How to Fix a Problem With the Sound Device
- 1). Reinstall your sound device using the computer's Device Manager. To perform this action, click the "Start" button, open the "Control Panel" and open the "Administrative Tools" section. Open the "Device Manager," expand the section containing the audio devices, right-click on your audio device and select the "Uninstall" option. Restart your computer and wait for the operating system to auto-detect the device. Reinstall the sound device drivers and check to see if the problem with the sound device has gone away.
- 2). Ensure that your sound device is properly seated in the computer and that nothing has come loose. Open the side of the computer (after you have powered it off and unplugged it) and visually inspect the sound device. Gently remove it from the computer and see if there is any obvious damage to the device. If you don't see anything out of the ordinary, firmly replace the device into your computer, replace the side case, plug the computer back in and turn it on. Check and see if your sound device is still having problems.
- 3). Replace your sound device with one that you know is functional to determine if the problem is in the sound card hardware. Unplug your computer and remove the side of the case to gain access to the sound device. Gently remove it from your computer and plug in the new device. Put the computer case back together, plug it in and power on the machine. Log in to your operating system and wait for the new sound device to be detected. Install driver software if necessary and see if you are still having sound problems. If so, then the issue is not in the sound device hardware and could be in either the operating system, the device drivers or in another piece of the computer's hardware. Consult a qualified computer technician for help if you are unable to resolve the problem at this point, since it may require extensive examination and repairs to find and fix the problem.
