Ah, I don’t have a bluetooth on or off my computer, not having arrived in the 21st century, nor really having any intention of doing so in the foreseeable future. I froze in 2005 and intend to stay there as long as events allow me to do so. It’s adequate to my needs.
I don’t have anything greyed right now. I can’t find any reference to the Sound Blaster anywhere on my system. I only remembered I had it by going back to my hotmail emails around the time of the purchase of the computer and finding a receipt of my registration of the Sound Blaster. So I don’t think a utility or driver would be helpful here. It’s not that the Sound Blaster is not enabled. It’s that the computer doesn’t see it at all.
I have to be off. But thanks, both of you. Again, I’ll keep you posted as things progress.
I’ve ordered the sound card - $14.98 including S&H. Thank you both very much. Hopefully I’ll have sound again in a few days! Assuming I’m bright enough to install it when it arrives. What do I have to do?
Basically, you just plug the sucker in, close up the case, and pray.
If it’s an actual SoundBlaster, chances are very good that XP will just recognize it, install the drivers all by itself, and play sounds from then on out (possibly after bitching at you to reboot). A slightly less rosy scenario is that you install the thing, turn the computer on, and it tells you that it doesn’t recognize the new device you plugged in. In which case, the CD full of (probably outdated. c’est la vie) drivers that came with it will be of enormous help to you.
My suspicion was that something with your onboard sound got shaken loose or otherwise broken in your move…so broken, in fact, that the Motherboard and Windows no longer recognize it’s there at all. Assuming that’s the case, your new sound card will fix you right up.
When you open up the case, you’ll see a row (probably 3-5ish) of PCI slots… they’re openings in the back of the case, and there will be a long white slot (that looks like a really old printer cable socket) next to each one on the motherboard.
You take out a little metal slat, slide the sound card in (it will have a slat the same size on one end) and press it into the long printer cable socket thingy, pop a clip back in, and close up the case. When you turn the computer back on, it should say “new hardware detected” and install generic Windows drivers for the card, and it will work straightaway. There will probably be more specific drivers on the install CD, but I don’t think you’ll actually need to install them unless you want to use some of the more esoteric features - sound mixing and the like.
You are my savior. That’s exactly what I needed, at exactly the level of instruction I needed - directions for an intelligent but wholly ignorant person. I’ve got the openings, I’m sure I can find the slots, even though I didn’t notice them when I had her opened up before, because now I know where to look (I hope). Now all I have to do is wait for the puppy arrives, and a few spare minutes in which to try it. Thank you.
Grither, I’m sorry I’m so stupid. It’s just that it’s been about ten years, and I’m very distracted because I’m trying to reduce a full house’s worth of possessions into an apartment less than half the size. I’m also trying to deal with how to live on less than thirty thousand for the rest of my life if I’m unable to get social security in the spring, assuming I do in fact get a hearing as my lawyers think I will, and the ragings headaches and back-aches that have nothing to do with the disabling vertigo (at least we think) that are plaguing me in the meantime (unpacking with your back killing you is so much fun!), not to mention the election, with which I am utterly obsessed. In short, I’m not thinking clearly right now, and I’m needing to be spoonfed. Were I not so distracted, your direction probably would have been sufficient, and I thank you.
Worked like a champion. Thanks to all, especially Really Not All That Bright’s Installation for Idiots, not to mention his link to a cheap sound card. Thank Og for the Dope!
Actually it would be more accurate, although less catchy, to say “Installation for Fairly Bright People Who Don’t Have a Clue What They’re Doing in This Arena,” written and edited by Fairly Bright People Who Do Have a Clue What They’re Doing in This Arena.
Somehow I don’t think it’s going to take off as a series title…
Not sure if 2 months counts as a zombie thread, but when I was looking for audio advice, I stumbled on this.
I’m running Windows XP, and everything seemed hunkey dorey until a few days ago. I was trying to make it so there was no reverb on my microphone, and lord knows what I did because now the machine doesn’t seem to recognize any audio input at all. I use audacity to record on my machine, and it won’t record a single sound. I did what they said on their help page, and it didn’t help. I use ventrillo, and while it’s obvious my mic is still active (I hear it through the speakers here), no one else on vent can hear me at all. I’ve tried plugging the mic into various sockets, checking for drivers, and just about everything suggested besides getting a new sound card, as I’m CERTAIN it has to be some weird software-related problem. Any advice for someone who gets (literally) anxiety attacks when dealing with malfunctioning computers would be greatly appreciated.
Mods, if this is considered a zombie thread, let me know and I’ll gladly start a new one.
Start > Run > Type “services.msc” into the field > OK
Scroll all the way to the bottom… somewhere between 7-10 items from the bottom (depending on the software and hardware you have installed), you’ll see “Windows Audio”. If it says “Stopped”, right click and hit “Start”. If it says “Started”, stop it and then restart it, then reboot.
I don’t think that’s your problem if your speakers are working but it’s worked for me before.
If that doesn’t work, try Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Voice (tab) > Test hardware.
ArrMatey!, it would help to know what software you’re using to manage your sound through windows. Do you know the brand of audio card you have and whether you use their software or the generic windows driver?
This sounds like your motherboard’s integrated onboard audio. So does your description (metal box thing seemingly welded to motherboard). If you have a Soundblaster, this is not it.
Can you post a picture of your computer’s privates?
The first problem has been solved (look at the timestamps on the posts). The OP has already bought and installed a new sound card which solved his problems. This thread is now about Arrmatey! and his (?) sound card issue. Although your request to look at computer genitalia is intriguing
No clue and no clue. Uhm… All I can say is this all worked before I started fiddling with it, but I don’t remember what I did that made it go boom. Being very much a technophobe, I don’t even really know how to get you the info you’re asking for.
