Windows 7: Windows 7 - Sound at very low level or no sound

Hello, I'm having some problems with my audio. My computer is a Windows 7 Home Edition, soundcard is a Realtek High Definition Audio. The volume level is at about 5% or less, it was working fine and all of a sudden I can't hear anything or I can barely hear. I can see the levels at max when I play something but I can't hear a thing.
Here is what I have tried:

1. I have tried raising all the levels from every device all the way to the top
2. I have changed the settings under Communications to > Do Nothing
3. I have uninstalled the drivers and re-installed. Downloaded the driver from Realtek and re-installed and also uninstalled the driver and re-installed automatically using windows 7 wizard.
4. I have checked for any errors in my sound card using Sound troubleshooter and everything seems to be OK with the sound card.
5. I also updated my drivers
6. I used different set of speakers and headphones but still no luck
7. I changed the plug from headphones to the hole in the back

If anyone knows what the problem may be I would really appreciate it. As I said it was working fine and suddenly the levels dropped to 5% or less. It went up to like 50% one time for about 2 seconds last night but now I can't hear anything. When I restart windows I can hear my speakers activate or something like that, but no other sound, not even the starting windows sound.



Thanks in advance

See chev65's advice here and see if this might be your problem too Low sound volume

Thanks for your response. I tried what you posted and changed it to DVD quality and I also tried all the others under that menu but still not working.. this is really weird

Chev65 has excellent advice. One more thing I'd like to add is, if you have a notebook, check to see if there is an external control for volume on the notebook itself.

This is a desktop HP P6000 Series- Windows 7 Home Premium Edition. It has 2 audio plug-ins, one in front and one in the back. When I open the sound properties I have 3 playback devices:

Speakers
Headphones
Realtek Digital Output

I have tried plugging my speakers to the front and back but none of them work. The levels on my volume seem to go all the way to the top though. I have no idea what the problem could be!

THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME FIGURE THIS OUT, I really appreciate it

I have the same problem, and have tried all of the above. Could this be a registry error, if so how can I fix it. Or is my hardware hosed? (built in soundcard in a vaio laptop)

Please help,
eLiKHaM

i have vaio VGN-CR363, earlier it had windows vista but after installing windows 7, my sound output through speakers became very low almost negligible. i have tried re-installing drivers and also checked sound card setting, still no improvement. Also driver settings show "device working properly". please somebody help me out....