| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Is it perfectly normal that the sound on computers only lasts for a few weeks? Thread poster: Astrid Elke Witte
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I was always under the impression, at one time, that most people have sound on their computer. However, I never do have it for very long. With my old computer it only lasted for a few weeks at a time, e.g. when the computer was new or a computer man had just attended to the computer for any reason. Now it seems to be the same with this one. My new computer is now almost 8 weeks old and, since yesterday, I do not have sound any more. Instead, there is simply a white cross against a red background... See more I was always under the impression, at one time, that most people have sound on their computer. However, I never do have it for very long. With my old computer it only lasted for a few weeks at a time, e.g. when the computer was new or a computer man had just attended to the computer for any reason. Now it seems to be the same with this one. My new computer is now almost 8 weeks old and, since yesterday, I do not have sound any more. Instead, there is simply a white cross against a red background attached to the audio symbol in the bottom right-hand corner of my screen and I am informed, if I click on it, that no audio output device is installed. Is this something that just naturally only functions for a short time?
Astrid ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jerzy Czopik 
Germany
Local time: 16:52
Member (2003)
Polish to German
+ ...
| Usually it functions until you throw your computer away | Jul 15, 2007 |
So you must have done something strange - changed some settings, installed something new, deinstalled something, tried to adapt something etc.
I would strongly recommend someone skilled with computer hardware and software should take a look at your PC. Probably you just need to assign the right drivers or reinstall them for your audio via Control Panel (Systemsteuerung).
Jerzy
| | | | Astrid Elke Witte
Germany
Local time: 16:52
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | I reinstalled Trados and Multiterm last week | Jul 15, 2007 |
However, the sound only stopped working yesterday.
Anyhow, thanks for your answer, Jerzy. The computer man is coming tomorrow morning, since my printer does not work properly, so I expect he will fix this problem too and I will see how long it lasts again after that.
Astrid
[Edited at 2007-07-15 16:34]
| | | | | it should last more than 8 weeks | Jul 15, 2007 |
That has happened to me once, and I was told the mainboard needed replacing. Of course, on an 8 wk old computer, that should be fixed free of charge.
Of course, it could also be that you just need to reinstall something or fix some settings.
If you have a computer repair person coming anyway, that will hopefully solve the problem.
Otherwise- doesn't the place where you bought the computer have a support telephone?
That is why I love my Dell. Excellent support on the pho... See more That has happened to me once, and I was told the mainboard needed replacing. Of course, on an 8 wk old computer, that should be fixed free of charge.
Of course, it could also be that you just need to reinstall something or fix some settings.
If you have a computer repair person coming anyway, that will hopefully solve the problem.
Otherwise- doesn't the place where you bought the computer have a support telephone?
That is why I love my Dell. Excellent support on the phone, and if that does not work, they fix it for you. ▲ Collapse
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Astrid Elke Witte
Germany
Local time: 16:52
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | I bought my computer privately without any guarantees | Jul 15, 2007 |
Hi Hilde,
I think I possibly made a mistake 8 weeks ago. I bought the computer privately, from a guy who had previously fixed my old computer a couple of times. He gave me no guarantees whatsoever, nor did I get any printed information to go with it. He put the parts together himself, and the external casing is that of a mini PC from www.shuttle.com, but I do not know what is inside, except that it i... See more Hi Hilde,
I think I possibly made a mistake 8 weeks ago. I bought the computer privately, from a guy who had previously fixed my old computer a couple of times. He gave me no guarantees whatsoever, nor did I get any printed information to go with it. He put the parts together himself, and the external casing is that of a mini PC from www.shuttle.com, but I do not know what is inside, except that it is a dual core PC with 2 GB RAM.
Anyhow, the guy recently moved out of the area, too far away, and now I am dealing with a new computer man who is severely critical of the whole set-up. I now have to pay the new guy for anything that needs to be fixed.
I have already tried clicking on various settings in the device manager to search for the audio device on my computer or to search for software to solve the problem online, however that did not work. Also, ticking the box to show any deactivated devices, etc. revealed nothing. I don't know whether it is just me, but I never do seem to have sound for very long on any computer.
Astrid ▲ Collapse
| | | | | To answer your question... | Jul 15, 2007 |
... no, it's not normal in my optinion. I have dealt with many computers in my life and the sound always worked until I got a new one, i. e. after several years. My two computers (by the way, both Dell, and I cannot but confirm the excellent support as Hilde already said) actually are two and more than three years old, and plus I have kept my elder laptop - just in case - and the sound is still working without problems...
[Bearbeitet am 2007-07-15 19:05]
| | | | | I had the same happen to me, a while back... | Jul 15, 2007 |
... plus my laptop refused to download the security updates from Microsoft (yes, this is relevant!)
