Problems with audio playback on my laptop

[lofty100e]

Hi, I have come across a problem with my laptop, last night I watched a Dvd with no problems; the sound reproduction was just great. However today I tried to play the same disc again to watch the commentaries and the small speaker icon in the taskbar has a red cross next to it. When I click into the options to turn the sound on I get the message that there is "no audio output device is installed". I have tried another Dvd with the same results even with the sound set to full on the windows media player,

Can anyone suggest anything please? I have tried everything I can think off (rebooting (both computer and dvd player).

Thanks for any help

Confused

[craig7501]

Control Panel
Switch to Classic View
Open Device Manager
Opened the Sound folder
Clicked on the Realtek DISABLE, then ENABLE.

Let me know if this works

[lofty100e]

Hi Craig, just one probably very silly question: how do I switch to the classic view? I know on one of the Windows systems there used to be an option button for this. However when I click through to control panel on W7 there is only an option for small or large icons that I can find.

The option showing is not the classic one as when I clicked Device manager there was not a sound option. Thanks.

[shabbird]

Hope this helps as I don't have windows 7

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/w...&v4h=winxptab1

[lofty100e]

Thanks Shabbird and Craig, eventually did not actually need this; as when I logged on this morning the "missing" device had re-installed itself. This laptop of mine seems to have a mind of it's own.

[shabbird]

yay glad you sorted it out

[lofty100e]

Hi H,a happy 2014 to everyone.

Ufortunately this problem has re-emerged, wondering if anyone can suggest anything?
Craig suggested going to the control panel and using the classic view, but the only option when I reach the CP is for small or large icon sizes.
I have also read through the link that Shabbird provided but can't find anything resemblingwhat she describes in my control panel.

Thanks

[damian_steele]

In my Win 7 I just go to Control Panel > Sound and then choose an appropriate tab.

If your speakers are having to reinstall it suggest that something else is in conflict with the software you are running. Have you installed any new software or updates recently? Are you running multiple anti-virus programmes or other security software packages (even in the background) at the same time? All of these can produce random conflicts with other installed programmes.

[lofty100e]

Hi Damian, the only speakers I use are the internal ones and a pair of earphones; both of which were operating with no problems and still are whenever the system comes together. As for antivirus I use only Avast, and the only updates I have installed have been those autodownloaded by microsoft.

When I go into the sound folder on CP everything seems to be closed down (greyed out).

[damian_steele]

When I go into the sound folder on CP everything seems to be closed down (greyed out).

Have you tried selecting the device shown within each tab? When I do that on mine the greyed out become active.