Are you having problems playing sounds on your computer? There's no need to worry. That can be easily resolved by going through a little troubleshooting. Follow the steps below:
Are your speakers on? If you are using speakers, make sure that the power cord is firmly plugged into a working outlet and that the speakers are turned on.
Are your speakers or headphones properly connected? The sound cable of the speakers or headphones must be securely plugged into the appropriate jack on the computer. Look up your speaker/headphone documentation to be sure that you have connected them correctly.
Are the volume settings correctly set? Adjust the volume control to the proper settings on the speakers or headphones and on the computer itself. Make sure that audio is not muted.
Is the source media playable? You may be trying to play a damaged disk or a corrupt sound file. Try a different disk or sound file.
Are your speakers or headphones working properly? Try different headphones or speakers. The ones you are trying to use may be defective.
Is your sound device working properly? Your sound device should be enabled and properly configured. If you have more than one sound device, the device you are trying to use should be the default sound device. The documentation that came with your sound device will provide information on how to enable and configure it.
If your sound device has been properly enabled and configured and seems to be working properly, yet you still can not hear sounds, or if you can not configure your sound device on your system, it is most likely due to not having the correct device drivers.
Device drivers are programs which add functionality to devices. These are software that make hardware devices work. As with all other programs or software, device drivers need to be compatible with the platform or operating system on which they are to be used. A device driver designed for a MAC will most definitely not run on a PC. And drivers made for Windows 98 will not work on Windows Vista. For drivers to make any device function properly, the correct version for the particular system must be installed.
When you buy a computer, the correct drivers are usually already installed on it and a driver installer disk or a recovery disk usually comes with it. There are circumstances wherein the drivers are lost, most of the time because of a system crash. Reinstalling the drivers from the disk that came with the computer would solve this. But what if the disk has been damaged or lost and the computer is already beyond warranty? Or what if the system was upgraded so that the device drivers that came with it no longer work with the upgraded system?
Again, there's no need to worry. That can be easily resolved by using a driver finder program. A good driver finder program will scan your computer, identify hardware devices installed on it, recommend drivers specifically made for the brand of your computer, and download the most up to date drivers for your devices. It should preferably have a feature that will allow you to copy the downloaded drivers to a CD, network drive or USB flash drive. An option that lets you download the program and scan your computer for free would be an added bonus.
There are many driver finder programs on the market. You can search the internet and choose one which will work best for you.
Fara is a consultant engaged in rating the quality of web search results to improve internet user experience. She also specializes in web development, remote business administration solutions, PC technical support and internet security, and is one of the major solutions providers for Clarafaie Solutions. For the past year, she has been working with Affilorama Group Ltd and Doubledot Media Ltd, helping aspiring internet marketers achieve success in their online business ventures. In her spare time, she writes for a few selected clients.
