One of the most common computer audio problems is that you are unable to hear any sound. There can be many possible reasons for experiencing no sound problems on Windows Vista. Let us explore these and learn how to resolve them.
- The first thing you need to ensure is that your computer has a sound card installed on it. To do this, click Start button, and then in the Start Search box, type Device. Next, select Device Manager from the Programs list. In the Device Manager window, check Sound, video and game controllers category to see if an entry for a sound card is there. Many times, sound cards are displayed in the Other devices category so you must check this also to see if your sound card is listed there.
At times, you may find an entry for your sound card, but it may be marked with a Yellow triangle with a black exclamation mark within it. This symbol informs you that there are some problems with your Sound card. To find out what is wrong, right-click on your sound card, and then select Properties. Here, check the Device Status box on the General tab to find information related to problems with your sound card. If there is a problem with the Device Driver, you may open the Driver tab. On this tab, you may perform various tasks, such as update your driver, uninstall faulty driver or rollback a recent driver update to resolve issues related to device drivers.
- Many computers, especially laptops and notebooks come with built in speakers. However, at times, you may want to use external speakers for better sound quality. Very simple mistakes may cause problems and prevent you from making the speakers work. So, the following are a few simple things that you need to do to ensure that your speakers are working fine and the sound output through them is good:
- Ensure that your speakers are connected to the power source and are switched on. A simple task, but a task that many users often forget.
- Ensure that the speakers are plugged into the correct slots on your computer. For instance, you need to connect a speaker with a USB cable into a USB port and the speakers with 1/8 inch cable in a round jack that is usually present at the back of your computer. Many computers provide a sound card jack in the front to make the PCs more user-friendly.
- Also, check that all connectors are properly seated in their sockets. If they are not inserted properly, you may hear noise in the sound output.Â
- You should see a volume icon in the bottom right-corner of your task bar. Right-click on this icon and ensure that you have not set the volume settings to mute. Also, if you are working on a laptop or notebook, there might be a sound switch on the body of the system. Check this switch to ensure that it is switched on.
- Sound to your speakers is cut off automatically if headphones are connected to the line out jack of your sound card. So, check out the line out jack to ensure no headphones are connected to it.
Your computer may also behave erratically if there is some problem with the Windows registry or the system is infected with a troublesome virus or a spyware. To rule out these problems, use a reliable registry tool, such as RegServe to perform a thorough registry scan and clean up. Next, use antimalware tools, such as STOPzilla Antivirus and Spyware Cease to scan your PC and weed out all infections from it.