Further Computer Problems

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

Whoo, more computer issues!

For anyone who doesn't know of my previous computer problems... I've had a lot of them, the most recent forcing me to buy a new hard drive. And that's where our story begins...

I received my new hard drive a couple days ago, and installed it in my computer. I installed Windows 7 (build 7100), and got it running. I'm still having the problem with the incompatible RAM, but my other RAM sticks work fine. The problem I'm now having is relatively minuscule, but it's kind of a big deal to me. I can't get any sound on my computer. The speaker icon has an 'x' on it, and when I hover over it, it says "No speakers of headphones are plugged in". I checked the device manager, and there's no driver for the sound card (which, by the way, is integrated with the motherbaord). I tried looking online, but all the stuff I've found requires that I download and install some driver-finding program, and I'd rather not do that. Is there an easier way to get the right driver without downloading any extra applications and whatnot?

As, always, thanks in advance, and hopefully this will be the last issue I have with this computer.

[Graphmastur]

You could just get a mac...

Check to see if all the wires are connected, and no circutry got severed inside.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

There's no visible problems.

Now that I think of it, the sound didn't work back when I had Ubuntu on this thing, either. Maybe the sound card was fried when I got the motherbaord. Hope not, though.

[Graphmastur]

Quite possibly. Check your speakers. If they work, it's probably the sound card.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

The speakers work fine, and I've tried three different speakers and two pairs of headphones. If it's the sound card, would it be more likely that it's a hardware or driver issue?

[Graphmastur]

I would think hardware if windows can't even see it.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

Alright, so I guess I should buy a separate sound card. I don't want to buy a new motherboard.

[benryves]

When you say there's no driver for the sound card in Device Manager, do you mean there's a sound card device with no drivers installed, or no sound card device at all?

Most motherboards let you disable the integrated sound hardware (it may be called "audio codec" or similar on the BIOS configuration). Try that first.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

It finds my video card, and files the HDMI port under Audio, but it doesn't find the regular, integrated sound card. I don't have an HDMI-compatible monitor, so I can't use that for audio.

Edit: I also checked the BIOS, and didn't see anything obvious, though there was something that mentioned the audio card. It was set on "Auto".

[benryves]

Try explicitly enabling it, then; "Auto" disables the hardware if the BIOS thinks you have another audio device installed and it could be mistaken.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

Tried, didn't work.

And at a second look, the option actually said "Onboard Audio". I dunno if that means the integrated sound card, or the motherboard's built-in speaker.

[benryves]

That would be the integrated sound card. I've never seen an option to disable the PC speaker in the BIOS (though it's easily disabled in Windows by disabling the Beep service via Device Manager).

[Newbie]

It's because you are using a beta. If the sound doesn't work out of the box when installing chances are it's not going to work ever until drivers are finally released for Windows 7. When I was running the beta for Windows Vista awhile back, the sound never worked and it was just something I had to deal with until drivers were finally released. Same with the wireless card.

Edit: Also, with Ubuntu, nothing is guaranteed to work out of the box either so chances are you need to hack your way to get that to work. Good luck.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

Hmm... Okay.
It didn't change anything though. The sound still won't work. Though a driver for the card did show up in the device manager now, but the windows taskbar volume control still won't work.

Edit: @newbie But I do have sound working for 7 on my laptop, and it's not the beta, it's the RC, though I see your point.

[Newbie]

Apparently Windows Vista drivers should work within Windows 7. Have you already tried installing the Vista drivers?

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

Er, no, I haven't. Do you know where I should go to do so? Or can I do it through the device manager?

[Newbie]

I have no idea what card you have. lol If you can find out the model, I can help direct you. Usually the device manager is crap for giving you useful info. If you can't figure it out, open the PC case to check physically or check the BIOS. Not many BIOS setups have info on that either. Is it a custom built PC or one you bought? If it's one you bought then let me know what it is.

Edit: Oh, I see you said it was integrated. Chances are it's probably realtek so try here: http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downlo...p;GetDown=false

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

Ah, sorry. I built it myself, and the motherboard is an HP P5RC-LA (or so i'm told. the serial number is RC410-SB450-P5RC-LA-00).

[Newbie]

Hahaha I got my edit in while you were posting that. I just looked it up and it is Realtek so try the link.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

Awesome, thanks.

One thing though: I just double checked in a program I have that gives me my system information, and it says the motherboard manufacturer is ASUSTek Computers, Inc, the model is AGENA, and that the serial number is 123456789000. Not sure which is correct.