Do you know what’s just as jarring as your
computer’s volume suddenly being way too high? Suddenly not having any volume
at all. Sound problems on your computer can be a real pain, especially if you
have something important you need to listen to for one of your
responsibilities. Here, we’re offering some tips to help you do some basic
sound troubleshooting.
Before we get into the meat and potatoes,
please don’t hesitate to lean on your IT resource at any point for assistance.
They would much rather help you out than have a greater issue arise down the
line.
Basic Sound Issues
I’m sure you’ve discovered your computer doing
something weird at some point. I don’t mean anything major… just small changes
that you must have made, but just don’t remember making. It happens. These
kinds of changes can often be the source of your sound issues.
For instance, your computer’s speakers may just be turned down. If
you happen to have external speakers hooked up to your workstation, this is
especially likely, as your computer’s volume controls will have little-to-no
influence over the volume settings there.
On a related note, you computer may just be
muted. A quick glance at your computer’s Taskbar
will show you if your volume is on or not.
Checking Your Connections
Again, if you’re using an external speaker
setup, there are a few complications that could lead to sound issues. For
instance, you will want to be sure that your speakers are properly plugged in,
whether using a USB port or the connectors located on your device’s sound card.
Make sure your cables are inserted into
the right jacks, and that no
connections have come loose - a common culprit where these issues are
concerned.
While you’re looking, what condition are your
cables in? Your issue may be as simple as a low-quality wire interfering with
your sound.
Confirming the Playback Device
If you want your sound to work, you need to know that the right device is set to be the one to play it. This means you need to check to make sure the right device is assigned to be the playback device. Doing so is relatively simple:
- Open the Control Panel. This can be found by typing “control panel” into the
Start Menu. - In the menu that appears, access Hardware and Sound, and from there, Sound.
- A new window will appear, titled Sound. Access its Playback tab.
- There, you should see all of the
audio devices available to your computer. Select the proper one by right-clicking the associated image and
selecting Set as Default Device. - Click OK to save your settings.
With any luck, your sound issues should be
resolved… but there is the unfortunate chance that these steps may not be enough to fully
diagnose your sound problem.
Who knows - the speakers themselves may not
have been set up correctly, the system files responsible for your sound may
have become corrupted, or your computer may have its onboard audio disabled on
a root level. There’s even the chance that your sound card or speakers are
simply faulty.
Regardless of the issue, the trained professionals we have here at Emerge can help. Give us a call at 859-746-1030 to learn more.