No audio output device is installed

[crescere]

On the lower right corner of the screen next to the picture of a speaker there is a red x next to the speaker and when I hover over it it states “no audio output device is installed.” I have reinstalled drivers, and tried two soundcards. The second card was installed by the tech at the store I bought the computer from. Every time I try to fix the problem the message is that the driver installation has failed.

I am using Windows 7 on a computer from 2012.

 

[StrangleHold]

Pick what ever sound card you want to use and install it. If you use a sound card disable your onboard sound in the bios. Go to Add and Remove and uninstall all sound drivers. Reboot and install the drivers for the card clean. See what happens.

 

[smellsorange]

It sounds like if a tech installed the sound card at the store they should have ensured that it was working properly!

Have you tried talking to them to get the issue solved?

Other than that, turn off the computer, remove the sound card, boot the computer without the sound card, uninstall all the drivers, turn the computer back off, turn it on, then back off, (using the windows shut down button, not the physical power buttons) then install the sound card, then boot the machine up and reinstall the drivers.

 

[crescere]

I have tried three different sound cards and I still get "No audio output device is installed." My computer works fine otherwise.

 

[johnb35]

You are using the green port for speakers right? Only other thing is that the sound driver software is corrupt. And I'm not talking just software from sound card, there is also windows files needed for sound that might be corrupt.

What operating system are you using? Has the sound ever worked? If so, have you tried doing a system restore back to when it did?

 

[crescere]

You are using the green port for speakers right?

I am using Windows 7 and the sound has worked fine for three years. I have a red x next to the speaker icon on the lower right of the screen and when i click there i get the message "No audio output device is installed". Isn't that independent of any speakers?

I also tried to go back to a prior time, but the earliest available was the day this happened. I don't understand that either.

Could this be a hardware problem? Everything elsw seems to work. How would i check the windows portion of the audio as you mentioned?

Thanks for your help.

 

[johnb35]

Sometimes you will get that when there are no speakers attached. Look in device manager for any entries still needing a driver.

Back in XP days the HD audio bus driver had to be installed before the sound driver software could install. Not sure if this is the case with your windows 7 or not. But I would definitely say you are missing some software and that is why sound driver won't install. You might have to reinstall windows. Have you tried the sound troubleshooter?

 

[crescere]

y you are missing some software and that is why sound driver won't install. You might have to reinstall windows. Have you tried the sound troubleshooter?

Yes, it said it can't find the audio hardware. I have connected and reconnected it. I have installed and reinstalled drivers many many times.