Windows Vista Sound no longer working on my Vista install, but is fine on Win7?

I've tried re-installing the drivers. I've tried to monkey around all the settings (not that I changed anything. I did this just for my own personal amusement), and then I go, oh well, maybe the excessive heat (see other thread lol) and a recent drop killed my SoundMAX HD Audio card.

So while not expecting anything else from 7, I booted it up (this is 7 x86 btw, but shouldn't matter, right? ), much to my surprise, ALL Windows sounds, all webcasts, everything that has anything to do with sound works perfectly. I'm even getting that HD effect that it makes.

Arie? Pete? Rockster? What little thing am I overlooking?? It's always some obvious right-in-your-face thing that I overlook.

Anybody? The driver is digitally signed and everything. This annoying thing is preventing me from asking what I REALLY want to know. Your opinions as to a 2nd laptop. I'm open to anything, because my GF's crappola'd out on her.

Thanks guys! (Deja Vu...this is weird...I feel like I dreamt asking this very question years ago...........WindowsBBS in particular. I don't think I was in L.A. then.....****, this is strange. I rarely ever get these, and it was specifically about the sound card, too....freaky...)

 

windows 7 is problye using it's generic sound drivers. it takes a LOT of heat and usualy more than a drop to kill a sound card. lol.

try looking for conflicting drivers. sounds obvious... but have u tried safe mode to reinstall updated drivers?

 

Look in Control Panel -> Programs and Features for the SoundMax and possibly any other audio controller (maybe audio CODECs). Uninstall that/those, check in Device Manager it has been uninstalled, restart, then install the new drivers/software (follow the installation instructions).

 

Resolved!

I just don't understand why this happened all of a sudden. I did NOTHING as far as messing with drivers, or manipulating any settings. Could it be corrupt?? I'm asking because I didn't have a battery in because it is being replaced, and thye power cord got ripped out three times from tripping over the cable. I fixed the issue now lol...no more of that, but could that be the culprit?

I just did a test with the Sound app, and when I tested it, I DID hear both speakers just fine, albeit a tad quiet. Grrr...Using Windows 7, they work just as they did before the other day. I don't get it. I don't really use 7 yet though. I just have a bare 32-bit installation as a precautionary method. It already came in handy with this sound nonsense.

I just tested it with Vista Ultimate's Media Center, and I was able to hear the test sound VERY VERY faint. Almost not audible. I'm going to run PC Doctor, which is a pretty decent tool to find errors with hardware. And I'll install a set of codecs, and uninstall VideoLAN player (VLC).

EDIT: Alright, I was able to fix it with PC-Doctor (now Lenovo Toolbox). It was a hidden setting, which, for some reason was set to 0 volume. Strange. But alright, thanks very much to everyone who chimed in. Sound's as good as ever now.

 

Thanks for letting us know.