Resolving Sound Problems in Windows Vista

Resolving Sound Problems in Windows Vista
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This document applies to HP and Compaq desktop computers with Windows Vista.
The steps in this document fix a wide variety of sound problems, such as no sound at all, no sound from the extra speakers in multiple speaker system, or static or other strange noises coming from the speakers. First try the Quick fixes section, then proceed with Step 1 if you cannot find a quick fix for your situation.
Quick fixes

For no sound, check that the speaker hardware is plugged in, turned on, and that the volume control knob is adjusted to half its range (if the speaker system has a volume control).
No sound from some speakers in multiple speaker system.
No sound after unplugging a USB device
Audio service is not running message
Audio not synchronized with video playback (for high-definition video, DVD, and other audio formats)
If the computer was upgraded to Windows Vista, you may not be able to use all the features of an integrated audio device that is compliant with Audio Codex '97 (AC '97) specifications. To resolve, update the audio driver. See Step 5: Updating the audio driver .

No sound from some speakers in multiple speaker system
With a multiple speaker system, if some of speakers do not play sound, check the connections and make sure the speaker setting in Windows is set correctly. To do this, use the section below about Verifying connections .

No sound after unplugging a USB device
When unplugging a USB audio device, such as headphones or a microphone, no audio playback is heard from the speakers.
This may occur because Windows Vista does not detect that the USB audio device was removed and Vista still tries to use the unplugged device.
To resolve this problem, close the media player, and then open it, or restart the computer after each time you unplug a USB audio device. This forces Windows Vista to rebuild its playback graph and recognize that the removed device is unplugged.

Errors: "No Audio Device is Installed" or " Audio service is not running"
When selecting Volume Control from the Realtek volume icon a message opens stating No audio device is installed.
When selecting the main Windows volume control a message opens stating The audio service is not running.

Figure 1: Audio Service message
To immediately fix these error start the Windows Audio service as follows:

Click Start , and enter services.msc into the Start Search field.
From the list of services, right-click Windows Audio and select Start.

Figure 2: Starting the Windows Audio service
The message should no longer open. If the message opens again after the computer is restarted, repeat these steps, select Properties for Windows Audio and set Startup Type to Automatic.

Audio not synchronized with video playback (for high-definition video, DVD, and other audio formats)
The computer may not be able to deliver the required performance for video playback depending on the resolution and frame rate fo the video. Also, Windows Vista uses power management that may reduce the computer performance.
To resolve this problem, set the active power plan to Balance or High Performance, using these steps:

Click Start , and then Control Panel.
Click Hardware and Sound, and then click Power Options.

Figure 3: Power Options
If prompted, enter the administrator password or confirmation.
Under Select a power plan click High performance or click Balanced.

Figure 4: High performance
Close the Control Panel window.

Step 1: Determining the sound problem

Low volume? The computer requires powered speakers. You might be using the wrong type of speakers with the computer.
Powered speakers use a power adapter, power from the monitor, or batteries to amplify the volume. These should be connected to a line-out connector (usually green) on the back of the computer or on the sound card. If your speaker system came with a subwoofer (2.1, 5.1 or greater), then your speakers require a separate power supply.

Figure 5: Example of self-powered speakers

Figure 6: Types of connector labels for headphones and powered speakers (Line out)
Non-powered speakers are speakers that must be connected to a sound connector that is amplified (usually a blue or orange connector labeled speaker out).

NOTE: If non-powered speakers are used with a non-powered signal, the volume is much lower/softer than normal.

Figure 7: Example of non-powered speakers
If sound cannot be heard from the computer speakers, start at Step 2 to check volume and mute settings.
If sound can be heard but the sound does not sound correct (static or strange noises coming from the speakers), start at Step 4 to restore the audio driver.
If you are experiencing Microphone problems, refer to the HP support document Resolving Microphone and Line-in Problems in Windows Vista

Step 2: Checking volume and mute settings
The volume setting for one or more sound devices might be disabled or set too low. Use the following steps to adjust volumes to correct levels:

Click Start , and then Control Panel.
Click Hardware and Sound, and then click Adjust system volume under Sound. The Volume window opens.

Figure 8: Volume window with Windows Sounds muted
Adjust the volume level, or click the Mute button to turn off mute.
If sound can be heard, you are done. Otherwise, continue with Step 3 to verify the speaker connections.

Step 3: Verifying connections
Use the following steps to verify that sounds can be heard from speakers and that the sound cables are properly connected from the speaker to the computer (cable connectors and plug assignments are normally color-coded to aid with connections).

NOTE: When using speakers that came with a monitor, a separate power cable may be needed that connects from the monitor to the speakers. For HP monitors, you can find specific monitor speaker connection information in "Setting Up Your Monitor" for the monitor model.

Check configuration and test speaker sound

Click Start , and then Control Panel.
Click Hardware and Sound, and then under Sound, click Manage audio devices. The Sound window opens.

Figure 9: Sound window with Speakers selected
Click Speakers to select it, and then click Configure. The Speaker Setup window opens.

