I really need help. A few days ago, 3 things messed up on my computer. My screen resolution messed up, mouse stopped working, and sound was gone. I have managed to fix the resolution and mouse. But my sound is really tricky! I deleted the sound drivers in device manager. Rebooted and it found them again and installed but still the sound did not work. Then I tried to install updated drivers for my computer and it worked. My sound was there. But then when I shut down and restart my computer, the sound is gone again?? I have did this 3 times today. And everytime I get it working right and turn off my computer, the sound is gone. No volume bar by the task bar and no options in the sound settings. Everything is greyed out where I can't choose any options. I get this message when I try to play a file with windows media player "Windows Media Player cannot play the file because there is a problem with your sound device. There may not be a sound device installed on your computer, it may be in use by another program, or it may not be functioning properly."

Can anyone please help me to straighten this out? Am I doing something the wrong way? Thanks for any replies!

What does the sound card entry in device manager look like when the sound disappears? Black exclamation mark on yellow background or red X next to it?

First thing to try is uninstalling the driver again, only from safe mode this time and then reinstalling the correct driver - from safe mode.

So if you can find the last sound driver update for your Compaq Presario model, download it to your desktop and use that, and install it from safe mode.

And if it continues after that, then something is breaking the driver, so have a think what's different, what's new, anything newly installed since the problem started, etc.

Could also be a malware issue, so think if you have any other issues / error messages / behaviour rolled up with this one. But I would work through the basics first before looking further afield.

SoundMAX Integrated Digital Audio is what I'm working with. My computer is a compaq presario 5000 series.

Ok I did what you said in safe mode. Rebooted when it came back on it said "found new hardware PCI MULTIMEDIA

THen it said Version Conflict - A file is being copied that is older than the file currently on computer Do you want to keep this file?

Now it recommends that you do keep current file, but everytime I click yes then my sound doesnt work. but if I click no then it worked. The volume icon was back on the taskbar and sound worked. Until I reboot then it loads into windows and the sound does not work and no icon for volume in taskbar.

Cool. What about the answers to the questions in #1 ?

And while I'm here, you are using the driver from...

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...

yes?

You do meet the prerequisites...

" PREREQUISITES:

- DirectX 6 or higher should be installed prior to softpaq installation.

- If you use Compaq System Software Manager (SSM) you must be using version 1.50 or later.
For more information on Compaq SSM and to obtain the latest version of Compaq SSM please use the following URL..."

yes?

(you should do on DirectX, ME came with 7.1)

HEllo again. There is no error icons in device manager. I have version 8.1 of Direct X. I downloaded the driver from the link above. Uninstalled soundmax drivers rebooted in safe mode, reinstalled the driver from the link above. Rebooted said new hardware found.. PCI Multimedia Audio Device then it said Soundmax Integrated Digital Audio. Loaded into windows and no sound and no volume icon. It has Soundmax ICon.

And have you done virus and malware scans?

Sorry if I put in extra info and stuff...I see now that u have ur mouse and res fixed but it's like 2am soo yea..:P

I had the same problems try these three things (links to the pages of my problems same three things)

oh for your mouse you should be able to navigate your control panel then Systems then device manager mouse then hit the button next to the windows button on keyboard and uninstall

again that is
Control panel>Systems>Device Manager>Button next to Windows>unintsall

Then restart and your mouse should be fine =D

http://www.computing.net/windowsme/...
^For res and color^

http://www.computing.net/windowsme/...
^for sound^

Just Run "System.ini" and then put "drivers=mmsystem.dll" into the "[boot]" section that's what fixed mine =D

*quick note*I am not a pro at fixing comps may want to have one of these guy's opinions on doing that before you do it*thank you for reading*

Thank you all for the advice.. After several weeks, I have been able to fix this by doing what Jak6 said about editing system.ini.. Its nice to have the sound back. :) Hope it never happens again!

PS. there was spyware, viruses, or malware found.