Sound comes and goes

JBattin · 19 Feb 2011

I never had issues with my sound until a couple of weeks ago or a week, I'm not sure. All of a sudden my sound no longer worked. I bought new speakers, I still couldn't get them to work, By the way, it is a onboard Realtec. I have installed the latest drivers, uninstalled, reinstalled. There is no issue with it in Device Manager.

Next I bought a Asus Xonar sound card. This didn't resolve the issue either, and it does show up in Device Manager without issues.

What's weird is that last night all of a sudden I hear the ding of email arriving. I was able to listen and watch a video, then it disappeared again.

All of the drivers are current. I believe it's an issue with Windows 7. I don't know what happened before it quit working, but I did a recover to last working configuration on bootup but that didn't resolve the issue either.

Anyone, please have any ideas what the issue is?

Thanks for all assistance.

linnemeyerhere · 19 Feb 2011

JBattin, Welcome to SF. Please try all physical connections first. Make and unmake all connections and blow out the plug ports with air. Even better is to clean then with Caig Gold but this depth of clean is unlikely your issue. Please make sure that all the connection cords are not under tension/pulling on plug and port. Also can you fill out your spec's or at least the mobo/speakers.

JBattin · 19 Feb 2011

OK I have updated my hardware. I was using the onboard but I just purchased a new sound card. Sound did come out so it's not dirt in there. The software believes the speakers are working because the bars go up and down with the noise. I really believe there is a problem with Win 7, I just don't know what it is. BTW, I'm sure mute is not on and I'm sure they are hooked up correctly. It was just last night that they all of a sudden started working, and then without me doing anything they stopped working.

Thanks for the help.

linnemeyerhere · 19 Feb 2011

I would remove the sound card boot and then shut down then re-installed the sound card and re-boot and let Windows find the device again. Also which drivers did you load? Off the provided CD or the latest drivers off the Manufacturers support site? I would go straight to the Mfgr's support site and down load the latest driver.

JBattin · 22 Feb 2011

I have tried that multiple times. This is so frustrating. I think there must have been a 7 update that broke it, or there's some MS drivers missing, is that a possibility? I don't know what the drivers would be.

linnemeyerhere · 22 Feb 2011

Unlikely that the install was corrupted. A complete re-install would be the last ditch effort. I would concentrate on the drivers and roll them back and forth to the latest to see if one will take. It's odd the intermittent aspect which would have me thinking that it's a connection or lead/wire. Have you grabbed the wires while a audio file is playing and worked the wires completely from end to end with the speakers on? Try this as to me it sounds like a broken connection then once eliminated then move to the drivers.