Swedish PC sound disappearance

January 3, 2006 12:56 AM

Swedish PC sound disappearance

I'm on my mother's computer, which has suddenly lost anything to do with audio. The small speaker icon on the system tray has disappeared, etc.

Have looked at the Microsoft download area but nothing useful seems to be there. The original XP install disk been lost (I'm sure its legitimate copy, knowing my mother)

To make things more interesting, the OS is the Swedish version. I have almost no Swedish. My mother has Swedish but is having trouble translating the Kontrollpanelen icons for me.

I'm sure it's a case of finding the correct driver and reinstalling it, but where is it?

posted by Kiwi to Computers & Internet (17 answers total)

go to:
kontrollpanelen-ljud och ljudenheter-

the two boxes in the first tab, translated below might help you out

"ljud av" = sound off

"visa volymikonen i aktivitetesfältet" = display the system tray ikon

if not, you can reinstall drivers in the tab callled maskinvara
posted by JeNeSaisQuoi at 2:38 AM on January 3, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks - both of the boxes you mentioned above are greyed out, so I guess I need to reinstall the driver. Since I can't find the installalation CDs I guess my best bet is to open the PC and check which sound card is installed. (Or is there an easier way?) Then I can look at the manufacturer's web site.
posted by Kiwi at 2:59 AM on January 3, 2006

It's most likely that the computer doesn't have a separate sound card but is getting sound from the motherboard.

I don't know Swedish, but in the English version of XP, to find out what drivers you have installed (it should also let you know whether you have a separate sound card) all you have to do is right-click on "My Computer" and select "Manage," then choose "Device Manager" and locate the node called "Sound, Video, and Game controllers." If any of those subnodes shows a warning sign, that's probably the source of the problem.
posted by camcgee at 3:38 AM on January 3, 2006

The drivers should be already on the Hard Disk. Try "add hardware" and if it ask for a CD point it towards Windows\ or Windows\System32\ folders. Or you may try the MS (auto-)update.
posted by MzB at 5:50 AM on January 3, 2006

For what it's worth, the Device Manager camcgee is talking about is called "Enhetsbehandling" in Norwegian. Likely it's something similiar in Swedish. Right clicking any of the subnodes from there should give you "Update Driver..." as the topmost option. ("Oppdater driver" in Norwegian.) Clicking that gives you a new window, in which all you likely will need to do is to click next (Nästa) until it says finish (Avsluta).

Here is a swedish to english dictionary, if you need one.
posted by cheerleaders_to_your_funeral at 7:22 AM on January 3, 2006

Response by poster: Cheers, cheerleaders. I got as far as the update driver bit, but it can't seem to find the files, either automatically or by specifying the System 32 folders. All I get is this message: Message
posted by Kiwi at 8:46 AM on January 3, 2006

The message is the swedish version of this one... (faster to to grab a screenhot than to translate it into english)
posted by rpn at 9:11 AM on January 3, 2006

Hmm... Can you tell us the name of the driver / device the computer is looking for? "Add Hardware" should be able to automatically detect the sound card and then it should tell you the name of the card. Posting screens might help.
posted by MzB at 10:18 AM on January 3, 2006

Response by poster: Not sure what it thinks it's looking for, but from the control panel:

If I go to device manager I get this, then clicking Ljud-CODEC shows this in one tab and this in the next. Information tab shows this. Is this useful info or am in the wrong place completely?

I will start studying Swedish tomorrow.
posted by Kiwi at 10:48 AM on January 3, 2006

OK, it helps somewhat. Device manager tab: you are missing the controller for the card itself, but you have all other drivers (windows standard). On my computer the files for the driver are in C:\windows\system32\ and C:\windows\system32\drivers\ maybe you can find them in there (see my first comment).

Ljud-Codec is the Audio Codecs, looks fine to me.

Try this: "Add Hardware", Next. At this point XP should figure out the name of the card. If so, please tell us. Be sure that you do not have any yellow question marks in Device Manger (delete them).
posted by MzB at 11:13 AM on January 3, 2006

Response by poster: Right - I assume these are the steps you are talking about: "Lägg til maskinvarar" is Add Hardware? This brings up this which leads to this. What next?
posted by Kiwi at 11:29 AM on January 3, 2006

I was afraid of this. If I understand correctly, XP does not see any hardware which it does not have drivers. You could try: Yes/Ja, then

1) See in the list if there are any sound items (speaker icon) that are not present in this list. Very very small chance, but, if there is, it may be the card. Select it, Next and see what you get.

2) If not, select "Add new hardware" (the one with no icon, maybe the last in the list), and go for install harware automatically (the first option). If it is still not found (you get a list with all possible devices) you have to do it by hand, but you are back to step 1.

Let me know which is the case.
posted by MzB at 12:34 PM on January 3, 2006

Response by poster: Step 1) doesn't present any new sound items.
Step 2) leads to this.

The strange thing is, the sound was working perfectly until yesterday, then was gone when the computer was rebooted.
posted by Kiwi at 12:53 PM on January 3, 2006

then was gone when the computer was rebooted> have you tried to turn off the comp, leave it 5 mins, and turn it on again? Sometimes this helps.

step2 > (using the dictionary) this will reboot your PC. If you want to do this, pay a visit to bios (pay attention to all messages for what to press) and try to see if the sound card:

A. is activated from bios (assuming the bios is in english - if it is not, restart the computer, no changes will be made)

B. is listed with all other PCI devices - try hitting Pause/Break key (the last on Esc-F1-F10-Print-Scroll Lock-Pause row) several times during boot-up. You have to be fast.
posted by MzB at 1:13 PM on January 3, 2006

Response by poster: No luck with waiting then rebooting.

Screenshot of Startup: Startup (Think I caught it all!)
Screenshot if you go into Setup: Setup

I couldn't find a reference to Audio within any of these categories - however I admit I'm out of my depth here (even more than is usually the case) and don't really know what I'm looking for anyway....
posted by Kiwi at 1:48 PM on January 3, 2006

start-up> there should be another screen, right after this one, just 1/2 sec before the Windows XP logo. That is the one of interest. I need this info!

bios> you need to look into "Integrated Peripherals". Look for audio/sound. Always "exit without saving" unless you know what you are doing.

I got your mainboard, it is a KM400/8235 (see the first screen). All of them have sound on the board, let's see first if it is activated. The sound driver is here (download and install if you wish), but is a standard AC97, so it should be picked up by Windows right away.
posted by MzB at 2:10 PM on January 3, 2006

Response by poster: For what its worth, here is the second screen on startup: here and here.

Although I want to get to the bottom of this, today is the last day before I go back to London - so I will have to leave it. I guess the machine will have to be taken to the service centre.

Thanks so much for your advice MzB; I'm sure a bit more time and we would have cracked it. Have a good 2006!
posted by Kiwi at 1:53 AM on January 4, 2006