Speaker/audio/sound problem on the PC

milkydrink

My speakers haven't worked in a long time, but being as I only ever used a headset for making audio CDs with the audacity software it didn't matter.
I tried using my headsets a couple of days ago & it wouldn't work.
So tonight we pulled the PC out & gave the numerous wires a good sort out & a hoover.
I thought the speakers might have a blown fuse, so I changed the fuse, then I tested them to see if the little green light came on & when I plugged them in they poped. Thankfully they were not plugged into the PC or anything at this time.
So I know I need a new pair of PC speakers.
Any way I have two headsets & one microphone, so I tried plugging all of them in (one at a time:D ) to see if ANY of them worked & not one of them does
Now I had to do a complete PC reinstall of windows a couple of months ago, do I need to reinstall sofeware for a little headset?
I can't remember them ever having software?
I thought only things with USB ports had software, none of the two headsets or the microphone have USB ports. The microphone has one jack socket, the two headsets have two each, but one is pink & green and the other is pink & peach/orange.

Now what I've said above is about the limit of my PC expertise, so if you're clever enough to have any ideas & kind enough to reply, can you dumb it down a bit:o

Thank you
Kim

mascherano

you have checked your levels in the control panel?

milkydrink

Yes, in the little icon on the botom right hand side of the screen? I though that was just for speakers & not headsets anyway?

milkydrink

I just played about with that a bit & pressed "options" then "advanced controls" & I made sure the volume for EVERY different option is set to max.

But it still doesn't work

milkydrink

Can I just clear this up as its really puzzling me.

When you install speakers or a mic or a headset on a PC & they go into them jack type of sockets, Do you need software?
I don't think you do, am I right?

lipsthefish

HI Kim
You dont usually need software for the headsets and stuff but when you reinstalled windows did you get a driver for the sound card put back on

Edited to add : Just read you have been using them recently so its not likely to be that, sorry!

milkydrink

lipsthefish wrote: »

HI Kim
You dont usually need software for the headsets and stuff but when you reinstalled windows did you get a driver for the sound card put back on

Edited to add : Just read you have been using them recently so its not likely to be that, sorry!

No, I'm not 100% sure I have used them since the re-install.

The sound card is the standard one that came supplied with the PC, how would I know if I had to re-install sound software driver

milkydrink

As the speakers "popped" when I put the new fuse in, they probably popped before when they were connected to the PC (without me knowing) could they have blown something inside my PC to do with sound (& if thats a really stupid question sorry:o ).

lipsthefish

Hi Kim, I think if your right click on My computer, properties, then the hardware tab and then click on device manager it will show you a list of all the hardware you have installed. On mine the sound card is under a heading of sound and game controllers, if yiu have any yellow exclamation marks I think it means the driver is missing.

milkydrink

lipsthefish wrote: »

Hi Kim, I think if your right click on My computer, properties, then the hardware tab and then click on device manager it will show you a list of all the hardware you have installed. On mine the sound card is under a heading of sound and game controllers, if yiu have any yellow exclamation marks I think it means the driver is missing.

I expanded the sound bit & all are OK

On another tab called "other devices" these three have yellow exclamation marks beside them.

They are
Multimedia controller
Video controller
Video controller (VGA compatable)

Is this part of the sound as well?

Oh & I've tried updating these three above, but I can't as the software is missing.

lipsthefish

I think the multimedia controller is to do with sound and the others are graphics, is it possible to go to the manufacturers website of your computer and see if the drivers are available to download from there? II'm pretty sure someone on here recommended a program called everest home edition which scans the computer and tells you which graphics and sound card you have so you can search for drivers