Vista - Volume non-existent!

[Stella]

I have changed my pc to Vista and everything seems alright except I have no sound coming through my speakers. I don't have it on 'mute'. Anyone else with this Vista problem please?

[Grimsqueaker]

OK, simple first checks

If a desktopPC

• Are the speakers plugged in ?? double check if you think they are, and make sure they are connected as detailed in the user guide
• are they powered speakers ?? if so make sure they are turned on..
• Are they built in to the monitor ? if so, is there a volume control on the monnitor (check user guide)

If a laptop

• is there a seperate volume control other than the one in windows ? physical dial maybe on the side of the laptop (check userguide)

for both of the above, is there a X through the speaker in the task bar bottom left if the screen ??

Other items that can interfere are bluetooth headsets/phones and their software as they may 'grab' the sound output and send it to their specified device rather than the speakers...

If you can provide make and model details I may be able to narrow it down further..

[Stella]

Hi Grimsqueaker. It is a desktop pc - Dell, Vista Ultimate. I do not have a user guide unfortunately as I purchased it off Ebay, it was about 6 months' old. They are not powered speakers and not built into the monitor. They are the same speakers as I had with my XP computer. There is no X through the speaker icon in the taskbar.

[Grimsqueaker]

mmm there is every possibility that the signal being given out from the sound card is not powerful enough to drive unpowered speakers..

I have seen this in my previous job when we had to source a substitute motherboard for customer repairs due to the original being no longer in production.. the only solution we could come up with was to provide a set of powered speakers instead....

however, we need to be sure that sound is actually being output.. have you tried a set of headphones ?? just to make sure that sound is being transmitted ??

[Stella]

Grimsqueaker, there is a very faint sound, cannot get the volume any higher, so perhaps powered speakers would be my best option do you think.

[Grimsqueaker]

if you are getting some sound, but very faint, and it is recognisable as what you should be getting (music etc.) then powered speakers would be the way to go...

I am very wary on what to recommend on this as i dont want to send you out to get some then discover that they don't sort the problem :o

just out of interest, what make/model was your previous PC ??

[Stella]

My last computer was Hewlett Packard XP. Sorry, but that is all I can remember. Sorry to sound so dim, but I am not a techie expert. Thank you for trying to help anyway Grimsqueaker.

[Grimsqueaker]

thats ok Stella

[Jennie H]

If you go to the Dell support centre there is an update for the lack of sound

[mariejader]

I have had the same problem with my new pc with no sound, check you have the drivers installed for the sound, I don't know about vista but on xp if you check control panel and then check sounds and devices it should tell you what you have installed if anything, you may just need to do an update of the drivers and that will solve your problem, once you know what you have you should be able to find updates from the web if you don't have any of the original software

[borobabs]

I have the same problem on my vista Its a NVIDIA Control panel with Realtek HD it worked ok till I went on msn some time ago now it will only work oh the headphones carnt get sound out of separate speakers or the speakers on the flat screen thing , before it came out of all of them and I used to just turn the external ones right down or switch of manually

[Stella]

Thank you everyone. Been reading the Dell Support site and come to the conclusion I need powered speakers, as I am now getting a very faint sound, but cannot get the volume any higher. Thanks.

[Mark Dudley]

That's progress for you!

[Stella]

Thanks Mark! Think I preferred my old XP.

[rob123]

It may be a problems with the drivers try the following for starters (this is for XP but Vista is much the same am at wotk at the moment so will talk you through it as XP)

right click my computer
Click on properties
Click on Hardware
Click on device manager
do you see any warning symbols?

If so click on that item and you will be given an option to update your drivers.

[Stella]

Thanks Rob, did that and there are no warning symbols at all. Thank you though.