[cute_blu_fairy17]

Hello there. I really hope that someone can help me. I am not really new to computers, but I haven't really had a problem that really bothered me about them enough to bother asking anyone, because usually I could figure everything out. But tonight I was playing music & etc. on my windows media player, and for some reason when I went to go play the next song, it didn't play. It looked like it was playing and it was & everything, but I couldn't hear anything come out of the speakers -- even having a headset plugged in didn't do anything. My only guess is that I might've blown the speakers (yes, both), but I don't know... Is it possible to blow both speakers at the same time? :confused: If someone could please help me out, I would appreciate it greatly. There are some other things wrong with the laptop, but I can't really afford a new one right now. If anyone could help me though, it would be greatly appreciated. I am not sure how much it will help, but this laptop is an older one (from what I know of).. It is a Compaq Armada 7400 laptop, and also, if anyone knows what might be going on, and if it is a blown speaker, or blown speakers, tell me... Would it be easier picking up a new one or is it not that hard to fix? I would really appreciate some advice, and what you guys think it could be because this is just very annoying. :( Please help me whoever is out there!! I could really use the help. Thank you, everyone. :)

[fredg]

Hi,
First thing I would check is this:
Do you have the little speaker icon showing, down on the system tray, by the clock?
If so, left double-click on it, to open up it's window.
Look across the bottom of that window to see if there is a checkmark by Mute.
You might have a checkmark by Mute for the microphone. This wouldn't stop your speakers from playing.
Look under "play control balance" and see if there is a checkmark by Mute. If so, then left click on it to remove the checkmark, then click on OK.
Next, open up Windows Media Player. At the top, click on Play, then click on Volume. Look to see if the "slide out" options have Mute checked. If so, then left click on Mute, to remove the checkmark, then click on OK.
If this doesn't get your sound back, please post back.

[ScottGem]

Fred gave you some things to check, but I'm curious about something. You indicate this happened when you went to the next song. Did you try other songs, including the one you were previously playing? Where are these songs (on a CD, MP3, WMA?? )? Where did you get the song (commercial CD, download (from where) etc.)?

Did you just try rebooting the PC?

[cute_blu_fairy17]

Hello. I did try what fredg said, but nothing was checked on mute, and I even checked the Windows Media Player slide out option he was talking about. Basically, I checked everything with the volume options & I know for a fact that nothing is muted. And as far as what you asked, ScottGem, yes, I did try playing other songs as well as the one I was previously listening to. I did try rebooting it & playing a couple of songs (including the original one, the last one I was able to listen to.) None of that worked. And even before I ended up giving up for the night I tried just shutting the computer down and leaving it off for about a half hour or so. The weird thing is though, this has happened once or twice before this last time, but in both cases, I was able to reboot the laptop & the sound worked again. The songs themselves, half of them are from a commercial CD, that have been copied to my Windows Media Player (which never gives me or my b/f any trouble, ever.) and the other half are music downloads from Bearshare. Thank you for both of your advice, I just hope someone can help me figure this out & hopefully get it fixed. Otherwise, with some of the other things that happen with this laptop, I just want to say screw it & just try to buy another one. :p I don't know if this makes any difference, or if it might have you guys more, but for my OS I have Windows ME Millennium Edition. Please post back if you have any other ideas. Thank you for your help so far, though. :D

[cute_blu_fairy17]

Fred gave you some things to check, but I'm curious about something. You indicate this happened when you went to the next song. Did you try other songs, including the one you were previously playing? Where are these songs (on a CD, MP3, WMA???)? Where did you get the song (commercial CD, download (from where) etc.)?

Did you just try rebooting the PC?

I apologize, I forgot to actually answer one of ScottGem's questions. The song I was originally playing, and was able to play last, was a downloaded song. Sorry about that. :o

[ScottGem]

Ok, as long as no songs are now playing, it most likely is a problem with your sound board. What I would suggest is to use Device Manager to check what it says about the Sound board and may reinstall the drivers. I'm not sure where Device Mgr is on Win Me. Its probably under System in Control Panel.

[fredg]

Hi,
I am sorry to hear nothing yet has worked. I did think that you had already tried playing other song titles, files, etc, after that particular one didn't work. Normally, that's the first thing someone will try... to play something else!
Here is a link, with step by step instructions to troubleshoot no sound. For the first steps, start under the heading given for ME (also other windows with it, but not XP).

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000208.htm

These steps will take you through the device manager, and what to do in steps after that.
Good luck, and I know no sound can be very frustrating. My own sound system has a sub-woofer, which for about 3 times now, in the past 3 years has just quit by itself, no sound. Simple solution to my issue is unplug the sub-woofer from the electrical outlet for about 3 mintues, plug it back in, it resets itself, and presto! Sound.
Wish it were that easy for you.

[cute_blu_fairy17]

Well, I am sad to say fredg, that I did not try your last suggestion because I was a little too frustated and didn't want to end up breaking the laptop from getting mad, but all I know is my guy sent me an IM yesterday afternoon, and when he did, the sound was working again! So somewhere in between it started working again. I don't know how it happened... all I can guess is I just left the laptop alone for an entire night, but it works perfectly now. I still don't exactly know what happened, but I am not complaining. :) I will keep your link for future use, just in case.. But I will be saving up for a newer laptop just in case. Also I will need a bigger hard drive in the future because I have a 10GB hardddrive that I know I can fill up quite easily, and I use it mainly for pictures (photography). Thank you for all your help and I can't wait to hear back from you guys. Sorry if it was any trouble, but it was bugging the heck out of me. Everything is much better now. Thank you everyone! :cool:

[ScottGem]

Might have been a loose connection, but I suspect it was more likely a dirver issue.