Hello all. My two year old compaq PC has recently developed a problem. As is the case with most of the cheap POSs that the company mannufactures, it did not come with its own sound card. It is built into the motherboard. Recently, I came back from a 3-hour stint away from home to notice that my computer's sound was inaudible. Upon closer examination, it appeared that the sound was audible, if only minimally. I tried playing with the speaker plug, to no avail. I inserted headphones and got no sound whatsoever.
I spoke to a friend about it, and he says that my computer may have suffered form the effects of a storm that raged in our area the night before this unfortunate event. He says a power surge may have damaged the components inside. Which brings me to the here and now; is his conclusion accurate? What do I do now?
Thanks in advance.

To begin with, I don't think you can even buy a motherboard these days that doesn't have integrated audio. Onboard sound has gotten so good that PCI sound cards have become a luxury, not a necessity. Your Compaq may very well be a POS, but it's not because it has built-in sound.

A power surge affecting only the sound chip seems a bit odd, but stranger things have happened. Did you reboot the machine? Have you checked the settings, volume control, device manager? Have you tried reinstalling the audio drivers? You may wanna go as far as uninstalling the sound from device manager, then rebooting & see if it's redetected & the drivers are automatically installed.

If none of the above works, it's likely that the sound chip is bad. You'll have to disable the sound in the BIOS, then install a PCI sound card. You can get a cheap card for about $10 or you can spend over $100, or anything in between.

I've checked all of the settings. Everything is cranked to the max. I've rebooted several times and even peeked inside the computer to make sure vandals hadn't inexplicably damaged something inside in their quest for laughter and mayhem. Everything appears to be in order. I'm about to take your advice about the drivers and device manager.

Did you verify the speakers and/or headphones are connected to the correct ports. I have found that occasionally "not me or idta know' visit and disturb various things about the house. At these times no one seems to have a clue of when these gremlins appear. Therefore you can't assume that because the connections were correct when you left home that that are still the same.

That said, I agree with jam that it would be unusual for only the sound chip to be damaged. Did you check all the other intergrated hardware for proper functioning?

I have a powered subwoofer that drives the other speakers. Anytime the power is interrupted to the sub the volume control for the spreaker system resets to the lowest level and I need to set it up. This volume is totally independent of the Windows volume control.

Power spikes or surges or lightning strikes on the power grid near enough to where you are can damage anything connected to the computer if you don't have the computer, and everything connected to it that plugs into AC, and the cable that connects you to the internet, plugged into something that protects you from those.
It could very well be be it has damaged your PS - e.g. if what is supposed to be +5v is now too low it could cause your symptoms.
Check your PS.
See response 4 in this:
http://www.computing.net/hardware/w...

It could also be the amplifier in your amplified speakers has been damaged - try another set of amplified speakers.

Well, my speakers are not of the conventional variety. I get sound through my monitor.
Everything else seems to be working as intended, I haven't run into trouble with any of the computer's other functions.
I'm still trying to locate 'device manager'. Alas, my technical knowhow is quite limited.

If you have other amplified speakers, try them. You may not hear anything if they are not amplified.

One way is RIGHT click on My Computer,
select Properties
Hardware tab
Device Manager tab.

RIGHT click on the speaker shaped icon bottom right in the taskbar (you may need to click on < to find it), select Open Volume Control to check the volumes.

A friend of mine had lightning hit his PCI modem and left every other part of the PC untouched. I had the same experience happen to me as well when I came home after a storm had hit. The PC refused to boot. After removing the modem the PC booted fine. I noticed when I observed the modem that the plastic covering around one of the resistors on the circuit was blown off. What was left of the resistor looked sort of burnt.

A few years ago lightning hit a profanity filter and an A/V transmitter that was connected to our TV. But the TV as well as the DVD/VCR that both devices were connected too were left untouched. The same thing happened when lightning hit the other VCR in the kitchen. The TV it was connected to was left untouched.

I think it's a high probability that lightning may have something to do with it. About all you can do is disable the onboard sound in the BIOS and buy a PCI sound card as jam mentioned.

Rayburn

The examples you site are classic. The modem is the first device the phone line touches. the VCR is the first device the cable touches.

The OPs sound chip may be damaged but it isn't a classic example.

I don't understand what you mean by "classic." I'm just stating my opinion as everyone here is doing.

In the case of the profanity filter and A/V transmitter being hit, they weren't the first devices the cable touched. They were both plugged into the VCR. In order for the lightning to reach them, it would have had to go through the cable line to the VCR. But at the same time, the VCR was untouched by the strike (not the second VCR I mentioned, but the first.)! The other way it would have had to happen was through the electrical current. I still think lightning is highly likely in the OP's case.

Rayburn

You did understand what I meant by classic examples. I meant classically, the first component an outside source of current can reach is usually the first to be damaged. The damage usually goes further than one component. I agree the OP may end up installing an add in card. The OP should investigate any damage to other integrated components prior to spending any cash on that rig. I still think it is highly unusual to fry a sound chip and nothing else. That is the point I was trying to make. I meant no disrespect for your opinion.

Ok I understand now, no hard feelings. The examples I gave were only to show that lightning CAN strike something and leave something else that the strike may go through untouched. It might be unusual, but certainly not unlikely.