How do you now if you have on board sound card

The easiest recognition sign would be 3.5mm jack plugs on the rear panel of the motherboard.
http://www.dansdata.com/images/a7a266/sndconns400.jpg
3 (Green, blue, pink) is common on older boards, 4, 5 or more commonly 6 jacks for newer (and 5.1 +) sound codecs.
If you post some details of the system/board the forum will be able to give you a more definitive answer.
 
About 'if you have on-board sound'

The on-board sound sockets are usually about halfway down the back of a tower PC, they are coloured light blue and light green. There will most likely be a pink socket, but that's an input for a microphone.
The most common type is 'Realtek AC-97'.
If it is that type, the driver for it is included on the cd that is supplied with the motherboard, or can be downloaded from many sites, (just google that name)
If your PC has a better sound card fitted, it will be plugged into one of the white PCI sockets nearer to the bottom of the case, you will need to take the side panel off to see that. Also you will need to look in 'Device manager' to find out what the make/type it is, and you will need the drivers for it. If you have a card like that, but no driver installed, you will see a yellow sign next to it. Right click and choose 'update driver'.
Another useful program to find the right drivers for any PC is 'Driver Easy', a free progam.
Hope some of that helps !
 
Thanks guys i have seen the sound card is there but no sound comes out and there are no errors in device mgr what could be stoping sound coming out please help ...DESPERATE...
 
Assuming you are running a Windows operating system right click on "My Computer" in the start menu or icon on the desktop. Click on the "Hardware" tab, then click "Device Manager". In the window that opens check under "Sound, video and game controllers" and see if you have an audio device listed there, and make sure it doesn't have a yellow warning triangle beside it or is marked as disabled. From here you can install drivers for the audio device if necessary.

Also check in Control Panel "Sound and Audio devices". It might be the system volume is muted or set at a low level.
 
No luck yet? I'm not sure if you have 'integrated audio' (on-board) or a separate card in a PCI slot.
Most Tower PC's have an 'On-board' (integrated, the chip is on the main board, you can't remove it),
and the sound is fed out to the Green and Blue sockets. I will assume you have a pair of PC speakers and the mains adapter to power them. (You can test if they work by plugging them into an MP3 player). If all that works, you need to go into the BIOS screen, (reboot and 'F2') SETUP.
Go into 'onboard devices' then to 'integrated audio' and check if it's 'on' or 'off'.
If you are using 'integrated audio' select 'on' then press 'F11' (that's SAVE and EXIT).
PC will reboot, and you should then hear the WIndows 'Jingle' at the desktop.
On your taskbar, next to the time, left click on the speaker icon, and move the marker up to 1/3.
It's possible all sound was muted, but that will override mute. You should have sound now.
If you have a sound card in a PCI slot, plug your speakers into that, and in the BIOS, make the 'integrated audio' to be 'off', (then SAVE and EXIT). Hope that helps !!
 
Still no sound ibm netvista

Thanks mike1959 and all members of Techspot forums i entered F2 and it does not take me anyway. Instead at start there F11 but this wll take to view some system info which you cant edit. I have also checked on dev mgr i cant see the sound card name save to see the INTEL 82801BA/BAM AC'97 AUDIO CONTROLLER which has got an asigned IRQ with no conflict. I am trying to go by your line of thinkingat may be the option of intergrated onboard hardware is set to off. But the problem now is to acess real setup where i can see actual settings. Does it help if i can download drivers for that INTEL audio controller?
If you run a test diag using PC DOCTOR 2000 the machine produces sound but if you go to control panel under sounds , if you play any sound no sound comes out. The volume controls are not muted all . Please keep on assisting until i can have sound. Preferably an online caht could help
 
We will get this sound working !

OK, So you are trying to use the 'on-board' (integtrated) audio?
The best guide I can think of, is do you get the Windows 'Tune' when the desktop appears ? I would guess you don't.
I will do a list of what you need to get on-board sound working.....
1) In BIOS screen, find 'onboard devices', then 'integrated audio'
move up or down with arrows, Enter to modify, choose, 'enable'.
2) Download and install audio codec,
just google 'AC97 audio codec'
'Softwarepatch' has it.
3) Make sure your PC speakers are working, (plug into MP3 player or radio earphone socket to see if they amplify), then plug into Green and Blue sockets, on back of PC.
4) Go to 'Control panel', 'Hardware & sound', 'Manage audio devices',
then right-click on the speakers icon, choose 'enable'.

You should have sound if you have done all that.
BUT, I would guess you are not getting into the BIOS settings.
When you switch on PC, you will see in white text on black background the words
'SETUP F2'
But its possible your PC uses 'Esc' key. Press 'Esc' as soon as the PC screen shows any colour or text, for instance mine shows 'DELL', I press F2 right there.
You try 'Esc' key (top left of your keyboard).
You will see a blue or black background, with white text. Look around the screen for the instructions. This is the BIOS. You may have a list down the left, or tabs along the top. Move around to 'on board devices' heading. YOU CAN ONLY USE ARROW KEYS, ENTER AND ESC. Press 'enter' on that. Move down to 'integrated audio' . Press 'enter' on that. You can then see 'ON' ,'OFF'
Use the Left and Right Arrows to select 'ON', press enter.
Last Press 'F11' or choose 'Save and exit'.
Your PC will reboot and sound should work.
If this still fails, I will send some photos of my screens to help.
Is your PC new from a shop, or did you build it? Is it a brand I might know?
Did the sound ever work?
Good luck, keep trying.
 
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