How to Reinstall a PC's Volume Control

Computers running on Windows systems come with a volume control feature that determines the sound level sent from your computer to your speakers. Normally, the sound control feature is easily accessible, but it can become corrupt. In such a case, you may not hear any sound from the computer's speakers. To restore the computer's sound, you must reinstall the volume control. To do this, you will need your Windows installation CD.

Things You'll Need

• Windows installation CD

Instructions

1. Insert the Windows installation CD into the computer's DVD drive and hold the "Shift" key on the keyboard to prevent the CD from starting automatically.

2. Click the "Start" button on the lower-left side of the screen. Select the "Run" option and type "command." Click "OK."

3. Type in the drive letter of the computer's CD or DVD drive. For example, if the computer uses the "D" drive, type "d:" and then hit the "Enter" key.

4. Type "cd i386" and hit the "Enter" key.

5. Type "expand sndvol32.ex_ c:\windows\system32\sndvol32.exe" and hit "Enter."

6. Close the command box. Determine that the "Volume" icon is displayed in the notification area.

Tips & Warnings

• If this method does not work, seek help from Microsoft's official support website.

References

• Microsoft:Volume icon is not displayed in the notification area, and you may receive an error message when you try to add it
• Microsoft: Contact Us