Even though BIOS startup beeps and system beeps still play through them.
Anyway, yesterday, after uninstalling some programs (Final Fantasy 14 Beta via Add/remove Programs, and Civ 4 plus expansions via Steam) I restarted the computer, who found something that made it decide to do a diskcheck, during which it found (and I though at the time, fixed) some missing/bad indexs, but when it was done, the following problems appeared:
1.) No sound came from the speakers except for System sounds (i.e. BIOS startup codes, and other beeps like it)
2.) Sounds and Audio Devices declares that there is no audio system hooked up, yet repluging my sound system, and plugging in the USB mic, audio jack mic or headset results in the same thing, despite the fact that it comes up with and properly identifies that a mic or headset has been connected via USB, and checks to make sure I've connected my sound system into the right place. (other usb plug-and-play devices, such as my 360 controller, work fine.)
3.) System Restore to a time before uninstalling any of these programs does not fix the problem.
So, I'm thinking that the final piece of the program that lets it go from "You have connected an audio system" to "you have an audio system properly hooked up and ready to go" got lost forever in that diskcheck. The question I propose to you is, what the hell could it be and how do I fix it?
PS. I have my Windows XP CD at the ready, and am willing to reinstall (and, if nessesary, reformat) Windows should it prove nessesary, but I'd rather skip that step if I could, since even if I back up all the saves and such I want to keep (horray for Steam/Blizzard Cloud to make that possible!) reinstalling Windows and/or all the games I want to play would be a pain in the ass... :P
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That was something I... okay, didn't think of :P. It's an onboard sound system, no soundcard, but I'm not sure what it would be called or where it is listed...
EDIT: So this is why the friend who built this computer for me had be hold onto the boxes/serial codes checking the motherboard's website now...
Mine is called Realtek High Definition Audio
Mine is SoundMAX Intergrated Digital HD Audio (which I always though for some reason was my sound system's driver, not the driver for everything audio-related for my computer)
...but when I unistall it, Windows fails to find it again, and the several places I've tried to replace it don't seem to work...
EDIT: but now there is a different listing on device manager: Audio Device on High Definition Audio Bus, listed under "Other Devices" Which disapears when I disconnect the sound system.
No Change.
Other than that, I'm out of ideas, other than reinstalling windows.
I might try that next, but first...
Ran some new troubleshooting program Mircosoft has released, and after it was done check my sound, popped out this:
One or more audio service isn't running
Both the Windows Audio and the Windows Audio End Point Builder services must be running for audio to work correctly. At least one of these services isn't running.
Unfortunatly, this being brand spanking new, doesn't have any advice beyond that, so I'm off to search Mircosoft's support forums untill either I've found a solution or you guys come up with one.
SOLVED!! ...and this is what did it. Reinstalled the HD Audio Bus under System Devices, then the Soundmax driver again, and it worked!! Thanks TeaSpoon.