Wow, Having this PC trouble for like a year now

As far as I can tell. Soundmax is good too but has some problems with certain games. Oblivion and Assassin's Creed come to mind...

There's not much you can do short of a reformat and fresh install of Windows...

 

Umm, ok you know I think it would have been better if I haven't mentioned the registry thing at all... even before I did the registry edit, the speakers were not working AT ALL. And I didn't really edit the registry, but I just uninstalled one of Service Pack 2 foulders, I think it started with "K.....".

EDIT: why would I reinstall windows again if I noticed that my speakers weren't working when I reinstalled windows in the first place?

 

So you are suggesting I should insert my windows disc, hit the repair button so windows would repair itself? If it doesn't delete anything then I will give it a try. Ty

 

What will happen is it will keep your data in the my docs folder intact so all that will be safe,however everything else will need to be reinstalled even tho the folders remain in the ALL PROGS list,it would be best to get normal windows sounds working then try some music,once that is ok then any sound not working sholud be due to incompatability,so if you get no sound in a game it may mean you need a different codec or something,if i play myst it will not work unless i have quicktime installed.

Repairing will put windows back as tho you just reformatted so updating will be necessary,like i said the my docs folder will stay intact

 

Dun it make you wanna go round and fix it for him ?

 

Gee let me think on this.... nope.

He'll then claim we broke it!

 

nup! can't break wots already broke

 

Before you go any further.. ac97 is a very generic designation for lots of different (and not the same) chipsets.. ask Dell I had a real battle with one 2 weeks ago which was very very picky about the right driver. If the generic ones don't work you need to google the manufacturers driver by mobo number. Like this XD

http://www.techsupportforum.com/mic...no-sound-my-lovely-dell-dimension-4550-a.html

http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.co...-need-audio-driver-dell-dimension-4550-a.html

Follow the rabbit hole and you find 2 different drivers.. one will work, and the other will just screech Thanks Dell.. real nice that the chipset drivers on YOUR motherboard disk are the wrong ones too.

 

The only thing good about Dell is their monitors.

 

I too hold the older dell machines in high regard from a reliability viewpoint. The p2 and p3 series seem pretty well indestructible.

The e-machine on the other hand..........

Remember those drivers tho.. even Dell linked to 2 different ones, only one of which worked properly.

 

You can like Dell all you want. I'm aware that, if anything, Dell uses quality components and builds a solid PC. I just far prefer the more intimate experience of putting together a custom machine with quality individually selected components. It's not really a hobby or a tool for me. It's a passion.

So, it's all just "IMO"

 

This problem sounds familiar, I've fixed PCs with errors similar to this before, and it was definetely the HDs at fault. A simple SpinRite maintenance scan fixed my problems. If you know how to burn ISO files, then drop me a PM, and I'll get this program to you, it has fixed this error for me on multiple occasions.

 

You use spin-rite?.. I prefer active@killdisk myself... write a heap of 00 across the whole drive... make it the right size again I never try to repair a stuffed up OS (especially windows) Just wipe/blank/reinstall.

But I'm used to dealing with recycled so called "scrap" components and drives.. I have my methods which work for me..

Anyway.. the non working sound problem is simply because windows doesn't have the drivers for the hardware.. nothing is going to fix that apart from installing the correct drivers... and for that we need the mobo number or exact system number (dell optiplex isn't enough.. we need stuff like opi 4550.x)

Fixed a creative sound driver problem earlier.... feed me the requested info and the link to the driver will appear as if by magic **ding**