Audio Drivers not found XP Home Edition

My friend has Windows XP Home Edition, and for some reason she cannot locate her audio drivers and therefore has no sound. She has intel graphic display drivers as far as i know intel does not make any sound drivers at all. She was unable to determine the audio driver information by using her system information tool. Any suggestions ?

She told me that she used to have sound, but no longer does, and removing the sound device from her hardware device manager does not seem possible as there is none to remove.

She needs to:
1.) Identify her Sound Card.
2.) find the audio drivers online to download.

Ideas:

Go look at the system. Is it a factory made computer, or a build-your-own PC?

- Factory made, get the make and model, go look it up (also known as STFW).

- BYOPC, this is a little tougher. You'll actually have to do some WORK. Open the case. Observe the sound card. Make a not of anything identifying (like BRAND or MODEL). STFW.

That should help you locate the appropriate drivers.

You can also check Device Manager to see if the Audio device is listed and marked as disabled/broken/not working, and use the info presented there to further identify and troubleshoot the problem.

Have her check the mobo manufacturers' website for any onboard audio chip.
Have her check the audio manufacturers' website for any audio card.

Hmmm,

Quote:

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She has intel graphic display drivers as far as i know intel does not make any sound drivers at all

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That suggests that the video is onboard rather than a separate card. If the video is onboard then the audio certainly will be.

It will almost certainly be Avance AC97

Go into <control panel>, <system>, <hardware>, <device manager>, <sound video and game controllers>

Look at all the items in there and see if any are showing a problem. If they are, try using the "troubleshooter" function.

NB. The <sound video and game controllers> might be called something slightly different, but it will be obvious.

This is a bit weird because the sound is embedded in the motherboard so doesn't show up like a regular device such as a stand alone card or the drives.

I doubt that it is a driver issue. So whilst you are at it, make sure that the speakers are plugged into the right hole. Also borrow some known to work PC speakers and try those.



:)

It worked and now it isnt..!?

hmmm..

When did it stop working?

Was it after installing a program?
Was it after installing some other hardware?
Or did it work ok last night and not this morning?

Quote:

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but no longer does, and removing the sound device from her hardware device manager does not seem possible as there is none to remove.

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And there are no "Unrecognised Devices" in the device manager? (these are devices with a big yellow Question mark, there are no devices with a big red X on their icon?

Has your friend tried or attempted to use System restore?

I wont repeat the questions of what the system is or type of MoBo.. these can be important..

/Edit: No one has been in the box and moved any little jumper pins by any chance have they?

go to the device Manager and look to see if there is a ? next to other device. If you have service Pack 2 installed on Windows XP. Double click on the device and choose reinstall driver. Next choose to search online. This may find the driver you need. Ask her for all here disks she got with the computer if the mobo disk is in there the drivers for the audio may be on that disk. You can also go to the manufactures web sire of the mobo and get the drivers that way also. but my first suggestion may work for you. good luck.

thanks for all your help everyone i wll try to get her to view this thread today and see if anything helps. i'll post an update as soon as i can. thanks again..

check the back of the PC to see if the sound is onboard chip or separate card.

If it's onboard, the green, pink and blue jack sockets will often be arranged vertically near the top of the back of the PC, rather than horizontally in one of the lower slots.

If it's an onboard chip on an Intel board, there's a fair chance that it's an AC97, but if you want to be sure, you could get her to run Belarc Adviser

another note that i ran into once before

enable the service "windows audio"

start->run->services.msc

find said service and make sure that it is running

(on another note funny way to make somone thing their soundcard died)