PCI Multimedia Audio Device

Hiya - I am hoping someone will be able to help me.

I have a Dell Inspiron 4100 laptop since last 4 years. It's a P-III and recently was giving me alot of hassle, so I decided to reformat HD and reinsiall Win ME (it came preinstalled but Dell gave me installation disk). It all went superb, and using Dell's supplied Drivers CD I installed all the drivers too, one of which was the driver for PCI Multimdeia Audio Device. Now the funny thing is that I cannot hear any sound at all off my laptop! If I run Windows Media Player it will show as if running a file (MP3 etc) but no audio whatsoever! Another observation is that I used to have a yellow volume control icon at the taskbar (near the clock - extreme right bottom) double-clicking which I could mute etc, that does not appear as well.

Not giving up so easily, I tried Dell's website, and having recognised my laptop in their database thru the service tag they recommended a driver for Crystal something (allegedly that was my sound card or device), I downloaded the file (called C5mua09i.exe) and ran it - it did all sorts of installation stuff - but to no avail of the audio off my laptop as yet.

Then a bit of google-ing brought me to this fantastic forum of yours, I searched thoroughly in the earlier posts - and the closest I could get to my problem suggested installing the driver. Which I already had.

So friends, please please sort me out! This has ruined my Christmas already, at least save the new year!

 

Some FURTHER insights....

Didn't I say I do not give up so easily??

I was referring to another post in this forum (hardware section - your forum rocks! must say it); and it asked to look in to

START - PROGRAMS - ACCESSORIES - SYSTEM TOOLS - SYSTEM INFORMATION


In there for Components - Multimedia - Sound Devices, I found

Name Crystal WDM Audio Codec
Manufacturer Cirrus Logic, Inc
... ... etc etc ... ...
Driver C:\windows\system\vmm32.vxd (,1,019.88 KB (1,044,352 bytes), not available)
Driver C:\windows\system\mmdevldr.vxd (4.90.3000, 17.62 KB (18,043 bytes), not available)

This is strange! So does it mean I do not have them installed? I looked up in the HD and in C:\windows\system these two files are there!!

Now I am CONFUSED

 

And one more..

Through Google I found someone had a similar problem - albeit on a different make of the PC. I am not sure if I understand all of it - can someone guide me in case the solution is contained herein?
http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread10321.html

 

Suggestion..

Hi ...

Before you get to far along here ...you might want to try the easy things first, of which the first would be ...

Go to control panel ...open the multimedia applet ...click the checkbox that says show volume control on taskbar..click apply ..then OK..

You may have to reboot but the little speaker should appear in the system tray which will allow access to Volume controls for various functions...

Jake

 

Also, look in the Device Manager and see what it has to say about your sound (Right-click My Computer, Properties). Are there any devices with yellow warnings or red splotches indicating a disabled device?

 

Cheers Jake but have a problem.
First of all I am using ME.
When I go to Control Panel there's something called Sounds and Multimedia, and in there under Sound Volume, Show Volume control on the taskbar is already "checked ", but the volume is set to LOW (and funny thing, it's all frozen that is I cannot update this at all, like unchecking the box or changing volume scale)

 

Hiya,

In Device Manager, under Sound, video and game controllers, I have Crystal WDM Audio Codec, but no it's a black-n-white image of a CD player or something sort of, but no yellow or red in it! Looks all normal alright!!

Any help friends?

 

Hi ...

Doing this from memory, but I am reasonably certain the Volume control you mentioned as missing needs to be there. (it also installs the little mixer panel)

But anyway, goto Control Panel | Add/Remove programs and if memory serves, you should see a tab marked Windows setup....in that list should be a selection marked Multimedia etc.....in that list should be an option to install the volume control ...I don't have a working windows me machine setting here, so the locations are a stab in the dark ...but give it a whirl ...

Cheers
Jake

 

Hiya

Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> Windows Setup (tab) -> Multimedia

The Volume Control in it is selected too. So it's installed.

One new observation. I have a plug-n-play external keyboard connected to my laptop, which is working fine. This morning I was typing something on laptop's own keyboard and for every key I typed in I got a beep (something like Mobilephone's key-sound on). How to get rid of that? Or does this indicate something else?

I am becoming a bit of paranoid at this stage I reckon..

 

Hi..

Don't panic....need to find out where things went astray here ..

Go back to START - PROGRAMS - ACCESSORIES - SYSTEM TOOLS - SYSTEM INFORMATION


Under Hardware Resources | DMA .......there should be 2 listings for sound\audio

Under IRQ's ....there should be one listing for sound/audio (usually IRQ 5)

IF the above are there ....take another look in the multimedia applet in control panel and see what it shows for preferred devices under the audio tab..

