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Problem with sound

17 years ago

I'm debugging this remotely and with limited information, so I'm really just looking for general ideas.

My dad installed a registry cleaner on my mom's computer (about 6 years old, running XP). Around the same time, the sound card stopped working. The registry cleaner was uninstalled and there are no restore files that I can find. Dell support had him download a driver (not the right one) and told him he needed to reformat and reinstall from scratch.

I had him delete the device from the device manager and restart (actually power off, wait and power on).

The device was reinstalled, but doesn't show up as an option for Skype or in the control panel for sound.

The soundcard is integrated in the motherboard.

Since it isn't recognized after deleting and rebooting, I suspect that it's bad, so I suggested that he buy a sound card and try that.

Does anybody have any other approaches I should try?

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Comments (4)

owbist
17 years ago
Perhaps a new sound card will be the easiest and quickest cure. Your only problem there will be deciding if Dad has the confidence to install it then go into the BIOS and make the change. If it needs to go to the shop that might cost 20% of a new computer with today's great pricing.
bpgreen
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks, Owbist.

He's 80, but has no problems opening a computer and adding or replacing parts. He had a small business and has been using computers for over 20 years and has replaced or added many cards, hard drives, CD/DVD drives, etc over the years.

The drawback to buying a new PC is the amount of time it would take to transfer over all the programs and settings and the possibility (probability?) that some of the programs that my mom uses would not work with Vista (I'm especially concerned about some of the ones for some of the sewing devices she has connected). The other problem is that my mom is much less comfortable with computers, so since Vista is different from XP, she would have difficulty with the change.

I think he's going to Wal Mart today to try to find a card. If they don't have one, there are some office supply stores, but they're a little farther away for him.
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owbist
17 years ago
I can understand the anxiety over Vista for older folks who are comfortable with XP. At least Dad is comfortable inside the case so half the battle is already won.

Back in my working days I occasionally got computers when removing store equipment. I brought them home, cleaned and installed Windows 3.0 or 3.1 plus games and gave them to older folk. No use today with the internet and all the high speed stuff, no one wants a PII or even PIII much less the 286, 386 or 486 I brought home.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
17 years ago
Fortunately for now anyway there are still a good selection of brands that do sell pcs with xp on them, an option you could do is to just put their old hard drive into the new pc so they have access to it or use an imaging program like Acronis True Image and copy the entire drive to the new pc. Just a thought.
No help to the sound issue, I agree if it seems hopeless then a new one is the easiest way to go.

registry cleaners ... hate them.

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