How to Make Sound in Windows XP Work
Windows XP is a popular computer operating system made by Microsoft. Sound failure is a common computer issue in any operating system. To output sound, your computer must have a sound card installed and a device to play sound such as speakers that are connected to the sound card. Your sound settings and the physical connections of your sound devices can also affect sound output. Windows XP also contains tools to help troubleshoot sound problems.
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Instructions
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Make sure your computer's sound is turned on and the volume is turned up. There should be a speaker icon on your task bar where you can adjust volume levels.
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Make sure that the volume on your speakers is turned up and that the speakers are on.
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Make sure that the volume on the application you are using is turned up. Applications such as media players and web based media players often have their own volume controls.
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Check all the connection from your speakers to make sure they are plugged in firmly and that they are receiving power.
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Disconnect your speakers and then connect a secondary set of speakers to your computer. If the new speakers work, your original speakers are likely defective.
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Check if you have a sound card in device manager. Click "Start," right click "Computer," select "Manage," "Device Manager," and then double click on "Sound, video and game controllers." If you do not have a sound device listed here, you may not have a sound card or it may not have drivers installed. Double click on "Other devices" and see if your sound card is listed; it may have an exclamation mark on it if it is not working properly.
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Update your sound card's driver software. In device manager, right click on your sound card, select "Properties" and note the device name and the manufacturer. Go to the website of the sound card's manufacturer and search for a driver download for the device. Download a driver for the device, run the driver install or setup .exe file, follow the instructions of the setup wizard and then restart your computer.
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Run Windows XP sound troubleshooter. Click "Start," "Help and Support," "Fixing a problem," "Games, sound, and video problems," and then click "Sound Troubleshooter." Select the option that best describes your problem, click "Next" and then continue selecting the best option and clicking "Next." The help application will lead you through the process of determining what your problem is and fixing it.
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Tips & Warnings
Microsoft offers an executable tool that can help fix sound issues. Some audio and video files have sound levels that are lower than others. This can cause certain files to seem to have no sound if you sound levels are already low. Hardware manufacturers often release new device drivers for their products. Periodically checking for updates sound drivers can ensure that your device is up to date.
