No Audio Output Device Installed (error code 28)

[uralowl]

Hi there,

So when I woke up my computer from sleep this morning, for whatever reason, the sound didn't appear to be working. Nothing seemed to be amiss, but I simply wasn't getting any sound. When I clicked on the speaker icon and tried adjusting the volume, the bar would show up, but there'd be no sound.

So I tried restarting the computer, and the speaker icon now had a red cross next to it, and says "No audio output device is installed" when hovering over it. Clicking it brings up a "detecting problems" window, but it always says that no problems have been found, and/or that hardware changes may not have been detected.

When I go into device manager, there's no tab for "Sound", instead, it shows "other devices" with a question mark symbol next to it, and below it is "multimedia audio controller", which has a yellow warning triangle next to it. Trying to update the drivers does nothing, it apparently can't find any. When I click on the properties for the device, it says "The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)".
I can't seem to find what manufacturer it is or what not, since it lists everything as being "not known".

My computer is a Windows 7 64 bit, doesn't appear to be having any other issues currently aside from the sound not working at all. I've tried plugging in headphones as well (via the USB) to see if I could get sound from that, but nothing.

I haven't made any changes to my computer prior to this, aside from the usual Windows updates it does automatically, but I believe the last one was over a week ago. I did have a very similar problem to this about 2-3 years ago, where no matter what I tried the audio wouldn't work at all. I upgraded my PC from Vista to Windows 7, and still nothing. I ended up having to take it in to a repair store to be looked at, and they had to replace the sound card physically. I hope this current sound card isn't dying again.
Any advice?

Edit: So I tried my headset again, and it looks like I CAN get sound when I've got the headset plugged in via the USB. The speaker icon shows up normally again, and I can get sound perfectly fine through the headphones. It still shows the same results in device manager though, with the "multimedia audio controller" still having a clear issue, and it still won't work with just the standard speakers on the computer, the speaker icon just goes back to having the red cross as soon as I unplug the headset.

 

[fireberd]

The USB headset has its own "sound card" built in and does not use the PC's and the reason you have sound in the headset.

I have no idea what sound you have, can't find out anything on the limited system spec's you have posted.
Considering the age, I could have an early version of Realtek, but it could also have some other sound.

 

[torchwood]

Hi Uralowl,
Open device manager go to the problem device,
Right click >> properties >> details>> scroll down to Hardware IDs.
post the details.

Roy

 

[uralowl]

I tried shutting down the computer completely, instead of simply restarting. After switching it back on, the sound seems to be functioning normally again now, as if nothing ever happened. This is very similar to the last time I was having issues with the sound; it was an on-off issue for about a year, where the problem would randomly occur every few months or so for about a week or less, and then it would disappear again for another set of months.

I've had this computer for about 7 years, only done a few hardware changes to it since (aside from changing the soundcard, I've also had the change the CMOS battery once when the last one died, and installed a new hard drive alongside my current one 2 years ago).
I have to wonder if my computer has some kind of issue of not recognising the sound card on some occasions?

Hi Uralowl,
Open device manager go to the problem device,
Right click >> properties >> details>> scroll down to Hardware IDs.
post the details.

Roy

From what I'm currently seeing under Hardware IDs (now that the sound is currently working):