Figure 10: Speaker Setup window with 5.1 Surround (five speakers and a subwoofer) selected
Under Audio channels, click the type of speaker setup you have. (If Stereo is selected, but you have 5.1 Surround speakers setup, changing this configuration setting may resolve the audio problem.)
Click the Test button to send sound to each speaker sequentially, or click an individual speaker to send sound to it.
If sound is heard properly from each speaker, or if the configuration type was changed, continue with the speaker setup by clicking Next. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the speaker setup.
If sound is heard properly from each speaker, you are done. If sound problems persist, continue with these steps to check the speaker connection.

Check speaker connections
Use these steps to check speaker connections. If the Sound window is open, skip steps 1 and 2 below, and start with step 3.

Click Start , and then Control Panel.
Click Hardware and Sound, and then under Sound, click Manage audio devices.
The Sound window opens.

Figure 11: Sound window with Speakers selected
Select Speakers and then click Properties.
The Speakers Property window opens.
The Speakers Property window shows the color-coded connectors to use for the speakers.

Figure 12: Speakers Property window
The example above is for a 5.1 Surround setup, where:

LR (green, Line Out) is for the front left and right speaker pair (the green connector, usually labeled Line out).
C Sub (black, may be labeled rear) is for the Center or Subwoofer speaker.
RL RR (orange, may be labled c/sub) is for the Rear-left and Rear-right speaker pair.

NOTE: Some computers may have connectors that are labeled differently than shown in Speaker Properties. Connect the speaker cables by always matching the connector color to the speaker cable as listed in Speaker Properties.
Check the connector colors on the computer and match the speaker cable to the connector using the colors shown in the Speakers Property window and as described in the example in the preceeding step.
Check the connectors on the speaker hardware (usually on the subwoofer) and match the speaker cable to the connectors using the colors shown in the Speakers Property window.
If any speaker cable connection changed, check sound again using the steps in Check configuration and test speaker sound .

If still no sound, check for sound output
If sound is still not heard, check for sound output using headphones.

Unplug the primary audio-out sound (speaker) cable from the computer (green Line Out connector).
Plug headphones directly into the green Line Out connector on the front or the back of the computer.

NOTE: Some computers may have connectors that are labeled differently than the Speaker Properties listed connectors. Connect the speaker cables by always matching the connector color to the speaker cable purpose as listed in Speaker Properties.

Figure 13: Example of 3 rear audio connectors
1 - Microphone (on some PCs microphone can also be configured as the Center/Subwoofer out through the sound manager software)
2 - Line-out (for front speakers)
3 - Line-in (on some PCs microphone can also be configured as the rear speaker out through the sound manager software)

Figure 14: Example of 6 rear audio connectors
1 - Side speaker out
2 - Rear speaker out
3 - Center and subwoofer out
4 - Microphone
5 - Line-out (for front speakers)
6 - Line-in
Check the sound again using the steps in Check configuration and test speaker sound .

If there is no sound from the headphones, continue with Step 4 to restore drivers.
If sound is heard from the headphones for Line Out, plug the headphones into the other connectors used in the speaker configuration and check for sound.
If sound is heard, but not from all the connectors used in the speakers configuration, check the speakers configurations using the steps in Check configuration and test speaker sound
If sound is heard from all the connectors, check the speaker cables and that the speakers are powered and turned on. If necessary, check the speakers using another computer or audio system. Continue with Step 8 to inspect the speaker fuses.

Step 4: Restoring the audio driver
Files and settings for the sound hardware may have changed and could be causing the sound problem. Restoring the audio driver can quickly reset audio settings for the sound hardware and cause Windows to re-initialize the sound configuration.

NOTE: If the computer was upgraded to Windows Vista, you may not be able to use all the features of an integrated audio device that is compliant with Audio Codex '97 (AC '97) specifications. To resove, update the audio driver. See Step 5: Updating the audio driver .
Use the driver recovery process to restore audio drivers for original sound hardware. To open the Recovery Manager and reinstall the driver: click Start, All Programs, PC Help & Tools, and then click Recovery Manager; follow the onscreen instructions to recover the driver.
For more information, refer to Using Recovery Manager to Restore Software and Drivers in Windows Vista
Restart the computer after restoring the audio driver software and test for sound. If there is still no sound, continue to the next Step.
Step 5: Updating the audio driver
If the computer is experiencing sound problems after upgrading the operating system to Windows Vista, or the computer is experiencing sound problems in a particular software application, an updated audio driver may resolve the problem.
Find and install audio software. Go to the HP Software download page and enter the model number for the computer (usually located on the front of the computer).
If the problem still exists after updating the driver or if HP does not have an updated audio driver, continue to the next step.
Step 6: Checking Device manager
If you cannot hear sound, check Device Manager to determine the state of the sound hardware:

Click Start , and enter device manager into the Start Search field.
The device manager window opens.
Double-click Sound, video and game controllers.

