How to Fix Sound Problems by Reloading Audio Drivers

Whether you are working with laptop or desktop computer audio, sound card drivers are an essential part of a working sound system. The sound driver is the software that programs a computer to communicate with a sound device like an internal or external sound card. When a sound card malfunctions, one of the first steps in troubleshooting the problem is to attempt sound driver repair.

By uninstalling and updating or reinstalling sound card drivers, you can restore a problem sound card driver that could be the root of errors in your computer sound system. Treat Windows XP sound problems with some simple driver reloading.

Step 1

Uninstall the currently installed driver. A sound card driver that has stopped working but remains installed on the computer should be uninstalled before restoring the sound card driver. Some sound card drivers can be uninstalled using an uninstallation program located in the audio start menu folder. Some can be uninstalled using your operating system's hardware management function, and others must be uninstalled through the operating system's software program management menu, called "Add or Remove Programs" on Windows XP and "Uninstall a Program" on Windows 7.

Step 2

Acquire a copy of your sound card driver. The sound card driver usually comes on a disk included in the retail package of the sound card hardware. If you don't have it, download the driver from the manufacturer of your sound card. For onboard sound cards included with the original computer, sound card drivers should be available in the "Support" or "Downloads" section of your computer manufacturer's website.

Step 3

Run the driver installation package. For those with CD-ROM sound card drivers, this means loading the CD-ROM into your computer's CD-ROM and launching the installation program on the disk. Some CD-ROM drivers have autorun programs that automatically start the installation software when you load the CD-ROM. Downloaded audio driver packages can be accessed by double clicking the icon for the installation package in your download folder.

Make sure the software driver is for exactly the model number of the sound device you wish to restore. Sound card models can have slight variations in model numbers that can mean a big difference in the type of driver.

Warning:

Ensure that you get a driver download from the manufacturer only. Independent software drivers can be loaded with
spyware and malware programs.

Reference:

Netlab: Sound Card Troubleshooting Guide