Re-installed windows XP now have no audio.. *please* help.

Question

So I'm very lost.

I had an emergency re-install and was unprepared with my drivers.

I found the page for my service tag here: http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&catid=-1&impid=-1&os=WW1&osl=en&ServiceTag=

And I have installed the driver listed under Audio, but it doesn't work.

I don't know what else to do.

I found a link in a forum (I've now lost it) to what appeared to be an updated driver, and I installed that too. Now I don't know if I have 2 drivers installed or what. Is there a way I can see all the audio drivers I have installed and uninstall them both?

This sucks. When I reinstalled windows on my HP I downloaded 1 program, which identified all my hardware and installed all the drivers. It took me maybe half an hour, I've spent hours trying to get this to work and I am close to giving up

<ADMIN NOTE : Service tag number removed per privacy policy>

GrahamIsAngry · Answer

ah We have met the enemy... and he is us. So now I feel stupid and realize my mistake as I definitely did not follow that order.  So Should I uninstall *everything* and start over from scratch?

Tom Green · Answer

I would install in the order set and see what happens. If that works, great and if not, start all over.

Jim Coates · Answer

I agree with Tom, except you don't have to reinstall everything, just:

a. Dell Notebook System Software (on your downloads page expand the System Utilities category). Restart.

b. Next install the Intel Mobile Chipset driver (expand the Chipset category). Restart.

c. Install the Sigmatel audio driver (expand the Audio category).

Get these from the M140/630m driver downloads page.

If the Sigmatel driver will still not install there is another way to try that I can post..

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"I found a link in a forum (I've now lost it) to what appeared to be an updated driver, and I installed that too. Now I don't know if I have 2 drivers installed or what. Is there a way I can see all the audio drivers I have installed and uninstall them both?"

The driver on your download page is the newest one for your computer. To see the drivers' folders go to your hard drive
c:\Dell\Drivers\R...and delete any folders whose 'R' names correspond to a Sigmatel driver. The current driver's folder is named R171789. The Sigmatel folders will be the ones that have a subfolder named "WDM". It is safe to delete folders with WDM subfolders because only the Sigmatels have that subfolder.

It is a good idea to delete all of the Sigmatel drivers folders so you can have a clean installation when you do step "c" above. When you download the driver and unzip it then the R171789 folder will be recreated.

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"When I reinstalled windows on my HP I downloaded 1 program, which identified all my hardware and installed all the drivers. It took me maybe half an hour, I've spent hours trying to get this to work and I am close to giving up"

There is an easy method on the Dell computers. On your model it was called "Dell PC Restore by Symantec", described on page 101 of the Owners Manual. It takes less than 10 minutes and reinstalls the operating system and the drivers from an image on a hidden partition on the hard drive. But if the hard drive had been previously wiped or replaced the image would be missing.

GrahamIsAngry · Answer

Thanks everyone for their help.  I can't tell you how much you have improved my life.  You should be proud of yourselves.

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Re-installed windows XP now have no audio.. please help.

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