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No Audio on D-800 Laptop
My Dell Latitude D-800 laptop running on Win XP-Pro, SP-3does not have any sound output. When I examine the device manager, a yellow exclamation balloon appears next to the “SigmaTel C-Major Audio” device (in the Sound, Video and game controllers category). When I open this up the device status says “This device cannot start (Code 10)”. I click the troubleshooter and it says to uninstall, then use hardware wizard to re-install. As I attempt to re-install a balloon pops up in the lower right corner of screen that says “A problem occurred during hardware installation- your device may not work properly” – and of course it doesn’t work properly. The driver version for this device started as 5.10.0.3952, dated 11/15/2004.
I tried to uninstall, then re-install earlier version drivers per instructions posted by “jimco” and dated 11/4/2010 in the post entitled “Audio Driver Facts” in the Dell Laptop Forum. I discovered deleting WDM files/folders from the Dell drivers folder on the C hard drive, then downloading, extracting, then uninstall/reinstalling earlier or different SigmaTel drivers was not modifying the existing driver (per the device mgr.). I then tried to “Rollback” driver - only then did the driver change; to an earlier version, Ver. 6.14.1.3794, dated 4/25/2003. This version happened to be the last version I downloaded, so I’m not sure if this was a coincidence, or it actually selected the driver file I downloaded. The system required re-boot, but still no audio.
I ran the audio tests using the Dell Diagnostics via the F12 key upon boot-up. All tests pass except the record and playback test. After I record at the prompt, the playback seems very slow and highly distorted. The error box comes back with error code “1B22:071B – user response indicated failure”. Otherwise sound from the other audio tests play through the laptop speakers just fine, so the speakers appear to connected and operating properly. Plugging an external set of speakers into the headphone jack also does not provide any sound.
I noticed when I right click the volume icon in the system tray and display the “adjust audio properties” dialog box that it displays Bluetooth Audio as the default device, and the pull down menu shows no other options. It seems as though the system can’t see the SigmaTel controller device. Seems strange. I still have no audio an unclear where to go from here.
Can anyone help ?
Jim Coates
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October 3rd, 2011 06:00
Hello. That was a pretty good explanation of the problem. Clearly the driver is not installing correctly, but the audio stopped working before you tried to reinstall the audio driver so the root of the problem could be in Windows (I'm assuming you have XP). Here are a few things to try:
> I don't think this will do it at this point but it won't hurt to try. Go to the Device Manager to the Sigmatel device with the yellow mark next to it. Right click on it and select 'update driver'. Don't let Windows look for a driver, but manually browse to the driver folder on the hard drive c:\Dell\Drivers\R61758\WDM. (That is the folder for the driver you said you have, 6.14.1.3794, but it is okay to browse to any other Sigmatel folder.)
If that doesn't get the audio going then there are a couple of Windows things to check.
> Go into the Device Manager (Start/Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Computer Management/System Tools/Device Manager/System Devices) and check that 'Plug and Play Software Device Enumerator' is installed and running. It will be listed alphabetically if there. If it is missing, there is a problem with Windows.
> Go to Start/Run and type "services.msc" then hit the 'Enter' key (or click 'ok'). The Services window will appear. Scroll down until you find "Windows Audio" towards the bottom of the list. Check that it is enabled, set to automatic, and running. If it isn't, double click on it and change the Startup type to Automatic, then click Start, Apply, and OK.
If the Audio Service was turned off, then starting it should get the audio working again, but if it repeatedly turns off then there is a problem with Windows.
That is all I can think off right now, except for a problem with the modem, a device which is interconnected with the audio. To diagnose it you have to physically remove the modem from the laptop and then try to re-install the audio driver. If the installation is successful then the modem was the cause of the audio problem. Removing the modem is very easy to do on the D800. The modem cover is on the bottom of the computer. You loosen one screw to remove the cover, then pull out the modem by its pull tab. Note that the modem was optional on the D800 so there might not be one there. There are full instructions for removal in the Owner's Manual in the section "Adding and Replacing Parts".
TechDabbler
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October 4th, 2011 01:00
EUREKA ! :emotion-2:
Thanks jimco ! Removal of the modem card worked ! Amazing ! What does a modem card have to do with loading the base audio driver ? I tried your first three suggestions to no avail (uninstall/reinstall, Plug & Play software Enumerator was installed and running, and the Windows Audio service was enabled in the auto mode). I then removed the modem card and rebooted. Sound still was not on but the yellow exclamation balloon was gone from the SigmaTel C-Major audio device in the device mgr. Properties indicated the “device was working properly”. Then I uninstalled/re-installed the driver. The system preferred and auto installed the later version 5.10.0.3919, dated 7/20/04. No yellow flag, but still no audio. I then clicked on “adjust audio properties” via the volume icon in the task tray. The defaults are all set to the Bluetooth Audio, however this time in the pull down menus the option for “SigmaTel” is now present. I set all options to SigmaTel in the audio & voice tabs. Click OK and VIOLA’ – SOUND from the speakers ! I then shut down, un-plugged, and re-installed the modem card. Re-boot with fingers crossed and audio was still active – whew ! Many Thanks for your help jimco. This was grossly non-intuitive. Please explain why a modem card blocked Windows from properly installing audio files.
Jim Coates
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October 4th, 2011 05:00
I have never understood it either. This is one of those things where someone reported that it worked for him or her, then someone else tried it and it worked, and eventually it became part of the standard list of things to try, particularly on the old models of laptops. I was informed of the trick years ago by a computer technician (I am not one) who probably understood it.
If you don't use the modem you might just want to remove it permanently. If you do use it then you probably should replace it with a new one.
I think the modem was blocking the driver from installing, but I don't know what caused the audio to stop working in the first place that necessitated reinstalling the driver. The problem might recur.