Cheers
Jake

 

Jake

Under IRQ, there are several Resources 11 one of which is my sound device called Crystal WDM Audio Codec, status of which is shown as OK on the right hand side.

Under DMA there are three resources DMA 2, 3 and 4 which respectively are Floppy disk, ECP Printer port (don't have one though) and Direct Memory Access controller (what's that now)...no 5 am afraid! And NO sound device either.


Under Control Panel, Sounds and Multimedia - it's a varied observation:
On tab Devices, yes under Audio devices it's the same name that is WDM blah blah..
But, on Audio tab, Sound Playback says "No Playback Devices" for preferred device. And it's frozen too - so I can't change anything there!

Regards

 

First let me explain a few things.
Driver C:\windows\system\vmm32.vxd (,1,019.88 KB (1,044,352 bytes), not available)
Driver C:\windows\system\mmdevldr.vxd (4.90.3000, 17.62 KB (18,043 bytes), not available)

The reason you get Not Available is this. Vmm32.Vxd is a file created when you install windows, several VXD files are inserted into this file, the reason for this is to speed up boot time. Instead of X number of files being loaded, just one is. These are all windows files, not one file is from third party sources. Leave Vmm32.Vxd alone, if you remove it, you remove the ability to boot up windows.
Device Manager just cannot read all the information on the files contained in this file.
This is what I suggest, start in Safe Mode, go into Device Manager, and remove all Sound Card entries, then reboot and allow windows to boot normally and redetect the sound card.
The easiest way to get into Safe Mode, go to Start\Run, type in Msconfig and press Enter. Click on Advanced button, then in new window, put a checkmark for Enable Start Menu. Reboot and then select Safe Mode.

 

Cheers Mark. This is what I did (problem isn't sorted out yet mate):

1. Start - Run - MSConfig - Advanced button - check Enable Start-up - Restart in Safe Mode

2. Start - Setting - Control Panel - System - Device Manager - Expand Sound Video and Game Controllers

3. Select Crystal WDM Auido Codec, click on Remove button

4. Restart computer. WinME detects new HW and updates HW database, then installs it.

Did I miss anything? The Volume Control in Taskbar is checked in Volume and Multimdeia (Control Panel) but no sound as yet. I tried this too:

Start - Programs - Accessories - Entertainment - Volume Control

Nope - nothing!

 

I found all the downloads http://support.dell.com/support/dow...mID=INS_PNT_P3C_4100&category=0&os=WME&osl=EN
Can you remove the sound in Device Manager,reboot and then reinstall the software?
Also the chipset drivers should go on first in case those are missing.
In sound and audio you might have to have S/PDIF checked in advanced.

 

Chipset driver's already installed Maggie. PLUS, the problem is: when I remove the Audio from device manager (safe mode), after reboot Windows automatically detects/installs the driver - doesn't ask me to do this; moreover when it does there is no CANCEL button so that I can force it out.

What's S/PDIF? Where to look for it?

Sorry do not know a great deal about these stuff, so a step-by-step guide will be appreciated.

 

Go into sound and Audio in Control Panel. Go to Volume and then Advanced it should be in there. Or double click the volume icon in the system tray go to file and click advanced. There should be an advanced button there also. Click that you will see S/PDIF.

 

Hi ..

Was trying to find something to be able to give you roadmap for this, but no luck so I'll wing it ...

Am reasonably certain the problem lies in bios ...Dell, Compaq and others that use proprietary Bios's will with a restore disk set bios to Defaults...which means (like my Compaq) that every thing get's set to IRQ 11...and for some strange reason Wndows will dutifully try to follow.

Anyway, you need to get into bios and look for the location that will allow you to change the settings for onboard sound. Usually it is IRQ 5 with two DMA channels and a memory range of 0220 to 022f.. Most Dell's use F2 key to access bios at the boot screen. The system information utility will give you a list of what is available. My guess is you will find the modem, graphics and sound all trying to use IRQ11...

Cheers
Jake

 

Here is the user guide. At the top of this page click on Product Support there are many Docs to check once you enter Inspiron 4100 http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins4100/

 

Maggie,,

Thanks, I saw that....waited till I had access to a DSL line, downloaded several those of which none gave anything but the most minmal Information about Bios settings ...(had me talking to myself)

Cheers
Jake

 

The Dell bios is the pits. My Abit motherboard has settings for everything. Enabling the wireless and IR and changing the boot order is about all the Dell is good for.
I looked for audio inf. on the site and it says there is no information and to look through the KB. I have used the Dell forum it is not a bad. I have gotten a bunch of help there by browsing and searching mostly.