Device Manager
Sound devices are unstable. They may work for long periods then all of a sudden, stop. This is true, even in the middle of listening to a sound clip. There are two types of sound devices. The on-board sound is a device on the motherboard. A sound card is an independent device of the motherboard. The installation of this sound card is in the PCI ports. It works with the motherboard but you need separate drivers and a specific installation.
Instructions
1. Open the "Device Manager" in the "Control Panel" of Windows Vista. In Windows XP select "Control Panel," "System" and "Hardware," then click the "Device Manager" tab.
2. Scroll down to "Sound, Video and Game Controllers." Right-click on your sound card. Select the "Uninstall" tab. Wait for the uninstall process to complete. Shut down the computer properly.
3. Remove the screws on the tower. If you have on-board sound, skip Steps 3 and 4. If you have a card, continue. Keep your devices plugged into your tower except the speaker cords. Take the panel off and lay the PC down carefully. Unscrew the sound card and remove it from the computer. If you do not have a driver disk, write down the manufacturer and model number on the card.
4. Turn on the computer without the sound card. Let Windows completely reboot. Turn off your PC again. Insert the sound card back into the same PCI slot. Secure it in with the screw and plug the speakers in. Turn on the PC. Let Windows boot up before continuing.
5. Insert the sound device driver disk. Follow the on-screen instructions. If you do not have a disk, go to the manufacturer's website or a device driver website. Download the sound driver. Double click on the ".exe" file, it should automatically install. For an on-board sound device, you must know the manufacture and model number for your motherboard. Download the sound drive for the motherboard. Reboot your computer.
Tags: sound card, Device Manager, on-board sound, sound device, Control Panel, device driver