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In order for your computers operating system to be able to interface with any hardware device (such as a sound card) it needs the proper software to tell it how to (drivers). So sound card drivers are the software your computer needs to be able to use your sound card.
Often in cases where the Operating System (OS) has been reinstalled, or has recovered from some sort of crash or some system file corruption, a soundcard which used to work fine will suddenly refuse to make any sounds. Furthermore, the user may find that there is no volume control icon in the system tray, this is a sure sign you need to install drivers.
There are many different makes and models of sound cards, and each one has its own unique driver. The driver itself is often easy to find with a little googling, but the trick is to know what sound card you have in order to download and install the correct one.
Going into device manager may not be effective, as device manager only knows what drivers you have loaded, and may very well tell you that your sound card is "unknown".... not very helpful.
But there are ways to find out.
If you have a brand-name system, you can usually find out by going to the manufacturers website & simply searching for your systems model number. Indeed, they will probably have the drivers you need right there in the results.
If you are using onboard sound (a soundcard which is built into the motherboard), you may be able to find out by searching for specs on your motherboard. You may or may not know what make and model your motherboard is, so that presents a whole new set of questions.
If you are using a PCI sound card (one that plugs into a slot), you might simply open up the machine (with it unplugged of course) pull out the card & read the numbers right off the chip. Usually the largest chip is the one you need the numbers from.
Failing all those above, perhaps the easiest way to identify your soundcard (and any other hardware you may need drivers for) is by using one of several freeware diagnostic utilities to determine what soundcard you need. Two of my favorites, aida32, and unknown device identifier, are linked below. These programs simply read the PnP (plug N play) data from the card itself & reports it back to you. You can then Google the result to find out what card you have & where to find the drivers you need.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoTo update sound drivers, or any other hardware driver, depending on your type of system you're running on, you need to access the control panel, then system, then find the Hardware tab, where you should see Device Manager. From the device manager, you can review, check, update, enable, or disable any hardware your computer has. Drivers can be updated on all this hardware if the computer finds updates for the hardware you search for updates on.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoIf it is brand machine, vendors should provide you with a variety of hardware drivers, you can look for yourself, or to the vendor's website to check your machine's sound card driver is. If the assembly machine, went to see the sound card manual. If the instructions do not in your hands, you can find a person to understand the hardware you open your case to see what type of sound card. Then, download the driver.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoI cant listen any video or audio sound on my PC
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Is it possible that your sound stops working because your drivers are outdated on an HP latop?
If you get no sound on a computer it is most likely that you have no sound drivers or they have been disabled. go to this site to get new sound drivers-http://download.cnet.com/1770-20_4-0.html?query=sound+drivers&tag=srch&searchtype=downloads&filterName=platform%3DWindows&filter=platform%3DWindows
Pci express fsb 1333 mothe board drivers?
sound drivers
Why your sound is missing after win32 generic horse?
It must have corrupted the sound drivers
Acer aspire 5000 have the drivers for the sound card but still no sound?
yes
Are sound systems bad for young drivers?
no
Where you can find working OEM SB0220 drivers?
These drivers are the original OEM drivers from the driver CD which came with the Creative Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 SB0220 sound card: http://uploaded.to/?id=a8kqun
How many sound drivers should be enabled?
Only the ones that apply to your sound card.
How do you restore sound to a Dell computer after downgrading from Vista to XP?
No sound oh my computer
After installation of windows server enterprise 2003 edition sound drivers are not installed?
If you have so called a non-standard sound card you have to have sound drivers especially for Windows Server 2003 because it's a server operating system and doesn't include drivers even for very popular brands.
A Guide To Sound Drivers For Windows XP?
Good sound drivers for Windows XP are absolutely essential in order to ensure the best possible performance. Many computer users are unaware of sound drivers and how they function to improve the sound on a computer while helping retain computer stability. Sound drivers for Windows XP are essentially small files that tell the computer how to operate the sound card. Sound drivers need to be updated from time to time in order to reflect changes in the operating system and updated settings from the sound card manufacturer. However, most computer users don’t update their sound cards more than once or twice during the time that they own their computers; as a result, many sound card manufacturers have begun bundling special utilities with their sound cards that automatically update driver information from the Internet. After a sound card has been installed a computer will present sound more realistically and accurately. Sound drivers for Windows XP greatly decrease the chances of some serious issues like system instability. A computer can crash if it tries to use older sound drivers to run newer programs, because the programs will be anticipating a different response from the sound card than what they’ll receive from older drivers. Because of this it’s very important to keep sound drivers updated on a regular basis. To find the newest sound drivers for Windows XP, a computer user simply needs to visit the website of a sound card manufacturer. Common sound card manufacturers include Creative and ASUS. Once a sound driver for Windows XP has been located, it simply needs to be downloaded and installed. Most modern sound card manufacturers provide their drivers in the form of small executable files that don’t require much user input. Some sound drivers can even be updated via Windows XP’s built in Windows Update feature. Updating sound card drivers on a regular basis is a good habit for computer users. It improves the function of a sound card and a computer as a whole. It’s one of the simplest ways to keep a computer in good operating condition and to ensure great quality sound, regardless of the particular sound card or computer being used.
What is a sound drivers description?
Well, good drivers usually follow all the rules and drive safely and within the speed limit. They stop at stop signs and red lights, and put on their seat belts. That's what makes them sound drivers!
Creative Ev 1938 Sound Card Drivers?
yes
