SoundBlaster - No Sound

[Marshallan]

I'm not sure if my problem is hardware or software related - if I've posted this in the wrong section, I apologize.

If anyone can offer advice or solutions, I'd greatly appreciate it.

I decided to upgrade my hard drive yesterday (switched from a small one to a larger one). I kept the old hard drive (with all the data still intact), and did a fresh install on the new drive.

Everything functions properly except the sound. I literally have no sound whatsoever, except for the internal system beep during boot-up.

I have a SoundBlaster Live 5.1 series card, model SB0220 - it was purchased about a year and a half ago, and it's never given me a problem until now.

I formatted my new drive, installed Win XP, installed all my drivers, and then installed most of my software collection.

It was then that I realized I had no sound. I went into the Creative Labs software, ran a diagnostic, and it said everything was working correctly. Then, I ran a sound test. There was no sound whatsoever.

I checked the windows sounds - nothing works there, either.

I tried reinstalling the drivers and codecs, and rebooted. Still no luck.

I uninstalled the SB software/drivers, rebooted, then reinstalled. Again, no luck.

I shut down, physically removed the sound card, and tried all of the above after installing it in a different slot. Nothing.

I uninstalled the SB software again, shut down, physically removed the soundcard, and rebooted without it. Then, I shut down, reinserted the card, rebooted, reinstalled the software/drivers. Still no sound.

Windows detects the soundcard, and says it's working correctly. I just can't get *any* sound to come out of the speakers.

I wondered if, somewhere during the hard drive switch, something on my motherboard got toasted; I unplugged the new hard drive, plugged in my old one, and booted up. (If it was a problem with the motherboard, I shouldn't have sound using *either* hard drive).

Tried playing an MP3 file with the old drive plugged in - and the sound worked *perfectly*.

I then shut down, pulled the old drive, plugged in the new one, and (again) had no sound whatsoever. Went back into my old drive, and checked each setting carefully (BIOS settings, device manager settings, and settings in the 'Sounds & Audio Devices' section of CPanel). All the sound settings are identical between the old hard drive, and the new one.

But, the sound still refuses to work on the new hard drive. I can't understand why it would work on the old drive, but not on the new one. This has me completely stumped, and I'm at my wits' end.

I know it's not a problem with the motherboard, speakers, or the sound card itself, since everything functions normally when the old hard drive is connected.

Not sure if it'll matter, but the old hard drive was a Western Digital WD600BB, and the new one is a Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L200P0.

Can anyone help me?

[Marshallan]

Thanks for responding.

I could get the volume control on the taskbar (and nothing was muted), and I could adjust the sliders. I still wasn't getting any sound. The speakers are Harmon Kardons, and they were calibrated. I also ran a couple of sound tests.

I called a few friends (our tech support guy at work, my daughter's fiance - who fixes computers for a living, and a neighbor), but no one could figure this out. My neighbor suggested I call an exorcist.

I finally got frustrated enough to solve the problem the hard way - I wiped the hard drive again and started over from scratch. Wasn't sure if it would work or not, but I didn't really have much to lose. Lo and behold, when I reinstalled the drivers, I finally had sound.

It wasn't the route I wanted to take, since I'd already wasted the better part of the day installing all my apps (and now have to do it all over again), but at least the problem is solved. I just got back up and running, so I figured I'd close this thread.

Still not sure what had happened. I think this is one for the 'computers can be just plain weird' category...

Thanks again.

[wondernate]

Just a maybe, but you might have built in sound on your board and thats what it is saying is working fine.

Check in the control panel and make sure it is set to your sound card and not your onboard sound. If there are plugs on the back of your comptuer that go to the motherboard or if you have a microphone or headphone jack on the front of your computer check to see where those wires are running.

If you have jacks that go to your motherboard then unplug your sound card and boot up and get the jacks workign that go to your motherboard. Then check your device manager and note what is listed there.

Then put your card back in and go to the device manager and see what is listed under sound devices and then go to the conrol panel and set it to the name of the new device.

Hope this helps...