Tip #4197 - Getting to the Sound Card
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Q:
The other day, you mentioned something about checking a computer's
sound card for any audio problems we may be having, but you didn't
say anything about how to locate our sound card to check it out. Can
you please give us instructions on how to do that? I appreciate your
help!
A:
You're absolutely right! I did fail to mention that information in
the tip I wrote the other day on audio
problems. I do apologize for that, but hopefully I will be able
to make it up to all of you today! In the article, I said that if
you're having trouble getting proper sound on your computer, you may
need to update your sound drivers. Well, all of that goes along with
your sound card, so today, I'm going to tell you where you can go
to find out what kind of sound card you have, how you can update your
drivers and I'll even give you a little information on how to repair
or replace your sound card if that's what you need to do. Alright,
without further ado, here we go!
First of all,
here are directions on how to find out what type of sound card you
have, along with some other information about it. In Windows XP, go
to Start, All Programs, Accessories,
System Tools and then click on the option that says
System Information. (In older versions of Windows,
you'll need to go to Start, Programs,
Accessories and then go straight to System
Information). Once you're there, click on the + (plus
sign) next to the choice of Components to expand
it. Finally, click on Sound Device.
From that window,
you will be able to see quite a bit of information about your sound
card. You can see the name of it, who manufactured it, the status
of it, the driver information and so on. Keep in mind that you may
have to use the scroll bar to see all the information in full. Also,
you have to remember that it's always possible that your Windows operating
system came with its own sound card, so the one you see listed here
may not be the exact model or the right manufacturer. This is rare,
but I wanted you to be aware of it just in case things don't seem
to add up on your end.
Now, the part
you'll want to pay the most attention to is your sound card's status.
If it says "OK" next to it, you're good
to go, but if it lists something else, you may want to contact the
manufacturer and see if they have any suggestions. All sound cards
are different, so I can't really run through all of them right now,
but the manufacturer will know everything there is to know about your
specific card type and they should be able to help you get your sound
back up and running correctly. Also, they will be able to help you
determine if the sound card you have now is repairable or if you just
need to replace it. If you need a replacement, they can help you with
that as well. They are definitely the ones you'll always want to turn
to if you're ever having trouble!
One more thing:
If you were unable to locate your sound card information by using
the method above, there is one other option you can try. You can,
of course, always open up your computer to take a look at the sound
card itself. The model and manufacturer name you need will be listed
on the actual card if that's how you would like to go about doing
it. Either way you do it, that information will help you get your
sound problems resolved much faster. And isn't that just what we all
want out of life? Check it out today!
~ Erin
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