Fweethawt Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I think my computer's sound card has finally taken a shit, but I'm not sure. Here's what it does now: When I attempt to use my computer to either play a video, a CD or an MP3 file, I end up getting just a little bit of sound out of my left speaker and no sound out of the right one. Even if I unplug the speakers and insert a headphone jack, I get the same result through the headphones. So, is my sound card fragged? Do I need a new one? If so, how expensive are they and how difficult are they to install? Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 And I guess you checked the sound settings and balance? Maybe the connector on the soundcard is broken. If it's a separate soundcard, and if you have windows, it's not difficult to change cards, and they are usually cheap (unless you want a super-duper-special high end card). If the sound card is built in, on the motherboard, you have to disable it in BIOS before you install the new one (you can have both, but your programs might default to play on the old one unless you disable it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 And I guess you checked the sound settings and balance? Yeah, I did that. As a matter of fact, I have to turn the volume way up in order to get that sound out of the left speaker like I mentioned above.Maybe the connector on the soundcard is broken. This might be the case too. I do know that when I went to plug the speakers back in, I could generate a bunch of crackly static through the speakers by simply turning the plug once I put it back into the jack.If it's a separate soundcard, and if you have windows, it's not difficult to change cards, and they are usually cheap (unless you want a super-duper-special high end card). The stock one has done nicely ever since I got the computer. I don't have any reason to upgrade at all. Once I get into it, and I find out that it is indeed a separate soundcard, is replacement as simple as removing the old, installing the new and turning the computer back on? If the sound card is built in, on the motherboard, you have to disable it in BIOS before you install the new one (you can have both, but your programs might default to play on the old one unless you disable it) If this is the case, do you think that you might be able to put together a quick'an easy do-it-yourself instruction sheet for me? As soon as you said, "disable it in BIOS", a tear formed at the edge of my eye. I have no clue as to what that means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I'll whip something up tomorrow, unless someone beats me to it. Usually it's not difficult at all. What brand on computer do you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 I'll whip something up tomorrow, unless someone beats me to it. Usually it's not difficult at all. What brand on computer do you have? *cough*Compaq*cough* I've had this thing for five or six years now. It's running 98SE. I don't know if this is the name of the soundcard or not, but I think it has something to do with ESS Allegro or something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbolt Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 It's running 98SE. Seriously, there should be a law against anyone running that version of Windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 It's running 98SE. Seriously, there should be a law against anyone running that version of Windows. Go ahead and tork on it all you want. I have no complaints about it. If I could buy a beefed up new computer with that operating system on it, I would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbolt Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 If I could buy a beefed up new computer with that operating system on it, I would. No, don't get me wrong. I'll be the first to pitch in if we start a fund for you - as long as we can get you of SE. Seriously! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spamandham Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 When I attempt to use my computer to either play a video, a CD or an MP3 file, I end up getting just a little bit of sound out of my left speaker and no sound out of the right one. Even if I unplug the speakers and insert a headphone jack, I get the same result through the headphones. So, is my sound card fragged? You are being punished by god for playing excessive quantities of porn on your computer. This is a definite warning from god. If you don't cut back to tolerable amounts of porn, you will lose the sound altogether, and then ...gasp... your monito will be next. WWJD? By a new computer of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qadeshet Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 The sound card may be bad-a soundblaster card can be bought for about 20 dollars. If your computer is getting on 5 years old, I wouldn't put much more money into it. The link below has some good installation instructions. Sound card installation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 The sound card may be bad-a soundblaster card can be bought for about 20 dollars. If your computer is getting on 5 years old, I wouldn't put much more money into it. The link below has some good installation instructions. Sound card installation That seems simple enough. Thanks! Now all I have to do is open up my tower and start looking around. I laughed at this part of the instructions: Opening the case is a huge hurdle to get over for many PC users. Trust us, there's no boogie man in there, though there may be some dust bunnies! I remember the last time I had to take my computer into the shop. I was completely embarassed about the amount of dust bunnies that were in there. I couldn't believe it! I keep my computer pretty clean now though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scitsofreaky Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 If your computer is getting on 5 years old, I wouldn't put much more