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

2012-06-08T15:02:55+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

2012-06-26T23:08:37+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

2012-06-28T20:57:23+00:00
Hi CDW678,

If you have not already, download the driver from the device manufacturer's website. Save the driver to your desktop so that it is easy to locate and complete the following steps.
1. Click on Start
2. Right click on Computer and select Device Manager
3. Expand Sound, video and game controllers
4. Right-click on your speakers
5. Select Update driver software
6. Select Browse my computer for the driver software
7. Click on Browse
8. Select Desktop and select the file
9. Click Next and follow the remaining prompts.
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Anonymous

2012-08-12T02:49:32+00:00

hi kelsy sorry for my gramer just sound it out pleas and it goes to the closest word like speakers=sound speaker sorry for it just need this doneok pleas

this is chris i really need your help my computer came with xp

a cuple of months later of normal downloding (krazy for me) ,use and other stuff i installed a cd disk thingy operating sys and it over did every thing i can still see every thing i had cant accsas it thou but what ever and ever synce then no sound theres a x on the sound thingy (speker ) whene my mouse hovers over it it says no audio output and i cannot even get sound from speakers with head phones ive heard that when you put win 7 on it trys to use the best dryvers if it cannot it wont use them )idont remember it it could be that when you put win 7 on it trys to use the required drivers i also got ride of the sound thing at the bottom ( it was anoing) there are loud beeps and quiet beeps you know it you worke for microsoft of windows or even google and i will need proof ( because i just cant let any body )you can accsas my computer and do it from thereok my emailis ******@willner.ca not the given one this one is @willner.ca no spam from people who wanna make me buy stuff!!!

and dont let this one be used for that i pay for it ok!!!but subjuct should be no hase to be ''no audo chris output''ok now i would i am felling guilty of giving you too much work to do but i want no i demand thisis going to long pleas all i need to hear ( read )( no sound ) is that i have sound i need it as soon as possible (midnight today my daughter is on stage and i dont have any other computer thisis live the most important thing to my family
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