"The Audio Service Is Not Running"

[proudmommy1709]

I've just recently re-installed Windows Vista.. I installed all of my drivers, ran all of the updates, and my sound was working completely fine. Until two days ago, out of nowhere.. It says that my audio device is working properly, but in my taskbar, the audio icon has a little red x over it, and when I scroll over it, it says "The Audio Service is not running" a friend of mine told me to run "services" and scroll down, and when I found windows audio, to right click, and start it.. but Windows Audio is not showing up, just Windows Audio Endpoint Builder.. I'm so confused and everything I'm trying is not working, I uninstall-ed and re-installed the audio driver, restarted, still didn't work. I checked to see if it was up-to-date, and it is.. can someone please help me?

 

[LookinAround]

First, double check as i would think Windows Audio should appear. If not
1) Download Serviwin (very handy tool for viewing and managing Windows Services and Drivers). Run it and click View->Services
2) Click Start->Programs-Accessories-Notepad to open a blank text file
3) In Serviwin display, click Ctrl-A to select all the Windows service display rows, Ctrl-C to copy it, Ctrl-V to paste into the notepad txt file and attach to next post

 

[proudmommy1709]

I double checked and still no Windows Audio.

I followed your instructions, and when I posted it in the notepad it came out all jumbled, but I'll post it anyways. I hope you can help me.

 

[LookinAround]

OK. Got the file. (it looks jumbled as it's actually "tab-delimited" so it's easy to view once i import it into Excel)... Am about to go to bed so will follow up sometime tomorrow.. g'nite... ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[proudmommy1709]

Okay hun thanks I'll check back tomorrow.. goodnight.

 

[LookinAround]

Hmmm.... Very strange!

You're right. There is NO Windows Audio service listed (which is, itself, very strange). This leads me to believe that it somehow either got deleted from your registry or something corrupted your registry somehow

I think your next best step is either:
> Reinstall Vista OR
> Get checked for viruses/malware. See here for Virus/Malware Removal Instructions. And post a new thread in Viruses/Malware forum so one of the malware experts can take a look at your logs

 

[proudmommy1709]

Yeah I found it strange too. I'm pretty sure it got deleted from my registry.. I'm not going to bother getting checked for viruses/malware.. I'm just going to re-install Vista.. It's going to be a pain re-installing Vista (again) and the updates.. and re-installing all of my programs etc.. but at least I know there's no other way of resolving this issue so I'm not running in circles anymore, lol. Thanks so much for all of your help.. I'm sure everything will work fine after I re-install Vista.. & the fun begins.. lol.

 

[LookinAround]

Good luck, have fun and thanks for the update!

also fyi... for $50 you should also consider a good backup product that can clone/image your hard drive as well as providing normal file/folder type backups. Can save you lots of time and grief to be able to fully restore a hard drive image! [post=791112]See this post[/post] for more detail about the backups

 

[proudmommy1709]

Thanks hun.. & no problem.. I'm backing everything up on to my external hard drive now..

does it clone programs such as adobe photoshop etc?
or does it just backup images etc?
the only part that really bothers me though about this whole thing, is the updates, those take foreverr...

 

[LookinAround]

It will clone your entire disk or select partitions on your disk as well as give you file/folder type access to the backups (so you can restore backups either as a cloned image or select things by individual file/folder if you want)

You can only backup installed programs by cloning the entire partition of the disk then restoring it. (i.e. installed programs must either be restore by a disk clone or must be reinstalled)

 

[LookinAround]

yea.. the updates do take alot of time. Another good reason to do a clone from time to time. There's also something called "slipstreaming" where you create a new install disk with the new MS updates included on the disk -- but probably more work then you need if you reinstall now and then do image backups.

Also see [post=818014]these steps to prepare before a full reinstall[/post]

 

[proudmommy1709]

Thanks hun.. I re-installed Vista and the sound was working all day/night.. and I ended up muting it at one point.. I un-muted it, and now it isn't playing sounds at all? There's no red X or anything.. when I try adjusting the sound it doesn't make the "ding" that it normally makes, no sound at all, tried playing music, nothing. Went to services, Windows Audio is there, it says it's started.. I went to sounds.. and tried testing it.. and it said "failed to play test tone" any ideas?

 

[proudmommy1709]

Ugh never mind, I restarted, and it works now.. I'm getting so sick of computers. I'm thinking about just getting a new one and trashing this one lol will be a couple months though before I can do that.. ugh.