# Where did my 'audio device' (XP) go? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 18, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111 "2012-03-18T03:57:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/1 "2012-03-18T03:57:49Z")
I used to have my speakers plugged into my computer and play Youtube stuff out loud. Now, it doesn’t work. I thought that I may have blown the speakers, but I went to Control Panel and clicked on the sounds, etc… file, and my 'Sounds and Audio Device Properties" has a 'No Audio Device" notation on it. What happened? It used to. I thought that if the sound card failed, it would note that, rather than say “no device.” I tried changing the speaker plug, but, no result. It is about 5 years old, a Compaq Evo, and runs XP. Can you help? Thanks, hh ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/2 "2012-03-18T04:00:38Z")
Do a System Restore. I’m betting Windows pushed down an update and it jacked up your audio. At least that what’s always happens to my audio. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/3 "2012-03-18T12:01:19Z")
Notg an answer…just a plea for one. The same thing has happened to my 5+/- yr old HP DV9000 laptop. Restore has NOT helped. tia ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/4 "2012-03-18T13:46:18Z")
I just came across this two days ago on an old Windows XP laptop I wanted to run. I haven’t allowed it to connect to the internet for close to a year, so it can’t be a recent change. No idea when it broke, though. I had just assumed it was a hardware problem, but now not so much. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/5 "2012-03-19T15:36:19Z")
> [@ThisSpaceForRent](#): > > Notg an answer…just a plea for one. The same thing has happened to my 5+/- yr old HP DV9000 laptop. Restore has NOT helped. > > tia While waiting for my answer, I found that some cases can be fixed by a free upgrade. Forget the term. Upgrade? No, update! There it is! I AM smart! Didn’t read too much, since I came back and found out what I needed. ---
**Author:** ![Unstable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/65b543/32.png) [@Unstable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unstable)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/6 "2012-03-21T14:05:28Z")
I’m having this same problem on an old PC, sound just doesn’t work anymore. (Windows XP also). My WAG is that it seems that a driver is missing or now outdated. I haven’t had much luck working the problem out so far so any updates to this thread are appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/7 "2012-03-21T15:00:43Z")
Look in the Device Manager to see it there are any errors associated with the audio device. To open Device Manager in Windows XP, click **Start** , and then click **Control Panel**. Click **Performance and Maintenance** , and then click **System**. On the **Hardware** tab, click **Device Manager**. Look for **Sound, Video and Game Controllers** , and click on the little arrow to the left to expand the category. If any of the devices have a yellow exclamation mark, right click and select **Update Driver Software.** If prompted, allow Windows to access the internet to located the driver. ---
**Author:** ![Unstable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/65b543/32.png) [@Unstable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unstable)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/8 "2012-03-21T20:05:25Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Look in the Device Manager to see it there are any errors associated with the audio device. > > To open Device Manager in Windows XP, click **Start** , and then click **Control Panel**. Click **Performance and Maintenance** , and then click **System**. On the **Hardware** tab, click **Device Manager**. > > Look for **Sound, Video and Game Controllers** , and click on the little arrow to the left to expand the category. If any of the devices have a yellow exclamation mark, right click and select **Update Driver Software.** If prompted, allow Windows to access the internet to located the driver. Many thanks for this, I will try it and report back with my results. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/9 "2012-03-21T20:10:05Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Look in the Device Manager to see it there are any errors associated with the audio device. > > To open Device Manager in Windows XP, click **Start** , and then click **Control Panel**. Click **Performance and Maintenance** , and then click **System**. On the **Hardware** tab, click **Device Manager**. > > Look for **Sound, Video and Game Controllers** , and click on the little arrow to the left to expand the category. If any of the devices have a yellow exclamation mark, right click and select **Update Driver Software.** If prompted, allow Windows to access the internet to located the driver. I can’t speak for the others, but when I do this, none of the devices have a yellow exclamation mark, or shows anything that seems to be wrong. When I go to Settings -\> Sounds and Audio Devices Properties, all the options on the Audio and Voice tabs are greyed out, with something like “No playback devices” or “no Recording Devices” showing in the (greyed out) Default Device dropdown. On the Volume tab, it says “No Audio Device”, and the device volume is greyed out. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/10 "2012-03-21T22:38:18Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > I can’t speak for the others, but when I do this, none of the devices have a yellow exclamation mark, or shows anything that seems to be wrong. Do you see an audio device in the Device Manager? ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/11 "2012-03-21T23:46:52Z")
I think so: Conexant AC-Link Audio Clicking on Properties, it says it’s working properly. Use this device is selected. I tried disabling the device, got a red x in the device manager. I re-enabled it, and the red x went away, but it still doesn’t work: “Error Opening Audio Device… A device ID has been used that is out of range for your system.” ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/12 "2012-03-21T23:53:04Z")
Try uninstalling it, then go to the **Actions** menu and select **Scan For Hardware Changes**. Windows will discover the device and attempt to install it again. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/13 "2012-03-22T01:02:25Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Try uninstalling it, then go to the **Actions** menu and select **Scan For Hardware Changes**. Windows will discover the device and attempt to install it again. Did this, everything worked like you said, but everything is still greyed out and I get the same error. It said it installed properly and was ready for use. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/14 "2012-03-22T01:20:48Z")
I still think it is a driver issue. Try downloading a different version for the Conexant AC-Link Audio. Here is one from HP: [http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&softwareitem=hb-14019-1](http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&softwareitem=hb-14019-1) Uninstall the old one again, then install the new one. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/15 "2012-03-22T01:37:56Z")
I’ll give it a shot. Before I did the uninstall/reinstall, I tried the rollback button, and it said there wasn’t an earlier one, so the driver it has must have worked in the past. Maybe it has a built-in obsolescence date. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/16 "2012-03-22T01:46:22Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Maybe it has a built-in obsolescence date. I’ve never heard of that, but it could be damaged. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-audio-device-xp-go/616111/17 "2012-03-22T02:20:10Z")
Uninstalled the old, installed the downloaded driver, did the restart it requested, nothing’s changed. i thought about damage, but it’s weird that in the hardward tab it says the device is installed and working properly, while no audio device shows up in the other tabs.