No Sound? -- Please Help!

By the way, I have a 2400, and windows XP, if that helps...

I'm also an idiot when it comes to computers, so if anyone wants to help, please walk me thru this one step at a time.

First, restart the computer.  Then go to device manager.  Are there any yellow exclamation points next to any of the sound devices?

where's the device mgr. at? How do I get there?

Nope, no yellows.

Thanks for being so patient. Like I said before, I'm not very computer literate.

To open Device Manager, click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel. Double-click System. On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.

You should try using the Help & Support menu under the Start tab for basics.

Does your sound work for anything at all? 

Occassionally, I hear a "beep" sound when I get an error, or something.  But other than that, I can't get music or hear movie trailers or anything...

Let's start with some obvious things:  Speakers plugged into the correct jack on the back of the computer (usually the green jack); power turned on to speakers (if powered speakers, as most are); double-click the speaker icon in lower right corner.  Is anything muted and are the volumes turned up?   Go back to device nanager, and click the + sign next to sound.  List the devices there.  The occasional beep you hear is from an internal speaker and not related to the problem.

JUST A SIMPLE THING BUT ARE THE SPEAKERS POWERED AND PLUGGED INTO AN OUTLET AND DOES THE GREEN LIGHT COME ON WHEN YOU TURN THE SWITCH ON THE RIGHT SPEAKER.  IF NO SOUND THEN MAYBE CHECK OUTLET FOR POWER. cHECK WIRING ON SPEAKERS FOR PROPER CONNECTION AND ANY DEFECT IN THE WIRING SUCH AS SPLITS, CRACKS, CUTS, OR LOOSENESS.

Yes, everything is plugged in. In the "Devices" section, the two audio components (Multimedia audio and PCI Simple Communication) have yelllow flags on them, which someone told me means the drivers are not downloaded, but I have not been successful in finding them.  

Presuming you have XP here is the driver download page for the 8300:

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/devices.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P4_8300&os=WW1&osl=EN

I don't know which modem you have, but check the Communication section and see if one matches your modem. 

If you have integrated audio, this is the driver you need: http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R58182&SystemID=DIM_PNT_P4_8300&os=WW1&osl=en&deviceid=2430&devlib=0&typecnt=1&vercnt=1&formatcnt=1&libid=3&fileid=70114

 

iam rulonda,  i have no sound.......   my sound is blank don't know how to get it on   please help

No sound ,  Go to start in lower left corner and into control panel and into sounds ,speech and audio devices. In there you should be able to turn on your speakers and adjust volume.  Your speaker connections should be plugged in and a light  lit on one of them to show you they have power.  if not the power cord needs to be plugged in .  From that site you can also bring an icon for volume contrl to the lower right of your main screen for easier access.  I hope this was some help, if not let me know.  Dadoffive.

Hi,  thank you for trying to help me.  I have a light. But when I go into control panel divice for sound.  It is all gray.  Like it not there.  If you can still help, I would be very happy.