Question:
I just read your answer to the lost volume control question. My problem is the same but different. The volume control vanished after the installation of XP Service Pack II. When I try to check the box to restore it to the taskbar I get …
Windows cannot display the volume control on the taskbar because the volume control program has not been installed. To install, use Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel.
I’ve searched for a CD and/or floppy that would go with the sound and haven’t found anything. HELP! – Janet
Answer:
The answer to this one involves going to your device manager and inspecting the sound devices. When hardware on a computer does not work properly or as expected, this is the place to look first.
- Right click on MyComputer
- Click Properties
- Find and click on the tab labeled Hardware
- Click on the button Device Manager
- Find the Sound, video and game controllers option and click on the [+] to expand the list. (It may already be expanded if there is a problem)
- See if you have a “?” by any of the things listed here e.g. the sound device, right click on it and delete it.
- Restart your computer.
When the computer has restarted it will prompt you to install a newfound hardware device. I recommend you let the wizard do the installation. Just follow the prompts and accept all the defaults. Windows will attempt to find suitable drivers in its extensive (but not complete) database. If it finds a driver that fits your sound card, it will install it and your problem will be solved.
If, on the other hand, it fails to find suitable drivers for your sound system, you will need to find the specific driver from the internet. There are many repositories out there. A good one is geeks.com. Find out the brand of your sound card and do a search for that particular brand. If your sound card is integrated with your motherboard, then you will need to know the brand of your motherboard.