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Sound has stopped working on my PC.

  • 19-07-2009 8:28am
    #1
    Dinarius
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,435 ✭✭✭


    Yesterday, while working on my Windows PC, I absentmindedly tapped repeatedly on the Shift key. The computer made a loud beeping noise.

    Since then, no sound is coming from the speakers. There is no startup sound and when I put a music CD in the tray, WMP plays the CD, but I hear nothing.

    The speakers are plugged in and the volume is up both on the speakers themselves and in the volume control in my system tray.

    Any ideas what I might have screwed up?

    Thanks.

    D.


Comments

  • #2
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,287 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    Have you turned it off and on?


  • #3
    Dinarius
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,435 ✭✭✭Dinarius


    If you mean at the speakers, then yes.

    In fact, there's a CD playing now and, if I open the Sound Control Panel, the speakers have a check mark next to them in the dialog and its says they're working. In addition, the indicator in the window is moving up and down in time to the music.

    But, I'm hearing nothing.

    Could tapping on the shift key have blown the speakers?

    D.


  • #4
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,287 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    I meant the whole computer.
    As silly as it sounds, most of the time that fixes it.


  • #5
    Dinarius
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,435 ✭✭✭Dinarius


    Yes. Quite a few times.

    D.


  • #6
    snappieT
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,357 ✭✭✭snappieT


    Hold the shift key down for another 5 seconds? Or tap it 5 times, whatever caused it to enter this mode.

    It's an accessibility thing. Take a look in Start > Control Panel > Accessibility. Think it may be called StickyKeys or something to that effect. Turn it off, see if your sound returns.


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  • #7
    marty1985
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 788 ✭✭✭marty1985


    Something similar happened me before, and i think i fixed it by using the System Restore, which is probably found in the control panel. It just gives you the option to restore all settings and everything to the same as they were maybe 2 or 4 weeks ago. I think that should work.
    Hope this helps.


  • #8
    inforfun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,863 ✭✭✭✭inforfun


    Hitting shift 5x will bring up a pup-up for Stickynotes in windows XP. It will make a beep too from the internal pc speaker.

    Do you have sound from headphones?
    Did you check the sound and audio devices via Control panel? You might have just muted the sound accidentally.


  • #9
    Dinarius
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,435 ✭✭✭Dinarius


    I should have said I'm Vista x64.

    Hitting the Shift key x5 brings up a Sticky Keys dialog. The option is to go to the Ease of Access Centre.

    I think that this is the same window that may have popped up yesterday when the problem started. I didn't do anything except close the window.

    Yes, I have checked and the sound is not muted. In fact, if I remove and re-insert the speaker plug at the back of the computer, the speakers make a sound. So, something is working.

    One thing I forgot to say. Yesterday, I downloaded and installed Creative software updates. Could this be the problem? Might some settings have changed?

    It's a Dell Dimension T3400.

    Thanks.

    D.


  • #10
    sceptre
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,608 ✭✭✭✭sceptre


    Dinarius wrote: »
    One thing I forgot to say. Yesterday, I downloaded and installed Creative software updates. Could this be the problem? Might some settings have changed?
    Very much yes. Assuming you've got a Creative sound card, it's rather more likely that this caused the change than activating the sticky keys shortcut.

    Open the sounds applet in control panel and check the associated hardware device, it's probably changed it.


  • #11
    marty1985
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 788 ✭✭✭marty1985


    It's definately the download and installation. Therefore i think system restore is the way to go. It'll restore your computer to all settings just before that download.


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  • #12
    inforfun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,863 ✭✭✭✭inforfun


    You could go to device manager, delete everything soundcard related there and reboot. Card should be reinstalled on boot up and might solve your problem.


  • #13
    Dinarius
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,435 ✭✭✭Dinarius


    Sorted! ....with the help of DELL's (excellent!) telephone support.

    Sceptre was right.

    I had forgotten that when I ordered this computer, I had ordered a Creative sound card. But, I had never used it.

    When I downloaded the Creative update the other day, it had overridden the standard DELL sound card. So, in order to be able to hear sound, it was necessary to move the green jack plug on the back of the computer from one socket (the DELL sound card socket) to the Creative one.

    The sound is outstanding now.

    Thanks to all.

    D.


  • #14
    kuban-83
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35 ✭kuban-83


    snappieT wrote: »
    Hold the shift key down for another 5 seconds? Or tap it 5 times, whatever caused it to enter this mode.

    It's an accessibility thing. Take a look in Start > Control Panel > Accessibility. Think it may be called StickyKeys or something to that effect. Turn it off, see if your sound returns.


    The post from snappieT should help


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