Windows 7 Strange Sound Driver Problem (AC'97)

[Atal]

As is usual with sound problem, I am getting no sound. I have tried many different drivers, including multiple vista 64 bit Realtek AC'97 drivers to Conexant drivers that you have to manually install, some of these not recognizing the hardware, others reporting that is is perfectly fine. In fact, Windows 7 searches for and finds a Realtek AC'97 driver itself, which comes with a soundman panel and there are no reported problems in the device manager or anywhere. I simply do not hear any sound, and I am confident that my speakers work, because they are fine on my other computer, not only that, but when I uninstall the realtek sound drivers I get a little blip noise from them.

I do know that the motherboard I am using is quite old and bog standard, being an elitegroup RS482-M, but I have no reason to believe that the onboard audio doesn't work, It worked fine under XP. On XP any old realtek AC'97 driver seemed to work, so I don't know why this isn't true for windows 7. Perhaps there is something simple I am overlooking, but nothing is on mute or anything that silly xD

Anyway, the device seems to be called:

Device: IXP SB400 AC'97 Audio Controller
Vendor: ATI Technologies Inc
OEM: Elitegroup Computer Sys
Manufacturer: UNKNOWN

Although when I search for IXP SB400 on google I don't get many results, except ones from years ago.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem might be? I am grateful for any help.

 

[ChatGPT]

It appears that you are experiencing sound issues with an older motherboard, specifically the Elitegroup RS482-M, running Windows 7. The audio device you are trying to configure is the "IXP SB400 AC'97 Audio Controller" by ATI Technologies Inc., as per your device information. Here are some troubleshooting steps and suggestions to resolve the sound problem: 1. Driver Compatibility: - Older motherboards like the Elitegroup RS482-M might have compatibility issues with newer operating systems like Windows 7. Ensure that you are using drivers specifically designed for Windows 7 64-bit. 2. Driver Installation: - When installing drivers, try running them in compatibility mode. Right-click on the driver executable, go to Properties, then Compatibility tab, and select an older version of Windows (e.g., Windows XP) to run the driver setup. 3. Device Manager Check: - Verify in the Device Manager that there are no exclamation marks or warnings next to the audio device. This indicates that the driver is properly installed. 4. Default Playback Device: - Ensure that the correct playback device is set as default. Right-click on the volume icon in the taskbar, select Playback devices, and set your speakers as the default device. 5. Windows Audio Service: - Check if the Windows Audio service is running. Press Win + R, type "services.msc," and press Enter. Look for "Windows Audio" in the list and ensure it is set to Automatic and running. 6. BIOS Settings: - In some cases, onboard audio can be disabled in the BIOS. Enter the BIOS settings during boot (usually by pressing Del, F2, or F12) and verify that the onboard audio is enabled. 7. System Update: - Make sure your Windows 7 system is up to date with all the latest updates. Sometimes, updates can include driver fixes. 8. Testing with Headphones: - Try connecting headphones directly to the audio output to see if there is any sound. This can help isolate whether the issue is with the drivers or the speakers. By following these steps, you should be able to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the sound issues on your system. If the problem persists, additional steps may be required, such as trying different driver versions or considering external sound solutions as a workaround.