Resolving Sound Card Problems

Sound card problems usually occur when a new operating system has been installed, the quickest way to check if your sound card is working is to go to..

Start Menu > Control panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Under the volume tab look to see if everything is greyed out and you cannot move the slider.

Normally this will be the case and it simply means that Windows does not have a driver installed which is the medium between the operating system and the physical sound card itself.

If the slider can be moved this means the driver and sound card are working fine, in this case the issue will either be the Windows volume control, or the control on your speakers or headphones, to ascertain problems with headphones or speakers plug in another pair.

Make sure your Windows operating system is using the very latest service packs and updates for your operating system, updates and later generations of Windows do have larger driver databases built in, so hopefully this will automatically find the driver for you once updated, updates can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com/updates if this is the first time you’ve updated Windows since installing its going to take a while and a few reboots.

To install the sound card drivers

Right click on my computer > Select Properties > Hardware tab > Device manager button > scroll down until you see Sound, video and game controllers.

The driver itself may have an exclamation mark in front of it

Right click on the driver and select update driver, now you’ll have three options in the Hardware Update Wizard

If you have a CD with the sound card driver on it select No Not This Time, this will then allow you to specify the drivers location, point this at your CD drive and it should install the drivers for you.

If you don’t have a drivers CD at the hardware update Wizard screen select Yes This Time Only, and now select Install the software automatically, this will go and find your missing driver, it may take a while, but it’s normally pretty reliable. (this also works for other hardware devices such as Video cards)

For more on sound card problems
including microphones and other fixes

If you still have sound card problems and you don’t have the drivers CD or Windows update cannot locate the driver, then check on your computers manufacturers website, quoting your computer name or type, they should have a support or drivers section.

Many computers are unbranded if yours is then you’ll need to open the case, make sure it’s off and disconnected from any electrical supply first.

Once the case is removed look on the sound card to see it’s make and model.

If the sound card is built into the motherboard you should be able to see the make and model of the motherboard, in either case once you find the type and manufacturers name its just a question of visiting the website of the sound card or the motherboard and downloading what’s needed.

We have listed the most common sound card problems, but if you have any other problems with a sound card feel free to contact us, via out home page link.

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