers have not been installed before, install them. If there is a connection, but the problem has not been resolved, you will have to look for another reason for this phenomenon.

No Windows Audio

Are there no audio devices on your computer? Windows XP, like other operating systems, sometimes suffers from this problem. It's time not to panic and check whether the service responsible for sound in the operating system is initially connected. If it is turned off, then even with properly connected speakers or headphones, the sound will not be played.

Not the most common occurrence, but it makes users think seriously. After all, usually few people pay attention to the disabled Windows Audio function. They simply forget about her.

How can I check if the Windows Audio option is enabled? To do this, go to "Control Panel" - "Administration" - "Services". In this window you will need to find the function you are studying. Now you need to click on “Actions” - “Properties”. In the window that opens, in the “Local Computer” tab, in the “Startup Type” parameter, you need to point to “Auto” and save the changes. This algorithm of actions is suitable for Windows XP. It is in this operating system that Windows Audio is most often disabled for one reason or another. Everything is ready, but the OS says "No audio devices"?

Malfunction

It may also be that this problem appears due to a malfunction of the speakers (headphones). This case is not so easy to detect. Especially when it comes to computer hardware.

If faulty equipment is found, it will have to be replaced. After this, drivers for the connected audio playback devices are installed. And if the cause of the error being studied is precisely the malfunction of any components, the problem will disappear.

Viruses

There are no audio devices on the computer (XP, "Seven" or any other operating system can cause you such trouble), but all the equipment is in good condition? The next scenario, which is far from the rarest, is an infection of the operating system.

Viruses are the main enemies of computer performance. And they can lead to unexpected situations. For example, disable I/O devices. Or block the sound altogether. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often. But such cases cannot be called rare.

Therefore, if there is no sound on the computer or it suddenly disappears, it is recommended to check the operating system for viruses. Disinfecting your computer, as well as deleting all potentially dangerous files, will help solve the problem.

After cleaning and treatment, you will need to restart the operating system. Next, the Windows Audio service is checked. And if everything is in order there, the sound turns on. He should appear.

Connectors

Missing audio devices? Maybe it's all about the connectors and sockets for connecting equipment. The point is that if we are not talking about a built-in audio playback device, then most likely the component’s connection socket is damaged. The likelihood of this phenomenon is especially high on older computers.

It is recommended to take a closer look at the socket to which speakers or headphones are connected. And try to connect the audio playback component to another connector. Next you will need to update the drivers. You can check the result. If the problem lay in damaged connectors, then after reconnecting the speakers to another socket it will disappear.

Incompatibility

Are there no audio devices on your computer? If we are talking about new operating systems, it is likely that the problem may be due to incompatibility of the connected device. This also happens on built-in components, but much less frequently.

Now even speakers and headphones have so-called minimum system requirements. The computer to which the components are connected must meet the requirements. Otherwise, there is no way to get the device to work.

Particular attention should be paid to the operating system. Often, owners of older audio devices complain that they have no sound on Windows 10. This is normal. This OS has many incompatible devices. And the old components will not work with it. It is recommended to either purchase a new audio device or reinstall the operating system.

The reason for this on different operating systems can be completely different things. Let's look at the most common causes and options for eliminating them point by point.
If you did not buy a separate sound card, then the built-in one will most likely be “realtek”, both in the laptop and in a regular PC. On Windows XP, the reason for the lack of sound may be drivers that were not installed, or rather, drivers that were installed incorrectly, or even more accurately installed, but due to a missing operating system update, they did not work. Drivers usually do not work if the Windows version is sp2, since modern drivers are designed for sp3. Let's check point by point all the places where the sound may be disabled or incorrectly configured.
1. And the most banal thing. There is a speaker icon in the lower right corner (tray) of the screen near the clock icon. Click on it with the mouse and see if the “mute sound” checkbox is checked and if the volume lever is lowered all the way down. For novice computer users, this can be a serious problem. Uncheck the box and move the lever up.

2. Check whether the power cable for the speakers is plugged into the outlet, whether the speakers themselves are turned on and whether the indicator on them is on.

3. Check whether the sound plug from the speakers is inserted into the correct sound card socket on the PC. There will be a drawing on the socket indicating a sound wave and an arrow leading from the socket. Motherboards with integrated audio usually have 3 slots or 6 in two rows. The output socket is usually located in the bottom row, centered. Do you think I'm mocking you? No way. 70% of calls regarding no sound end with the first three items being checked.

4. Also in the tray, if the driver is installed correctly, there will be a second icon with a speaker belonging to the Realtek sound card itself. We stand on the speaker icon with the mouse cursor, press the right key and in the menu that appears, click “Settings”. As a result, you will see a window in which, by moving the dot, you can switch between playback and recording devices. Also below you can see checkmarks on those devices that are turned on. Turn on all devices, raise their volume levers up and check the “Mixer” checkbox in the playback devices as the main device.

