Yet another audio problem

[Nightshade]

Hey, this is my first post on this site and you guys all look wonderfully helpful so let's see if you can whip my computer into shape!

I've been scouring the internet for a few days ripping my hair out at regular intervals attempting to find a fix for my spontaneous lack of sound, but to no avail... Now I see the "My speakers dun went poof" problem everywhere, with a handful on this site, too, but I've tried everything upon everything to fix the problem and I think I might have to resort to some kind of holistic remedy, soon.

It occurred right after I downloaded a game demo of an aging game (Magic the Gathering: Battlegrounds. Yeah, yeah, a friend wanted me to try it) and ran it, only for the sound to be absent and the resolution to all of a sudden screw up. I exited it and uninstalled it, but a few minutes later when I ran up World of Warcraft I found that my sound was gone... So I restarted and nothing happened. First thing I tried after that was to revert the system to an earlier time, so I bumped it back two days to be sure and, quite naturally, the sound stayed off...

I looked in my Sounds and Audio Devices in the Control Panel and it reads "No Audio Device." That term haunts me now. I tried to uninstall the drivers but realized my computer did that on it's own. Or something. Probably something even more sinister. Either way, all that reads in it now is the usual:

Audio Codecs
Legacy Audio Drivers
Legacy Video Capture Devices
Media Control Devices
Video Codecs

I've tried downloading more than one kind of driver and installing it, including AC'97 and SoundMAX, but every time I do, it installs all the way through with a smile, restarts, and doesn't show up in the device manager. It's like my computer made itself immune to driver installation. I've tried checking the BIOS and under Audio it has "Auto" selected from Auto and Disabled. I've tried going into Services under Administrative Tools and making sure Window's Audio is on Auto (from Auto and disabled, again, although the options to "Start" or "Stop" are grayed out). The speakers work fine on my Roommate's computer, so they're fine... I just have no idea.

Playing my games in silence makes me feel like I'm slowly going insane, so if anyone has any last ditch efforts to suggest, that would be fantastic. I'm broke right now so I'm doing all I can to save my virus-laden computer from extinction.

Here be some specs, if you need more, just tell me. I'm only semi-competent with computers, but if there's one thing I can do it's follow instructions:

Windows XP Professional (build 2600)

HP Pavilion 04 P8565A-ABA 762N 70000TG101ARGON
System Serial Number: MX23118425 NA700
Enclosure Type: Desktop

2.27 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
8 kilobyte primary memory cache
512 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Board: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD MS-6579
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 3.05 06/26/2002

512 Megabytes Installed Memory

RADEON 9600 SERIES [Display adapter]
RADEON 9600 SERIES - Secondary [Display adapter]
Default Monitor

Thanks for reading all that

[bookworm]

Your sound driver is an Realtek ALC202A AC'97 get it here http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/...&Software=True
it is A3.75 don't download the beta.

Hope this helps

[Nightshade]

Aw corn. No dice, even though you made me realize I had been trying to use the beta version, it didn't make a difference when I downloaded 3.75 and installed it. Not in the device manager or anything, it was like it was never installed...

[Nightshade]

You know, I'm really not sure what you're trying to say. But if you're going to insult me again, you can keep it to yourself.

[Nightshade]

My PM that said "Eh... Pardon?" Was somehow rude over your

"Are serious to think someone with a brain will answer that ?
Your post is ridiculous.
Confess,your not that stupid are you ?
RTFM"

This was my first post on this site, you really made a grand first impression, thanks a lot, oldtimer.

I appreciate that you tried to help, Barbara, but it looks like I'll be looking elsewhere.

[Bryan000]

Hi NightShade,

Although I regret to admit that I don't have the answer to your problem, I just want to say that oldtimer also harassed me in a thread in this forum, it is best to ignore him. Hopefully a moderator here will notice what he is doing and act appropriately.

[Nightshade]

Thanks Bryan, I have no clue why I let that guy get to me, but it sure is troublesome. I'm taking my computer (as well as my roommate's) up to my friends in Fort Collins and they should be able to fix em' up, clean em' up, and upgrade them to boot. They profess that there's not a computer problem in the world they can't fix and I trust them, so once I get that all done I'll post what the problem turned out to be on here to see if I can't help anyone else with the same problem.

[bookworm]

Originally Posted by Nightshade

Thanks Bryan, I have no clue why I let that guy get to me, but it sure is troublesome. I'm taking my computer (as well as my roommate's) up to my friends in Fort Collins and they should be able to fix em' up, clean em' up, and upgrade them to boot. They profess that there's not a computer problem in the world they can't fix and I trust them, so once I get that all done I'll post what the problem turned out to be on here to see if I can't help anyone else with the same problem.

I reported "oldtimer" to the Tool yesterday and as you can see all his posts have been removed. Now you need the Intel chipset driver for your sound to work get it here http://www.msi.com.tw/program/suppor...UID=430&kind=1
The file you want is " Intel INF Drivers" download install and then reinstall the Realtek ALC 202A again and sound should be restored. Create a System Restore point just in case. Sorry your first time here was spoiled, but as you can see we do look out for one another, hope you have not been put off comeing back for any help you need in the future.

Hope this helps