My desktop has no audio device is the messageClosed

Question

Hello,  I am using Windows XP Professional SP3, I have an MSI motherboard with ATI video and Realtek HD Audio.  My sound has been excellent up until the weekend just passed.  It has now gone completely silent and does not play any sounds what ever including Windows System Sounds.  I have tried to troubleshoot through Sounds and Audio Device Properties section of the control panel but the opening page states that I have no audio device.  As I proceed step by step through the troubleshoot program I get to the part where I am to check the volume controls but the only volume control that shows is for the microphone.  All the other usual controls are missing.  I have had sound problems before and they have been easy to fix as it has always been that the 'mute all' has been checked.  This time that check box doesn't even appear.  Also the volume icon that normally appears next to the clock is missing

Ambucias · Answer

Hello,

The procedure you have applied, in my opinion, should have solved the problem.

At this time, if I had the same problem, I would try a system restoration, back to a date prior to the sound problem.  What do you think?

Best regards

Ambucias · Answer

Great, let me know if it worked.

Northwest3485 · Answer

Hi Ambucias, I have just got around to doing it and got a very unwelcome error message.  When I went into XP Tools to get System Restore a message popped up saying "System Restore has been disabled by group policy."  I know that I didn't disable it and I know that it worked about 8 months ago when I had a problem with malware taking over a program.  It would appear that something has changed settings on me and I will have try using the last complete back-up I made about 1 week ago.  I have been unable to enable System Restore and I will need help with that as well.  I had never heard of Group Policy until today and don't know anything about it, so will have to read up on that before I do anything.  I do hope Microsoft has a tutorial or something on it on their XP support site.  If I can't figure this out I might have to go to Microsoft Phone Support and hope and pray that I get someone who is a native English speaker and not somebody who has English as their 3rd. or 4th language.

Thanks for caring,

Northwest3485

Ambucias · Answer

Hi,

Group policy comes with XP Pro, not XP Home and you have XP Pro.

I have found a group policy editor for you to play with, very carefully, with which and could probably restore your system restore (no pun intended).

I am not that versed with XP Pro.

Here is the link:

http://www.theeldergeek.com/group_policy_editor.htm

However, before you play with the editor, may I suggest that you download Malwarebyte, update it than run a full system scan.  Personnaly I would vote for Malwarebyte anytime, for it goes deep into the system, including system restore to find even the smallest trace, even the shadow as small as an ant's eye lash, of a virus.

Here is the link but make sure to update it and to request a FULL system scan.  Believe it doesn't hurt.

https://ccm.net/downloads/security-and-maintenance/4621-malwarebytes-anti-malware/

Let me know

Northwest3485 · Answer

Hi Ambucias,  I have Malwarebytes Anti-malware installed on my system and it is the first thing that is run whenever a problem appears.  After Malwarebytes, it is the turn of Microsoft Security Essentials followed by SuperAntiSpyware then Anti Trojan Shield , all of these are installed and I finally run the online AV scan from ESET.  If these don't find the reason then it must be something very exotic or else it is a system problem and not a nasty.  I think I know why my sound went stupid and that's because Realtek updated an audio driver for XP Pro 64 bit on February 25 and I think my driver update which runs weekly picked it up and installed it but I have a 32 bit system and 64 bit drivers on a 32 bit system wont work well if at all.  I have emailed Realtek to see if then can give me a link to the last update for Windows XP 32 bit as I cannot find it on their site.

I will let you know how it all turns out, meanwhile I will use your link to group policy editor and see if I can get System Restore back up and working.

Thanks for your help and suggestions,

Northwest3485

Ambucias · Answer

Hi Nothwest,

No need to e-mail Realtek (I also have one, a genuine Taiwan card!)

He are the links for their drivers, you just need to pick the proper one for your card.

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsCheck.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=14&PFid=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false

Northwest3485 · Answer

Hi,  That's the problem.  My card is supposed to have an original driver for Windows XP 32 bit called R1.53 but there is no such driver listed.  For Windows XP 32 bit there is a driver called R2.43 which was updated on February 25, 2010 and that is the one currently installed on my system and it does not work.  I am trying to get back to the driver that was there before the update or the latest update version of the original R1.53 driver but cannot find any reference to either of them assuming they are two different drivers.  This R2.43 driver could be the latest version of the R1.53 which would mean that my installation of it is corrupted.  I need someone at Realtek to tell me what I should do and where to get the appropriate driver to do it.  I am starting to get more frustrated by the minute and I hope that Realtek support can help me.  I sent them an email some time ago and hope to get a reply later today.

Thanks,

Northwest3485

My desktop has no audio device is the message

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