Can't get sound to work

[Martok]

I ended up having to format my hard drive and reinstall XP this past Thursday night. Since then, I've been slowly getting my computer back up and running. I've not had any major issues thus far, save one: I'm not getting any sound out of my speakers -- not when I play videos, not when I play music, not when I play games. My computer is absolutely silent.

I downloaded & installed the sound drivers that came with my motherboard, but nothing happened. I downloaded & installed the latest sound drivers for it as well; still nothing. I then searched for drivers for my speakers (as they have a USB plug-in), only to discover that they've been discontinued and that therefore there doesn't appear to be any drivers available for them anymore.

Is there anything else I can do? Or am I stuck with having to purchase a whole new speaker system for my PC?


EDIT: Forgot to add, my speakers are the X-230 by Logitech.

[Whacker]

Perhaps if you posted the make/model/information on your speakers, then we might be able to help you. Ever shall we endeavor to help our brothers, even as we implore them to recant the heresy which they profess.

[Martok]

Yeah, I realized I forgot to include that salient detail when I first posted. I had to go back and look it up just now.

[Whacker]

OK, so a bit of searching leads me to believe that perhaps these don't need drivers. You said that they're USB, I've never heard of that before. You sure they don't have a normal TRS connector cord interface? Also, is your sound muted by any chance?

One last thought. Go to Start Menu/Settings/Control Panel/System. Click the Hardware Tab and then click the Device Manager button. Tell us if you have any yellow question marks on that list anywhere, or red X'd over items.

[Martok]

Never mind. I figured it out. (Gods, I'm an idiot.)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Why is it that I never figure out the answer to a stupid question until I ask it?

EDIT: Actually, I just realized there is still something a little odd. I seem to be getting an echo effect. Is this something I'd adjust in my Settings?

[Whacker]

Clearly the heresy has clouded your mind and reasoning ability!

How'd you fix it? Echo and reverb can be an obnoxious beast to troubleshoot. Most often I've found that you need to go into the sound panel and mute your microphone and line in on the output. Sometimes muting those on the input can help as well. Some of the newer drivers also allow for different effects, much like Dolby does, such as Hall, Stadium, etc etc. Check to see if those are set.

[Martok]

Clearly the heresy has clouded your mind and reasoning ability!

Eh, I think it can be more directly attributed to my not having gotten much sleep the last few days. (That, or I'm just getting old.)

How'd you fix it? Echo and reverb can be an obnoxious beast to troubleshoot. Most often I've found that you need to go into the sound panel and mute your microphone and line in on the output. Sometimes muting those on the input can help as well. Some of the newer drivers also allow for different effects, much like Dolby does, such as Hall, Stadium, etc etc. Check to see if those are set.

I hate to admit my ignorance about such things, but when you say sound panel, are you referring to the Volume Control box that appears on the bottom-right of my computer? Or is the sound panel something else entirely?

Also, how do I access my sound drivers to check its settings?

[Caius]

Also, how do I access my sound drivers to check its settings?

Run -- DxDiag

It can give you potential info about your sound settings. I think that it reports problems and drivers also.

[Martok]

Run -- DxDiag

All right, did that. Now what do I look for?

[Caius]

All right, did that. Now what do I look for?

Go to Sound. There could be more than one Sound, look the speakers you have. There will be a part that tells you the controllers, which tells you the .sys file and the version. Copy and paste.

[Martok]

Hmm. Not seeing any mention of a controller. Is there anything else it might be called, or am I just missing something right in front of me?

[LeftEyeNine]

Such Echo/Reverb etc. effects are generally modified through the control panel of your sound card found in Control Panel -you may have a system tray icon for your sound card application as well. Generally placed under Environment or Effects etc. tab, you should disable or select something like None to remove such annoying effect. I wonder if there is anyone who likes those.

[Caius]

I wonder if there is anyone who likes those.

Maybe some good system of audio can put those options to work.

[LeftEyeNine]

Those are generally made so as to let people hear something different from their tiny speakers.

When you have those big ones with with a quality set of speakers, such effects are ridicule to one.

[Martok]

I finally figured out the echo/reverb problem.

On a sudden hunch, I went into the Control Panel and clicked on Sound Effect Manager. Turned out the "Environment" controls had been set to "Auditorium" instead of "None". I'm not really sure how that could've happened in the first place -- I hadn't messed with the sound at all since formatting my hard drive last week -- but at least it's fixed now.

Many thanks for all your help, gentlemen.