Hi all,

I hope you don't mind the OT posting, but this forum is much friendlier than most of the tech forums out there.

I have just reformatted my hard disk and re-installed windows. I could have done this using a set of recovery CDs, but one of them seems to have corrupted. So....I have had to use my Windows XP CD.

Of course, one of the down sides of doing it this way is that it makes it harder to get all of the devices working properly, by finding the correct drivers etc.etc.

The most irritating part of this - and this is the reason for this message - is that I can't get the sound working. For example, when I play a WAV file, I get the following message :

"Windows Media Player cannot play the file because there is a problem with your sound device. There may not be a sound device installed on your computer, it may be in use by another program, or it may not be functioning properly".

Other symptoms are :

(1) No speaker icon in the traybar;
(2) Device manager reports two PCI Devices and one Video Controller (VGA Compatible) entries as being unresolved (yellow question mark icons).

I suspect that the problem is that I need to find the right driver and install it, but was unable to find this in the jungle of forums and driver websites on the internet.

According to benchmarking tool AIDA32, my audio adapter is Intel 82801FB ICH6 - Azalia Audio Controller, and this is what I was trying to find the driver for.

Any help appreciated, PLLLEEAAASSE!!

thanks and regards,
Andrew

... I should also add that, according to the "Sounds and Audio Devices" applet in Control Panel, there is "no audio device".

OS re-installs don't always identify all your computer peripherals.  I would recomment removing your sound card from the motherboard and re-installing it.  Boot up as usual and notice if the computer identifies a new component.  Another alternative is to run your software to check for new hardware.  By aware, if new hardware is detected, you will need to provide drivers for functionality.  Do you have installation disks for all your hardware?  Your drivers will be located on the disks.  Otherwise, with hardware model in hand, try the manufacturer's sites for the latest drivers available. 

If the drivers have been discontinued, go to www.driverguide.com; they house drivers from all makes and models of every peripheral manufactured.  Free registration is required but you may find what you are looking for.

Are you using a sound card besides the on board? If so Disable one or the other. They will cause conflicts with each other

I think this might be close to what you want

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/license_agr.aspx?url=/16998/a08/AUD_allOS_5783_PV_RTL.exe&agr=Y&sType=&PrdMap=&DwnldId=16998&strOSs=All&OSFullName=All+Operating+Systems&lang=eng

Problem solved. I installed the drivers for my graphics card and that also installed the correct audio drivers.
Thanks all for your help.

"Problem solved. I installed the drivers for my graphics card and that also installed the correct audio drivers.
Thanks all for your help."
Wow. That is a most unusual fix! Very counterintuitive.
This caught my eye because I had the exact same problem. I was unable to locate or reinstall the drivers for my mickey mouse onboard sound device from my local computer fixit shop about 4 years earlier, so I ran out and bought the Soundblaster Audigy from Creative Labs that I'd always wanted anyway. Running to Office Depot and back and installing the new sound card took under an hour. Now the intro to Return to Castle Wolfenstein runs properly for the first time without the sound fizzling out after 20 seconds.

I swear by http://http://www.driverguide.com/ because they have a scanner that will scan your system and help you find the correct drivers for your system. It's part of their paid membership plan and well worth the price in my opinion.