# computer question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 26, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795 "2002-11-26T00:48:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curiouschick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7feea3/32.png) [@curiouschick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curiouschick)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795/1 "2002-11-26T00:48:55Z")
When i download songs my computer wont let me hear them, ike it says its playing but i cant hear it. any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![buckgully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@buckgully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buckgully)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795/2 "2002-11-26T01:06:44Z")
Are your speakers on? Are they plugged in? Is the volume turned up and mute off? Do you hear other sounds? What operating system? If windows, open up the volume control panel (right-click on the little speaker icon in the taskbar, and select “Open Volume Controls”. Make sure the “Wave” section isn’t muted or turned down all the way. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795/3 "2002-11-26T04:27:28Z")
More information is required. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795/4 "2002-11-26T18:27:58Z")
Have you ever been able to hear anything with this computer? Or does it just happen with these downloaded songs? ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795/5 "2002-11-27T00:20:18Z")
- - - Uh, okay, this should only take a few weeks: 1. What songs, and where did you get them? 2. What software are you trying to play the songs with? 3. Does your computer play regular CD’s? 4. Does your computer play any sounds at all? 5. Does it play any songs (other than off a CD) at all? ~ ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795/6 "2002-11-27T00:43:56Z")
Maybe you’re deaf? Can you hear other things, or is it just the computer? ---
**Author:** ![curiouschick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7feea3/32.png) [@curiouschick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curiouschick)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795/7 "2002-11-30T02:35:37Z")
very funny… im not deaf 🙂 thank god, but yes i can play regular cds. but just cant hear downloaded music. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795/8 "2002-11-30T16:07:11Z")
In the upper right corner of your screen is a little speaker, click on it & make sure the properties aren’t muted. maybe you should say what type of computer & operating system you have? Is it a Cray? A cray is a computer that can do an infinite loop in 4 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795/9 "2002-11-30T21:05:08Z")
The audio source for CDs comes from the CD player itself (usually, some music players will read in the data and generate it from the sound card). The audio source for your downloaded music is the sound chip on your sound card. It’s possible for one to work and not the other simply by having the mixer all screwed up. Can your computer play normal windows sounds (like the startup and shutdown sounds, and maybe any other sounds that you have enabled)? If you don’t get any startup/shutdown sounds then you aren’t getting any sound out of your sound card. Open up the volume control program and check to see that the volume for the wave function isn’t turned all the way down, and that the wave isn’t muted. ---
**Author:** ![skaterboarder87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/138795/10 "2002-11-30T21:19:04Z")
Make sure your WAV volume is turned up.