money into it.No kidding. Check clearance at stores like Best Buy and Office Depot (where I work), you can get some freakishly good deals. The other day we had an hp (AMD64 3800+, 1GB memory, 250 BG hd, Double layer DVD+/-RW) go for $350, originally around $800! You just have to know where to look. For cheap computer stuff, I like http://www.tigerdirect.com Good deals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knowmad Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Yeah I'm not one for upgrading I used 98SE for years then moved to ME which is a stablier version of 98. I recently bought a P4 3 giger for my son cus he likes to play all the latest games and I got his old P4 2.4 giger and I ventured into XP territory got it setup to look like 98 but I had to reformat, fresh install the other day. With your problem I'd reinstall the card drivers as some proggies fuck up the sound card, especially old dos proggies. To me there's nothing wrong with 98 , as long as you defrag often and keep the OS in it's own partition that way it doesn't get clogged up. Whoa this post is way too serious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 Okay, I just got home and I'm messing around with it. Apparently, when I slide my volume control up and down, the sound will crackle in and out. Right now, I found a "happy place" on the slider bar that allows me some sound but not much. And, it's only coming out of one speaker. Playing around with a microphone has showed me that it still works fine. It picks up everything in the sound recorder program. But then again, this feature is a completely different section of the soundcard, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Yeah. The mic is a different connector, so it doesn't really say anything. You didn't install any program lately by chance? Once I installed some software that could do speak recognition, but it screwed up my soundcard driver, so I had to uninstall it. You never know. And (asking again, you're gonna kill me ) you did check all the sliders for left/right control, for both the master balance and also for the wave balance? Both of them have to be in the middle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilith Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I love it when men speak tech. It makes me hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Java Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Yeah I'm not one for upgrading I used 98SE for years then moved to ME which is a stablier version of 98. .... BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! *sniff, snerk, catches breath* *has two sysops and a boatload of personal experience to back this up* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 Yeah. The mic is a different connector, so it doesn't really say anything. You didn't install any program lately by chance? Once I installed some software that could do speak recognition, but it screwed up my soundcard driver, so I had to uninstall it. You never know. And (asking again, you're gonna kill me ) you did check all the sliders for left/right control, for both the master balance and also for the wave balance? Both of them have to be in the middle. I haven't installed anything lately. It just decided to start acting up out-of-the-blue. As far as the other slider bars go, yes, I have messed with them to try and figure this out. Right now, everything is in the middle except for the volume bar. It's about 2/3 in the up position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Sure sounds like your sound card is whacked. Did you move the computer recently? Dropped it? Used a sledgehammer on it? Torch? Incantations? Maybe you raised a computer daemons from the lower levels of Linux? You didn't run over it with your car by accident? Dropped a house on it? Oh! Oh! I know what it is! You chewed on the cables! BAD, BAD MOUSE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted February 10, 2006 Author Share Posted February 10, 2006 Sure sounds like your sound card is whacked. Thought so. Did you move the computer recently? Dropped it? Used a sledgehammer on it? Torch? Incantations? Maybe you raised a computer daemons from the lower levels of Linux? You didn't run over it with your car by accident? Dropped a house on it? NOTA. It has been sitting right here on the desk for months now. Oh! Oh! I know what it is! You chewed on the cables! BAD, BAD MOUSE! Now that's just messed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles7268 Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 since your system is so ancient make sure you check on the box that it will work with your OS. also before you install it, uninstall the old audio drivers. you can probably get an older model soundcard for $20, anything more wouldn't be worth it on such an old machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 since your system is so ancient make sure you check on the box that it will work with your OS. also before you install it, uninstall the old audio drivers. you can probably get an older model soundcard for $20, anything more wouldn't be worth it on such an old machine. I have a feeling that you're trying to tell me something here, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles7268 Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 i don't know what your talking about. your not starting to get a bit senile are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted February 12, 2006 Author Share Posted February 12, 2006 i don't know what your talking about. your not starting to get a bit senile are you? I'm sorry. What were we talking about again? I FIXED IT! I FIXED IT! I FIXED IT! Whoever it was that suggested to update/reinstall the soundcard driver - that was the solution! I be jammin'! I be jammin'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbolt Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 I FIXED IT! I FIXED IT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts