Sound bar stopped working! & mouse erratic!

[R2sma]

Hi, My week old sound bar has suddenly stopped working, even though all the settings show its working perfect.  Anyone got any simple suggestions?

Also, my mouse isnt precise when clicking on an object.  You actually have to hover outside the item concerned to activate or to actually click.  The mouse icon seems erratic when this happens and very frustrating!  This works with both DELL corded and my LOGITECH cordless mouse, so i think its a setting somewhere rather than the mouse.  Ive tried changing all the obvilous setting, without success.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.  Thx

[Davet50]

It would help us to know what Dell system you have as well as the hardware in it to help you troubleshoot these issues..

My feeling on the mouse issue would be a reinstall of the video driver for you video card.

As to the sound bar are you hearing sound at all??

[R2sma]

I have an XPS420, and im hearing no sound whatsover from the soundbar.  Do i have to uninstall the video card before reinstaling?

[eskymi]

As I have seen this many times, I am going to assume you have the ATI video card.  Probaby the 2400 or 2600 series.  And that the mouse usually has to be to the top and left of the link you wish to click on.

Go to ATI's website www.ati.com  and download the most current drivers for the card.  This will fix the mouse issue.

If you have an NVIDIA graphics card and this mouse problem, go to www.nvidia.com and do the same.  But in all the posts about the erratic mouse situation, I have never seen this issue with NVIDIA cards, only ATI. 

Message Edited by eskymi on 06-02-2008 12:02 PM

[Davet50]

Yes you will need uninstall the old driver before reinstalling the new one. Eskymi is correct as the mouse issue is or has been prevelant on the ATI cards.

Here is a link on how to install/reinstall the video drivers..

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=Tech_Talk_XPS&thread.id=27146

As to the sound issue do you have a sound card or are you using the onboard sound system?

Message Edited by Davet50 on 06-02-2008 01:16 PM

Message Edited by Davet50 on 06-02-2008 01:18 PM

[R2sma]

Many thanks.  The mouse seems to be doing what its supposed to do.  A bit of a long way for a shortcut, but worth it in the end.

Any suggestions about the soundbar?

Thx

[R2sma]

The soundcard is...

Audio Integrated HDA 7.1 Dolby Digital capability

It jsu stopped without any change of settings.

Any ideas?

Thx

[DELL-Chris M]

R2sma,

See where the soundbar is plugged into the green jack on the back of the PC? Unplug that and plug headphones into the green jack. play a song. Do you hear anything through the headphones?

[R2sma]

Dont hear anything at all.  I tried plugging into the front headphone jack as well, nothing coming out!

[DELL-Chris M]

R2sma,

Reinstall this. When done, restart the PC. Then, check the sound.