Can you play other sound files?

If you can play other sound files, such as MIDI (.mid) sound files, the problem may be because the file is corrupted or is too large for your computer to handle.

Determine whether the computer can play system sounds

Open the Sound and Video Device Properties in Control Panel.

Click the Sound tab.

Under "Program Events", select any event, for example, "Star".

Under "Sounds," select any sound, for example, "Chord."

Click the Play button to confirm that your computer can play system sounds.

Note

To open Sound and Audio Devices Properties, click Start, click Control Panel, click Sound, Speech, and Audio Devices, and then Click "Sounds and Audio Devices."

Determine whether your computer can play MIDI files

Click Start, click Search, and then click "Other files or folders."

In File or folder name, type: *.mid.

Click Search.

In the list of found files, double-click a few files to confirm whether your computer can play MIDI files.

If your computer can play other .wav and MIDI files, your hardware and device drivers are likely working properly. The problem may be with a specific sound file, the game, or other sound-related programs.

Please reinstall the program and try again, or contact the manufacturer for details.

Are you having problems playing other sound files?

Is there a hardware device conflict?

Important

The following procedure may require you to restart your computer, which will cause the troubleshooter to close. If possible, perform these steps on the computer you are troubleshooting while simultaneously reviewing these troubleshooters on another computer.

Continue troubleshooting when no other computers are available

Right-click the page that appears on the screen, and then click Print.

Follow the steps in the printed copy of this procedure.

After you restart your computer, re-open the troubleshooter and answer each question you've answered.

When you reach this page again, answer the questions at the bottom and click Next.

If the device is configured to use resources that are used by another device or reserved for the computer, the cause of the sound failure may be due to a hardware conflict.

Even if the device is turned off, it can still cause sound problems.

Check for hardware conflicts and turned off devices

Open Device Manager.

Double-click "Sound, Video, and Game Controllers".

Look for an exclamation point (!) or a red 'X' in a yellow circle next to the sound device.

A yellow circle with an exclamation point indicates a hardware conflict. To resolve the issue, go to the hardware troubleshooter and click I need to resolve a hardware conflict on my computer, or contact the manufacturer for assistance.

Important

After you go to the Hardware Troubleshooter, you will leave the Sound Troubleshooter.

A red "X" indicates that the device has been turned off. Try turning on the device.

Turn on the device

Under Device Usage, select Use this device (enabled), and then click OK.

Restart your computer.

If turning on the device does not resolve the issue, please contact the manufacturer for further guidance.

Note

To open Device Manager, click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

The blue "i" next to the device indicates that the resources set for the device have been manually configured. This does not indicate a hardware conflict or a powered off device.

Has the problem been resolved after resolving the hardware conflict or enabling the device?

Have you installed the signed driver for the sound device?

Windows XP drivers are digitally signed by Microsoft to ensure their quality. Microsoft's digital signatures ensure that a specific file has met a certain level of testing and that the file has not been altered or overwritten by the installation process of another program.

Be sure that the sound device driver has been digitally signed. If the driver is not signed, install an updated driver, roll back the driver, or reinstall the driver that came with the sound device on the disk.

Verify that you are using a signed sound device

Open Device Manager.

Double-click "Sound, Video, and Game Controllers" and check to see if your sound device is in the list.

If you don't know the name of your sound device, consult the documentation that came with it.

If the sound device is in the list, right-click the device, and then click Properties.

Click the Drivers tab and check that the Driver Provider, Driver Date, and Driver Version are listed. If you are not sure whether you have the latest driver for your sound device, contact the sound device manufacturer.

If nothing is listed after "Digital Signer", the driver may not be signed, which may cause system instability.

Note

If the Sound, Video, and Game Controllers category or your sound device is not listed in Device Manager, you do not have a Windows XP sound device installed driver.

To open Device Manager, click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

Get the latest sound device driver

Visit the Windows Update website to check for updated drivers. To go to the Window Update website, click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Windows Update.

If a compatible driver is not listed in Windows Update, contact the sound device manufacturer or visit their website to obtain a driver that is compatible with Windows XP.

Rollback or reinstall the driver

Open Device Manager.

Double-click Sound, Video, and Game Controllers, right-click your sound device, and then click Properties.

On the Drivers tab, if the Rollback Driver option is available, click that option to restore the latest well-known driver.

If the Rollback Driver option is not available or does not resolve the issue, then the latest well-known driver is not available. Reinstall the driver that came with the sound device (requires the disk that came with the sound device):

Click Update Driver.

Click Install from a list or a specific location, and then click Next.

Click "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install" and then click "Next".

Click "Have Disk" and follow the instructions to install the driver from disk.

Note

To open Device Manager, click Start, click Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.

Has the problem of installing Windows XP sound device been solved?

Please pick one out of so many and try it first