No sound from computer, speakers work fine... Avance AC'97 sound

Do you have an old ear piece ? you know the small ones that fit inside your ear ?
hook it up through your ear jack with the speakers unpluged.
I had the same problem and it was dust bunnys heating up the connections the small ear piece does not take up as much juice. If you hear any sound then you need a good cleaning with compressed air... if no sound try RAYBAYs sug.

has the system been opened recently? if so, did the sound work afterwards?

Ho everyone - This is my first post. I live in central Michigan. I found this forum by looking for help for my sound problem I have read aqll of the posts on this, and have tried most of the suggestions, except those either I was araid to, or those that didn't apply due to different OS or different computer.

My problem: First, my computer crashes on a dailey basis, 3-4 times aday and then runs scandisk every time, sometimes twice in a row. For sure, every time I try to run a "help-type" program or try to install Windows Media Player 11. there are other times, but those are the main instances. Microsoft says it is a driver problem. What this has to do with my sound, is that I think after a crash before I went to bed the other morning, it did something to my sound, because now, I get the error message from my RealPlayer, " Cannot Open Audio Device, another application may be using it ". I check with Taskmaster and there is nothing in there which would be using it. I checked my Device Manager, and I get the message " Thisd device is working properly. " I have a Legacy soundcard and tried to find their website to try downloading a new driver, but, I don't think I did, not sure, I have done so much in the last 24 hours. I also downloaded a audio device, C-Media A97. I thought for sure THAT would do it, but, hope! No sound ... So, I checked the sound monitor - volume control and it is all greyed out and says No Audio Device. Short of doing Reistry stuff and Reformatting, I don't know what else to do ... I tried Reformatting my computer myself, several years ago and eneded up wiping out my Bios, so I am terrified to do THAT again! LOL Oh, and ALL of the items in the Device Manager under "Audio, Sounds, etc.", are all according to D.M working properly. All of them also say "Use this device" (I think, or something like that.) A message from volume control says, There are no active mixer devices available. To install mixer devices go to control panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click Add Hardware. I go to do that and "everything is working properly". ??????

I am sorry, I forgot to tell you: I am running Windows Home Xp SP2, IE 6.0+

I checked my HD (Maxtor - 80G)- Fine, But, when it runs Scandisck after a crash, there is sometimes a long line of files whish "have been truncated" ... I need to fix as much of this as I can, myself, because I cannot afford to pay $80.00 an hour for "outside help". Besides, I really want to learn how to take care of my computer myself. Thanks for any help ... Oh, and I haven't had it open ... I have been going to, because I got a different CD-Rom Drive and wanted to install it, but, haven't felt like it.

take the bacck of your drive of make sure that all the wires that are meant to be in actually go in. sometimes the back of your drive keeps it from going in. make sure none of your stripped wires are touching your motherboard.
if that doesnt work well .....i guess your screwed. lol bye!

Before you reformat try this. Your motherboard probably has a built in sound card. Download the drivers for your motherboard and reinstall the sound driver. If this does not work, get professional help.

Try going to device manager and roling back the driver for your sound... also just to be safe check your volume levels and make sure everything is turned up and nothing is muted search for hardware also make sure your mobo is picking up the speakers try puting in your backup disk for your audio ( the mobo disk, audio card disk, or the disk that came with your pc) going to add hardware in control panel it will ask you a question pick yes, it will search for hardware make sure everything audio has no errors if it does select it and use the disk to install/ repair it.
. I've had this problem a few times and theres a thread with all the things i've done to fix it check out this thread:http://www.techspot.com/vb/showthrea...t=34244&page=2 maybe it will help.

sorry for grammer or spelling its been a long day and i've had no sleep