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

Anonymous

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!

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Anonymous

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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190 additional answers

Anonymous

2012-06-26T23:08:37+00:00

Has this question been answered? I'm having the same problem & the same results as the reply. It says the drivers has been updated. There is also an unknown driver icon that was added below "sounds..." when I try to update drivers from there it say it is unable to locate it. I have it do an internet search for drivers and still nothing. How do you fix this problem? My volume mixer button is greyed out so I can't get anything to work.

Help!!!!!
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Anonymous

2012-06-08T15:02:55+00:00

Dear Brian i tried to do what u advised but when i go to device manager i cannot find anywhere the sound,video,games etc .... i tried to plug in a headset and again nothing please help me !!!!!!!!!
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Anonymous

2012-05-12T05:37:42+00:00

System auto update from Microsoft and no speakers. I have been dealing with this for MONTHS Microsoft caused this and they are not fixing. Well at least not for free!
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Anonymous

2012-05-12T01:22:31+00:00

Hi,

When I open device manager there is no "Sound, video and game controllers" in the menue.

What do I do now?

Stan
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