One day, two weeks ago, my laptop finally deigned to allow the security updates to download.
Miraculously, the sound returned too!
| | | | Astrid Elke Witte
Germany
Local time: 16:52
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | That's interesting... | Jul 15, 2007 |
Thanks, Christel and Angeliki, for your answers.
Actually, the only change to my computer directly before the sound stopped working was that I did download the updates...so maybe there is some connection (but, unfortunately, the other way round).
Astrid
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| Have youchecked that the sound hasn't been turned off? | Jul 15, 2007 |
It is an easy one to get caught out on that one. I have a button on my keyboard that turns all the sound off and on. I also think you can check audio devices in the control panel.
| | | | Astrid Elke Witte
Germany
Local time: 16:52
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Which button is it? | Jul 15, 2007 |
Hi Lesley,
Which button on the keyboard is it that turns the sound off and on? That would be really useful to know.
Astrid
| | | | Ewa Nowicka
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:52
English to Polish
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| driver update? | Jul 15, 2007 |
Hi Astrid,
It happened to me once on my brand new Vaio laptop. What I did, I found the latest driver for my audio device and I got my sound back (and for good )
Oh, yes, and it happened after I updated my system.
You might want to try and Roll back your driver, if this doesn't work, search the internet for the one you need.
Automatic updates can be tricky, I keep getting notified about ... See more Hi Astrid,
It happened to me once on my brand new Vaio laptop. What I did, I found the latest driver for my audio device and I got my sound back (and for good )
Oh, yes, and it happened after I updated my system.
You might want to try and Roll back your driver, if this doesn't work, search the internet for the one you need.
Automatic updates can be tricky, I keep getting notified about the update for my graphic card, however whe I installed it, it completely messed up my display, so one might want to be careful when installing the updates.
Have you tried System Restore?
Good luck!
Eva
[Edited at 2007-07-15 21:21] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Astrid Elke Witte
Germany
Local time: 16:52
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | System restore? | Jul 15, 2007 |
Not sure how that works. Does that mean I also lose all the translations on my computer, as well as the accounting data, back to the date of restoration?
Astrid
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Ewa Nowicka
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:52
English to Polish
+ ...
| system restore | Jul 15, 2007 |
No, you keep all the files, it only "un-does" such changes to the system as new installations.
You can also undo the restore if it doesn't fix the problem.
| | | | Evi Wollinger
Germany
Local time: 16:52
Member (2003)
English to German
+ ...
| reset sound card settings to default | Jul 15, 2007 |
Hi Astrid!
Not sure if it helps - I always fix my own computer, but only because I always had Dell PCs and laptops - and I always try lots of things and after I am never sure what actually worked...
But - a few times when I encountered sound problems, Dell advised me to reset the default settings of my sound card, which you can usually find in Programs. This fixed my problem most often, other times something somewhere was muted, but that does not seem to be the problem ... See more Hi Astrid!
Not sure if it helps - I always fix my own computer, but only because I always had Dell PCs and laptops - and I always try lots of things and after I am never sure what actually worked...
But - a few times when I encountered sound problems, Dell advised me to reset the default settings of my sound card, which you can usually find in Programs. This fixed my problem most often, other times something somewhere was muted, but that does not seem to be the problem in your case.
Good Luck in any case!
Evi ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Sound is messy in Windows | Jul 16, 2007 |
Astrid,
There are two many ways to change sound settings in Windows, and some are covertly done by software.
For instance, Skype automatically switches your input to the microphone, which is good, as you won't be fussing with sound controls if someone calls you.
Likewise, other programs switch things there without warning you. It's quite possible that one did it.
I have solved such problems more often than I'd like to, but I had the machine rig... See more Astrid,
There are two many ways to change sound settings in Windows, and some are covertly done by software.
For instance, Skype automatically switches your input to the microphone, which is good, as you won't be fussing with sound controls if someone calls you.
Likewise, other programs switch things there without warning you. It's quite possible that one did it.
I have solved such problems more often than I'd like to, but I had the machine right in front of me. I wouldn't be able to write you a logical sequence of check-this/do-thats, especially because it varies with the sound card you have.
I think everyone must have their computer guru. Not a technician behind a white partition in a computer service shop, not a tech support by phone on the other side of the globe. Just a friend or relative who knows a bit more about it than you do, and who will drop by and solve a "silly" setup problem. Even computer gurus have their own computer gurus.
Your problem should be easy for someone who knows how to fix it, but does not justify a computer technician. If it does, the person who just knows how to do it will tell you so. ▲ Collapse
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