Speaker icon has a Red X on it, "no audio output device is installed".

Anonymous
2009-03-15T21:20:24+00:00

original title: No audio output device is installed.

I have done nothing different to my computer but noticed yesterday that the speaker icon in the system tray has a red and white "X" over it and says that "no audio output device is installed." I have Windows Vista. When I go to my control panel and click on "Sounds and Hardwar," and again click on "Sound," it tells me that "No audio devices are installed." Yesterday I went to --> All programs --> Accesories --> System Tools --> System Restore and I did a system restore that way. After my computer re-started, the audio problem was solved but somehow my anti-virus protection was no longer installed. I fixed this with the McAfee support online chat and the audio was also working all day yesterday. However, today, it again says that "no audio output device is installed," and I do not want to restore my system again and have to deal with the anti-virus software going haywire again. Is there another way to fix this? Please help me. I have looked this up on other support sites and have found the answers too technical for me to understand. I have a one-year-old Toshiba Satellite M205 with an Intel Centrino processer and Vista with Service Pack 1 installed although I don't know if that is important information or not. My computer has a sticker on it that says "Dolby Sound Room," whatever that means. Thanks in advance!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video

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Anonymous
2009-03-16T13:45:31+00:00

Hi m_kelsey,

It sounds like you might have an audio driver that isn’t working properly, please do the following:

1.       Click Start

2.       In ‘Start Search’ type Device Manager, press Enter (provide administrative credentials if prompted)

3.       Click the “+” next to Sound, video and game controllers to drop down the menu

4.       Check the status of any device listed in that category by right-clicking that device, clicking Properties, and then under the General tab check what it says under “Device status”. Let us know what the status was.

5.       Then check all the devices (especially any that had a problem under “Device status”) listed in this category for updated drivers by right-clicking that device and then clicking Update Driver Software… (this step may take a moment so be patient). 

Get back to us with your results so that we can further assist you if need be. We look forward to hearing back from you.

Brian

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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  1. Anonymous
    2009-11-17T22:46:08+00:00

    thanks for your reply mate but it does'nt work it won't install any of them at all. it sez that its installed but the error message is still there with the red dot and the white x over the speaker. ive been trying to sort it out for bout a week now and still had no luck. regards phil.

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  2. Anonymous
    2009-11-17T17:41:35+00:00

    Hi,

    That is a fairly old version of the driver - what make and model computer do you have? (Dell?)

    See if this applies to you. You can make a Restore Point so it is easy to revert back.

    Update your Dell SigmaTel audio driver

    http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1965

    Search for Sigmatel on Dell - found many newer versions.

    http://search.dell.com/results.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cat=sup&cs=19&k=Sigmatel&rpp=12&p=1&subcat=dyd&rf=all&nk=f&sort=-date&ira=False&~srd=False&ipsys=False&advsrch=False&~ck=anav

    How to Create a System Restore Point in Vista

    http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76332-system-restore-point-create.html

    How to Do a System Restore in Vista

    http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

    See my message above of Wednesday, September 30, 2009 1:27 AM about installing drivers and

    especially the part about sound drivers rolling back.

    Hope this helps.

    Rob - Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

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  3. Anonymous
    2009-11-17T15:48:21+00:00

    I had this same problem and after doing some hard research, several hours later.. trying to go to my manufactor and trying to install old drivers from my old xp, and vista cd's and no luck, I simply went to cnet's websited for download and searched: 

    SigmaTel4487.exe - SigmaTel Audio Driver Version: 5.10.4487

    Installed it and just like that, my speakers were once again recognized and I I saw them plugged in, I was on the verge of buying a new sound card since my current configuration is a sound card intergrated with my motherboad.  I actually bought one of the ebay USB sound cards for $4 as a last resort, too bad I wont get to use it anymore and I already wrote those few dollars off as a lost cause and I have not even receive the usb card.  Ohh well, you live an learn.  This was the only issue I had with windows 7, the no sound problem.  Other than that, my experience has been great and I will still recommend it.  I hope this helps some of you out there, enjoy!

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  4. Anonymous
    2009-11-17T05:15:07+00:00

    Hey Brian, I got the same error too. Hmmm, did you get the idea Windows 7 has a problem and not every single user and hardware platform?

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