5. Install Windows update to 3 sp. If you don’t know how, then just run “Automatic Update” on your machine and wait until it downloads and installs all the add-ons. To do this, go to “Start” - “Settings” - “Control Panel”. We find the “Automatic update” icon, set it to “automatically download and install” and wait. After installation, reboot. If you have a left-hand broom, then you should not do this, because the license will be checked and it will not turn on after that.

6. Check to see if the sound card driver is installed at all. To do this, go to “Start” - “Settings” - “Control Panel”. Find the “System” icon and launch it. In the window that appears, go to the “Hardware” tab and click the “Device Manager” button. We find “Sound devices” in the list, click on the plus sign next to them. Let's see if there is a realtek sound card in the list and if there is a yellow question mark next to it (wrong driver). There may be nothing at all in “Sound devices” and this means that the driver is not installed at all. If you have a separate sound system, then you should try reinstalling the driver from the disk that came with it. If there is no disk, then you can try to read the name on the card itself and its markings in the form of numbers, and then try to search for drivers on the Internet for your version of the operating system (although if you are an inexperienced user, it is easier to call a wizard). If you have a standard motherboard with an integrated card, then it is quite possible to assume that the included drivers are not suitable and try to download a more recent version from the Internet. For Realtek this is simple, because the drivers are standardized for different motherboards and card versions, and all you need to do is download the latest update. Usually called Realtek High Definition Audio R270 (the version number is constantly growing, so look for the latest one). When downloading, try to download drivers from the websites of your equipment manufacturer. Also pay attention to how many bit operating system you have (32 or 64 bit). To do this, go to “Start” - “Settings” - “Control Panel”. Find the “System” icon and launch it. In the window that appears, go to the “General” tab and look at the system version. After installing the drivers, we reboot.

The article will talk about an error when a message appears that there are no audio devices, although headphones or speakers are connected and work properly on other gadgets. Typically, the system does not see the audio device and there is no sound. I'll show you what to do in such a situation.

There may be reasons for the lack of sound in Windows XP ( and in other systems) several, but as a rule they are all the same:

1. Conflict between programs.
2. Lack of drivers or inappropriate drivers installed.
3. The audio playback device is not selected.
4. The codec is not installed or there is a conflict between them.
5. The audio service is disabled.
6. There is a conflict in the music player.
7. Sound is turned off in settings.

I will not consider problems at the hardware level as this is a whole topic for a separate article about the lack of sound. If you are sure that there is no damage to your sound card, the audio devices are working, and the connection connector is not damaged, then proceed to fix the problem.

What to do if there are no audio devices

Connect your audio device to your computer and follow these tips.

After each tip, check for sound.

Sound check

Go to Start >> Settings >> Control Panel and go to Audio Settings.

Go to the volume tab and see if the mute box is checked.

Service check

Go to the Windows XP Control Panel again, but now go to Administrative Tools and then Services.

Find the Windows Audio service and check its status. It should look like the picture below. Its launch should be automatic ( You can see it in properties). It is she who is responsible for sound and has a dependence on the RPC server service. I recommend watching it too.

Checking drivers

Most often, audio devices are missing due to driver problems. Therefore, this point should be taken more seriously.

Go to the properties of the My Computer shortcut, to the hardware tab, and then to the device manager.

Open the audio devices tab and pay attention to the highlighted line in the image. This is the name of the sound card. There should also be no disabled devices here( they are marked with a red cross), if there are any, then enable them.

Try updating the driver automatically for all audio devices.

You can also try installing the driver manually by entering the name of the sound card ( first line in the picture above) to the search engine. This will be much more reliable.

After updating the driver, be sure to restart your computer.

Checking installed codecs and players

You need to check whether any codecs are installed on your computer and if there are several of them, then you need to leave only 1 to avoid conflicts. You can also try removing all existing codecs and downloading new ones. For example, K-lite. The basic version will be enough. After this you can be sure that this is not the problem.

You can check their presence in the Add/Remove Programs window. Go to Start >> Settings >> Control Panel and go to the appropriate category.

Try to find codec packs. Remove the existing one and install a new one ( link above).

The same must be done with audio players. Leave 1 ( for example Windows Media) if there are several of them. It is not necessary to update.

Device selection

Perhaps everything turned out to be much simpler and the desired audio device was simply not selected. This point is also worth clarifying. Go to the audio device settings again, but now in the audio tab. Try selecting other devices from those in the list. Perhaps this will solve the problem.

Enabling the sound card in BIOS

There may be a situation when the board is simply turned off. It is necessary to find an item with its name ( it can be viewed in the device manager, see the images above). If it has the “Disable” parameter set, then change it to “Enable” using the “Enter” key.

I hope these tips helped. If you have any questions, write them in the comments. I answer everyone.

Did the sound work after these instructions?