Figure 15: Sound device in Device Manager
Do the following, depending on what is seen:

If a sound device is not listed and the computer uses a soundcard, the soundcard should be reseated into the motherboard slot. Go to the next step if problems continue.
If a sound device is not listed and the computer uses on-board sound, the sound hardware may need to be enabled in the BIOS. Go to the next step to check the sound setting inthe BIOS and match the setting to the hardware configuration of your computer.
If a sound device is listed with a down arrow, the device is disabled. Right-click the sound device name and select Enable to re-enable the device. Go to the next step if problems continue after enabling the device.

Figure 16: Enabling a disabled sound device
If a sound device is listed, right-click the device name and select Properties to view more helpful troubleshooting information in the Device Status window. If Device Status shows that the device is working properly, the problem is probably related to sound settings, the speakers, or the cables.

Step 7: Configuring on-board sound in the BIOS
Some PCs come with sound on the motherboard (on-board), and some have a sound card, some PCs may have both on-board and a sound card. The on-board sound setting in the BIOS should be set according to your particular sound configuration. Perform one of the following sets of steps depending on whether you want to reset the BIOS to it's factory default settings or only adjust the on-board sound setting:
Resetting the BIOS, resets the on-board sound setting to automatic for almost all HP and Compaq PCs.
Reset the BIOS

To enter the BIOS, turn on the computer when the first logo screen appears, press the F10 key repeatedly until a BIOS Setup screen opens.
Press the F5 key.
Select Yes or OK (press the Enter key).
Press the F10 key. Select Yes or OK to save the default settings (press the Enter key).
Start the computer and check for sound. If there is still no sound, continue with these steps.
If you would like to keep your current BIOS configuration or if resetting the BIOS to default setting does not help,
Change the on-board sound setting in the BIOS

Look at the back of the computer and use one of the following three items to determine the proper sound configuration and sound setting. Read all three items before making your choice.
If the sound connectors for the speakers and microphones are located next to the parallel, serial, or USB ports, then the computer has on-board sound. The on-board sound setting in the BIOS should be Enabled.

Figure 17: Sound connectors on motherboard (on-board sound)
If the sound connectors for speakers and microphone are located away from the other ports and sit in an area by themselves, the computer has a soundcard. If the BIOS lists an audio setting, the on-board sound setting in the BIOS should be Disabled.

Figure 18: Sound card (this example shows the soundcard also having a firewire port)
If the PC has sound connectors in both locations the on-board sound setting should be Disabled.
To enter the BIOS, turn on the computer and press the F10 key repeatedly at the first logo screen.
A BIOS Setup screen opens.
Use the Left and Right Arrow keys to select the Advanced tab.
Find and select the advanced menu items that correspond to audio. This may be one of the following:

Onboard Audio
Onboard Audio Options
I/O Device Configuration
On-Board Sound
Audio
Audio Codec

Figure 19: Example of Onboard Audio menu
Select either Enabled or Disabled depending on the computer configuration and press Enter.

For example, if the computer only has on-the-motherboard sound connectors, make sure onboard audio is Enabled
For example, if the computer is using a sound card, make sure onboard audio is Disabled.

Figure 20: Onboard Audio Enabled
Press F10 and then press Enter to save and exit.
Start the computer and check for sound. If you can hear sound, you are done. If there is still no sound, shut down the computer and continue using these steps.
Once the computer is completely shut down, unplug the PC power cable and press the PC power button for 20 seconds. This removes all of the power from the computer.
Plug the power cable in and turn on the computer.
To enter the BIOS, turn on the computer and when the first logo screen appears, press the F10 key repeatedly until a BIOS Setup screen opens.
Press F5, select Yes, and then press F10 to save the default BIOS settings.
Start the computer and check for sound. If there is still no sound, go to the next step.

Step 8: Inspecting speakers and fuses
Check the speakers to see if the power cord is connected and that the speakers are receiving power.
Many powered speakers, especially speaker systems with subwoofers, have fuses. If there is no sound coming from the speaker, not even a humming noise, remove and replace the fuse. Even if you do not think that the fuse has blown, it is a good idea to swap the fuse to make sure. If the fuse is still good, you will have a backup fuse in the event another fuse fails.

Turn off power to the subwoofer and unplug power to the speakers.
Remove the fuse cover and then the fuse, and look through the glass cylinder. If the wire inside is separated, has dark spots, or burn marks, the fuse has failed and needs to be replaced. If the fuse looks good, you will swap the fuse anyway and keep the older, good fuse as a spare.
Purchase a new fuse. It is a good idea to take the old fuse to the electronics store when purchasing the new fuse. This way,the old fuse can be used to make sure it matches the new fuse purchased at the store.
Install the new fuse, replace the fuse cap, apply power, turn the speakers on, and test for sound.
To prevent damage to the speakers and to prevent fuses from blowing in the future, keep the following items in mind when using the computer:
Turn the speaker volume control off before applying power to the speakers.
Just like a high-quality home stereo system, it is not good to raise the volume more than half the range of the control knob. Doing so, reduces the quality of the sound and makes it much harder on the speakers. This happens because lower sound levels become raised to a peak level. Lots of sound occurring at one peak level stresses the speakers and causes sounds to overlap each other, thus reducing sound quality.