No sound, Dell Dimension 8400, Multimedia Audio Controller

Sorry about that I edited it and I've already installed the drivers from the dell website and I still end up with the yellow question mark next to the "multimedia audio controller" I'm not sure if this is correct but I think it's the order I installed the drivers I installed the chipset driver first then all the other drivers and once I read I needed the "dell desktop system software" I installed that AFTER I installed everything else so should I do a clean install of windows xp and install the desktop system software first then the chipset driver then everything else? 

Edit:
I found something else out when I went into the properties on the "multimedia audio controller" it said it was a PCI but the dell website only has an integrated audio driver

the driver :

First, edit your post and remove the service tag number - that is forbidden on the forum.

If you didn't do it you need to install the Intel chipset drivers and then the applicable Dell sound driver.  If you have a PCI sound card (SoundBlaster) then the Integrated should be disabled in the BIOS.  The Multimedia Audio Controller is part of the sound drivers. 

The Dell downloads show a SoundBlaster Audigy 2ZS sound card and if you got it with the PC that is what is installed.  You should have received a Drivers and Utilities disc that has the chipset drivers on it and a separate disc with the Soundblaster Audigy 2ZS drivers. 

If you don't have these, HERE is the Dell downloads for the 8400 and XP.

For future reference the correct and required install is (1) Install Windows (2) Install Dell Desktop System Software (only on applicable models), (3) Install chipset drivers (4) Install device drivers including sound, video, ethernet, etc.

You need the driver for the SoundBlaster Audigy 2ZS sound card, which is a PCI device. If you don't have the original Dell supplied disc with the driver you may be in trouble.  There is a driver "update" on the Dell downloads but not the full driver.  This has been an issue for several years and not just on the 8400 - on other systems that Dell supplied the Audigy 2ZS sound card.  Some have had success using the retail Audigy 2ZS driver from the Creative (Soundblaster) site and others couldn't get it to work. 

HERE is the Creative driver downloads.  As I mentioned there is no guarantee it will work.

rrrrrr

Hello,

I'm having a similar problem. I have recently installed Windows 7 Professional on my Dell Dimension 8400 and now the whole audio system is out even if it's turned on. The icon in the bottom right corner of the screen shows an "X" over the sound icon. If I click on it it says it can't find any audio output  hardware. Can someone please help me?

fireberd your solution totally worked!!! Thanks a lot!

Noctis, your post gave me exactly what I needed to fix my sound! Thank you!

THIS IS FOR THE INTERNAL SOUND (chipset driver)

well, if you have x64, you have to go to x32 because the sound driver is designed for x32 sound. IF you have x32, download this file; http://www.mediafire.com/?ewuw1w51r4ua3is. Now when you download my Driver Installer, right click "setup.exe" and click properties; Go the "compatibility" tab. Now xheck the box that says "Run this program in compatibility mode for", and select "Windows XP (Service Pack 2)", then check the box that says "Run this program as administrator", and click apply and close the properties tab. Run the installer, And your sound should be working RIGHT when the installer finishes. then Reboot. You Are Done!!!! Just reply if you have any questions!!!!!!

you can have x64 but it can only be win xp 64 bit. you can use x86 on win 7 but not x64 on win 7.  you MUST have the driver i put up there first then install the driver for your sound card.

Hope this helps

-Nick

oops, it doesnt work on windows xp 64 bit, so this driver will only work with 32 bit systems. :(

well thats all.

The analog devices driver is available.  The last version of service pack for XP 64 bit is SP2

therefore ALL support for 64 bit XP is over.:emotion-9:  EVERYWHERE including microsoft.

Audio - Driver

Description	Importance	Version	Released	Supported OS	Download
Analog Devices ADI 198x Integrated Audio, v.5.12.2.7010, A02 ADI 64 Bit Onboard Sound Driver	Recommended	5.12.2.7010	8/23/2007	Windows Vista 64-bit
Analog Devices ADI 198x Integrated Audio, v.5.12.01.7010, A25 ADI Onboard Sound Driver	Recommended	5.12.01.7010	1/25/2007	Windows Vista 32-bit
Analog Devices ADI 198x Integrated Audio, v.5.12.01.7000, A24 ADI Onboard Sound Driver	Optional	5.12.01.7000	1/5/2006	Windows XP Windows 2000
Analog Devices ADI 198x Integrated Audio, v.4.02.00.0086, A03 This driver is for the ADI 198x Intergrated Audio on Windows NT4 SP5 or SP6.	Optional	4.02.00.0086	7/21/2004	Windows NT 4.0

Audio - Driver

Description	Importance	Version	Released	Supported OS	Download
Analog Devices ADI 198x Integrated Audio, v.5.12.01.5246, A22 ADI Onboard Sound Driver	Optional	5.12.01.5246	4/15/2005	Windows XP Windows 2000

support.microsoft.com/.../311272

The DevCon utility is a command-line utility that acts as an alternative to Device Manager. Using DevCon, you can enable, disable, restart, update, remove, and query individual devices or groups of devices. DevCon also provides information that is relevant to the driver developer and is not available in Device Manager.

You can use DevCon with Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.

The DevCon.exe file contains the following files:

File Description

I386\DevCon.exe 32-bit DevCon tool binary. This will not function completely on 64-bit Windows.

Ia64\DevCon.exe 64-bit DevCon tool binary.

Device Console Help: devcon.exe [-r] [-m:\\
  
   ] 
    [
   
    ...] -r if specified will reboot machine after command is complete, if needed. 
    
      is name of target machine. 
      is command to perform (see below). 
     
      ... is one or more arguments if required by command. For help on a specific command, type: devcon.exe help 
       classfilter Allows modification of class filters. classes List all device setup classes. disable Disable devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID. driverfiles List driver files installed for devices. drivernodes Lists all the driver nodes of devices. enable Enable devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID. find Find devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID. findall Find devices including those that are not present. help Display this information. hwids Lists hardware ID's of devices. install Manually install a device. listclass List all devices for a setup class. reboot Reboot local machine. remove Remove devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID. rescan Scan for new hardware. resources Lists hardware resources of devices. restart Restart devices that match the specific hardware or instance ID. stack Lists expected driver stack of devices. status List running status of devices. update Manually update a device. UpdateNI Manually update a device without user prompt SetHwID Adds, deletes, and changes the order of hardware IDs of root-enumerated devices. 
     
    
   
  

DirectX June 2010 is also Highly Recommended.

Download DirectX Redist (June 2010) from Official Microsoft ...

Download file, Extract to a folder,  RUN DXSETUP.EXE as Administrator.

The Analog Devices AD198X codec does have WHQL drivers from the Microsoft Catalog.

microsoft catalog Analog Devices 5.12.1.7010   32 BIT

catalog.update.microsoft.com/.../ScopedViewRedirect.aspx

microsoft catalog Analog Devices 5.12.2.7010   64 BIT

catalog.update.microsoft.com/.../ScopedViewRedirect.aspx

Supported Update IDs

you can have x64 but it can only be win xp 64 bit. you can use x86 on win 7 but not x64 on win 7.  you MUST have the driver i put up there first then install the driver for your sound card. Hope this helps -Nick

Soundmax 64-bit drivers are available for Windows 8, and I'd think they're available for 7, too.