Here goes: had the said system apart this morning due to some strange lock ups (when starting MSN Messenger, the system would slow down to slug pace, until ending the task from Task Manager), re-seated cards, memory and also disconnected a "PC Doctor" temperature monitor add on in the 5&1/4 bay that had been in there a few years, to save the load on the PSU.

Anyway, I fired up the system and all was seemingly well, it started up faster and the MSN "lock up" no longer occurred, so I assumed that something must have been wrong internally and I had fixed it. Then after putting it all back together, I realised - there's no sound! It's onboard sound so I haven't loosened any sound cards or anything like that, and also the sound is enabled in the BIOS (which I had reset earlier when the system was apart via the jumper) Two points:

* It's not the speakers - although I had been messing around with the cables trying to get them tidier whilst I had the PC apart, (therefore I thought it MIGHT have been the speakers) I hooked them up to a nearby TV with a headphone socket, they worked perfectly. So not them...

* Also, Windows still reports a sound device, and there are no erroneous items in Device Manager. Winamp starts, "plays" music (the spectrum analyser moves) but there is no audio. Volume control levels are all up and nothing is muted. Have tried re-installing the onboard sound driver, but with no success.

This has really wound me up! Obviously I didn't notice that the sound was not working whilst I had the computer apart, because I tend to only hook up the essentials (power, monitor, keyboard) when I startup a PC open on the bench. It just seems to be one thing after another with that PC, but most of them are easily solved - this one has me lost completely!

Any ideas?

Cheers

Alex

you have probably tried this. but test the different sockets. or try playing music and wiggle the connector that you think it is at the same time. something might have broken when you pulled it out the jack the first time. oh and are you playing mp3s or cd's? if its cd's you might have pulled the audio connector from the cd/dvd drive out.

all text needs typos. There there for the reader to find,to distract them from the total lack of content.

Are you sure you have the speakers plugged into the correct jack?

Thanks for the replies.

100% certain OtheHill. Also tried the speakers in all 3 just to be sure, but nothing.

Also, I have tried moving the plug a little whilst playing music (MP3, the audio CD thingy isn't connected to the motherboard anyway as this feature is never used) but there is still nothing.

It's just odd. The sound was definitely working last night. I can't take it apart again today to have a look, but I can't think what I'd look at anyway - I didn't touch anything to do with the audio!

Just had another "quick look" over the system, as in BIOS options and Windows control panel items, but can't spot anything out of the ordinary that would cause this to happen.

Try removing the device in Device manager and rebooting. Should find and re-install properly.

Well that was weird. Had the machine apart after finding this site:

http://hardware.mcse.ms/archive66-2...

which mentioned that you may have no audio from the rear jacks if you have the front case ports connected to the motherboard. Thing is, these had been connected to the port on the motherboard since it was built in 2003! And it has always had sound, no problem. So I took it apart, disconnected the front ports, and shorted the said pins with a couple of jumpers, and wow, the sound worked. Really weird!

Anyway thanks for all the suggestions.