Sound problem. Hardware, software or virus: how to tell?

Forums › Microsoft Windows › Sound problem. Hardware, software or virus: how to tell?

PSLog

291 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 13

#103398 6-Jun-2012 13:41

Windows 7 Home
Problem just started yesterday. Not aware of any changes made to system.
Adobe Flash, Winamp, Win Media player all freeze when I try to play anything. When I force closure from Task Manager get message "This program is not responding".
CD in drive will fire up Media Player but will not play.
No system sounds are made.
Are there any tests I can do to narrow down the cause?

PSLog

291 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 13

#636686 6-Jun-2012 14:16

But wait. There's more!

On shutting the system down I got the message:
"(Waiting for) explorer.exe
Playing logoff sound" (it wasn't)
I had to force the shutdown.

Then on rebooting I get the "Startup sound" straight after the Welcome message goes.
(Prooves the amp WILL play sounds that are sent to it - they're just not being sent)

But no sound after that - as in my first post.

KevinL

656 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 20

Trusted

#636691 6-Jun-2012 14:27

Sounds suspiciously like a windows driver issue, then...

You could verify this by seeing if the sound works with (for example) a Ubuntu LiveCD.

PSLog

291 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 13

#636805 6-Jun-2012 17:00

Had an old Ubuntu V5.1 LiveCD but it would not run properly.
Just in case it's relevant, got 4 in a row of ""Error attaching device data"
So, abandoned that.

Went onto the Intel site and installed the latest intel driver G41 v 2555 up from 1749.

Rebooted - exactly the same.

Going into Control Panel > Sounds
When I click on Volume Controls I get 3 sliders
When I click on either Change System Sounds or Manage Audio Devices, it registers the click (the window frame becomes dimmed) but nothing else happens.