NO AUDIO OUTPUT DEVICE IS INSTALLED

Hi,

If the sound can't be fixed then it can be DISABLE in the BIOS and then a USB Sound Card can be

used which is not expensive.

Try a System Restore back to before this happened.

How to Do a System Restore in Vista

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

Check with Compaq Support for known issues and possible solutions.

Compaq Support

http://www.compaq.com/country/cpq_support.html

Download drivers and software - specify product name

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/ProductList.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&taskId=135&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=3548233

Check Setup/Settings (BIOS/CMOS) often F2 as you boot so watch screen - make sure the on-board

audio is enabled.

Control Panel - Device Manager - SOUNDS - look for HD Audio - Mine says RealTek High Definition Audio 

(that is an example and yours may have an entirely different name/maker).

Write down description make and model - double click on it - drivers tab - write down version. Now

Click UPdate Drivers which may not do anything as MS is far behind certifying drivers. Then RIGHT

CLICK on it and UNINSTALL - REBOOT - this will rebuild the driver stack.

1st go to system maker's site and look for latest driver Download - SAVE - go to right click on and RUN AS ADMIN

(This is your fallback.) REBOOT after each driver installation.

NOTE : Sound drivers often rollback so check the version after installation and the reboot tosee if the version you installed is there, if not repeat the install - reboot until it is. It can takeseveral tries depending on how many rollbacks it does.

Then do same for Device Maker's site.

Manually look at manufacturer's sites for drivers - and Device Maker's sites.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/driverssupport/ht/driverdlmfgr.htm

How to Install a Device Driver in Vista Device Manager

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/193584-device-manager-install-driver.html

Error “the Audio Service Is Not Running” When Opening the Volume Mixer in Vista

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/error-the-audio-service-is-not-running-when-opening-the-volume-mixer-in-vista/

Also Right Click Speaker near clock - Playback Devices - right click in the box area - checkShow disable and disconnected devices. Highlight speaker and on the lower Right clickProperties check settings for Device Usage enabled and so on. Also do same for Configureon Lower Left of that box.

In Control Panel you can also look for an Audio Manager along with the Sound Settings.

Problems with sound and audio or no sound - a Mr Fixit

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/no\_sound

Tips for fixing common sound problems

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/1e87a3e8-c0e8-49af-980f-9eb6686f42d21033.mspx

Speakers and other audio output devices

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/a43f3a31-6d9f-49d1-be22-e2f47b8b1f2c1033.mspx

How to Enable Hidden Audio Devices in Vista

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/143447-audio-device-enable-hidden-devices.html

How to troubleshoot sound problems that you experience after you install a Windows Vista Service Pack

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948481

Hope this helps.

Rob Brown - MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.