Hello. You might have un-installed the audio driver, in which case using System Restore should restore it. Windows System Restore backs up certain system files (exe, dll, etc) and also backs up the Registry and many drivers. Sometimes reverting back to an earlier Restore Point can fix a "no audio" problem. Using System Restore will not delete any datafiles.
In XP, go to Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore and tick 'Restore my computer to an earlier time'. Choose a date before the problem first occurred.
In Vista and 7, type "System Restore" into the Start menu search box, and then, in the list of results, click System Restore.
If that does not get the audio working then download a new audio driver package from your computer's driver downloads page. Go to the Driver & Downloads Home Page and follow the links (or use your Service Tag number) to select your laptop model and its operating system. Expand the 'Audio' category and download the audio driver named "Sigmatel--driver". Unzip the files to the default location that will be suggested by the unzip wizard. After unzipping the installation should automatically begin.
If you still have no audio at this point, look at the "No Audio" FAQ for further options.
Basically, what I want to know is, whats the name of the standard audio software/ sound card brand used for these laptops
At the time of your laptop the brand was Sigmatel. Later it was bought by a company named IDT so now many of the laptops have IDT audio hardware and drivers. In some lines Dell now uses hardware and drivers by Realtek and by Conexant.
and also, why cant I view that deleted material in my recycle bin?
If you uninstalled an audio driver but did not delete the files then the driver would have been disabled but the files would still be on the hard drive. If you did delete the files then they would be in the recycle bin in their folder. The name of the folder is not "Sigmatel" but begins with an "R" , such as R171788 or R171789. Can't say the name of yours because the driver varies according to which operating system you are using and there are usually several different versions of the driver for each OS.
In addition to the manufacturer's driver, in Windows Vista and 7 there is a basic audio driver which lacks some functions of the normal driver but does provide audio. When you start up a computer with Vista or 7, if the manufacture's driver folder is missing (either deleted or moved from the default location on the hard driver), then Windows will install its basic audio driver. However that will not happen if you have XP, because although XP has a basic audio driver it is not for the type of audio that you have. The type you have and which is still being used is called HD (High Definition). It doesn't matter which company manufactures the hardware, they all have to make it according the the HD specifications which were set by Intel. The type that was current when XP first came out was called AC'97 which was also an Intel protocol, and XP has a driver only for that type.
Jim Coates
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February 14th, 2012 05:00
Hello. You might have un-installed the audio driver, in which case using System Restore should restore it. Windows System Restore backs up certain system files (exe, dll, etc) and also backs up the Registry and many drivers. Sometimes reverting back to an earlier Restore Point can fix a "no audio" problem. Using System Restore will not delete any data files.
In XP, go to Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore
and tick 'Restore my computer to an earlier time'. Choose a date before the problem first occurred.
In Vista and 7, type "System Restore" into the Start menu search box, and then, in the list of results, click System Restore.
If that does not get the audio working then download a new audio driver package from your computer's driver downloads page. Go to the Driver & Downloads Home Page and follow the links (or use your Service Tag number) to select your laptop model and its operating system. Expand the 'Audio' category and download the audio driver named "Sigmatel--driver". Unzip the files to the default location that will be suggested by the unzip wizard. After unzipping the installation should automatically begin.
If you still have no audio at this point, look at the "No Audio" FAQ for further options.
At the time of your laptop the brand was Sigmatel. Later it was bought by a company named IDT so now many of the laptops have IDT audio hardware and drivers. In some lines Dell now uses hardware and drivers by Realtek and by Conexant.
If you uninstalled an audio driver but did not delete the files then the driver would have been disabled but the files would still be on the hard drive. If you did delete the files then they would be in the recycle bin in their folder. The name of the folder is not "Sigmatel" but begins with an "R" , such as R171788 or R171789. Can't say the name of yours because the driver varies according to which operating system you are using and there are usually several different versions of the driver for each OS.
In addition to the manufacturer's driver, in Windows Vista and 7 there is a basic audio driver which lacks some functions of the normal driver but does provide audio. When you start up a computer with Vista or 7, if the manufacture's driver folder is missing (either deleted or moved from the default location on the hard driver), then Windows will install its basic audio driver. However that will not happen if you have XP, because although XP has a basic audio driver it is not for the type of audio that you have. The type you have and which is still being used is called HD (High Definition). It doesn't matter which company manufactures the hardware, they all have to make it according the the HD specifications which were set by Intel. The type that was current when XP first came out was called AC'97 which was also an Intel protocol, and XP has a driver only for that type.