Yelp....Can anyone help me out of a computer jam?

[Armstead]

(Note: Pleae see updated info in post below.)

Bought a new Sony CD-R/RW drive yesterday. I installed it myself (big mistake).

It works, but now I can't get audio out of the computer. It makes some click noise when turning on/off, but there is a missing link between the program audio and speakers. I run a media player and I can see it's playing but I hear nothing.

I've checked the usual suspects (volume, muting, checking digital audio on) and can't find anything wrong.:shrug:

I'm going to have Randi Rhodes withdrawl and I won't be able to listen to any goo music if i can't get this straightened out. :scared:

Before I break down and take it into the shop, was wondering if any DU computer geniuses have any advice or sugegstions. Anyone have any ideas? I'd be eternally grateful for any assistance. :loveya:

I should mention that it has 2 cd drives, and I was replacing one of them. It didn;t work with the otehr cd drive, so I disconnected that one. There were 2 audio cables coming from the sound card, one to the top drive one in the otehr. I connected one of them to the new drive.


(Feel free to answer here or pm me if you want.)

[Deja Q]

1. I won't cop any jive jam jokes...

Check for the audio cable going from the cd-r/w drive to the sound card. It's black with two thin rectangular ends, each having 4 wires. There may also have been a digital cable, with black ends having 2 wires each.

Also check which connector that audio conector is in. Then check the Mixer volume (right mouse click on speaker, select Open Volume Controls. Go to options->properties and check ALL the boxes. Look for low volumes or Mute checkboxes that are checked...

Do you still get sound from Windows system events (the normal beeps and tada noises?)

[Armstead]

7. No Windows souds either

When I turn on the computer get a quick bump noice in the speakers, but nothing els, No windows system sounds either.

I should mention that it has 2 cd drives, and I was replacing one of them. It didn;t work with the otehr cd drive, so I disconnected that one.

There were 2 audio cables coming from the sound card, one in the top drive one in the otehr. I connected one ot them to the new drive.

[Madrone]

2. There should be a little cable -

that attaches to the cd drive, and runs to your sound card.

Do you have one? Do you still have your old cd drive installed, or did you remove it to put the new one in?

If you left the old one in, your programs should have sound if you run them in the old drive - and if you hook a cable up to your new drive, you should have sound in that.


edited to add: The above is moot if you don't have ANY windows sounds at all.

[Armstead]

8. I removed one and disconnected another

It had two CD drives. I was replacing one of them.

After I installed the new one it didn't work. I disconnected the otehr drive, so currently just have the new one hooked up.

[historian]

3. first step dont panic

If you look at the back of the cd rom you will see a small four prong outlet - this goes to either the sound card you installed or to the sound card installed on the mother board. There should be a connection wire that came with the cd player. Connect those and if it still doesnt work feel free to email me here and well try something else.

[Eureka]

4. CD audio cable?

These have little connectors, 4 wires, just like the one I have in my hand right now :-)

Anyway, this little cable needs to run from the cd-drive to your sound card if you want to play cd's etc.

But, I could be wrong, maybe thats not the case with your stuff, but it is with mine.

:-)

[MrSoundAndVision]

5. bingo

You need to connect your CDRW drive to your sound card, or in the case that you hand an on-board sound card, you'll need to connect it to the appropriate spot on the motherboard itself.

[Armstead]

9. I have tried with and without the cable

It's a red and white one with a small black connector. Can't seem to get it working eitehr way.

[necso]

6. Check

That the audio card still shows up in my computer (right click) -- properties -- device manager -- sound devices (or the like). Sometimes the card pulls loose from the PCI slot when you mess with the case.

Check the cable to the speakers from the sound card on both ends --- a little loose can be fatal.

Use an analog device to check analog out, like maybe headphones or old speakers (uncheck digital only).

Look to see if you installed some virtual sound device with the cdrw and make sure output selected is your sound card and not the virtual device.

Remove any weird SW that came with the CDRW.

You also want to make sure the CDRW is in dma mode, but that is a performance issue, and should have nothing to do with your current problem. All devices on an ide channel are forced to operate in the same mode, so all devices will need dma selected. If any doesn't support (ultra)dma, ditch it. Generally cdroms/cdrws support only udma33 (max) which is one reason why they are segregated on a separate ide channel.

[Armstead]

10. It came with B's Recorder and B Check

They are burning and recording programs. One supposedly also redords Mp3s. Is that the "weird SW" you were referring to?

If I take it off, will the still be a way to move filed to CDs?

[necso]

11. No

These should be fine, the worst they might do is change file associations. This won't stop windows sounds.

Double check the external sound cable (computer -- speakers), sometimes they get hung up on the case and only seem to make contact, particularly if anything shifted.

Do look at the device manager, sometimes when you mess with the computer, it decides for no good reason to reassign IRQ's and a conflict comes out of nowhere.

Two more thoughts, make real sure you are connected to the right jack on the sound card (easy to screw up) and that the on-motherboard sound is enabled/disabled as you use it. The device manager should show if no/zero/two sound devices are seen.

[Armstead]

12. A NEW WRINKLE

Okay I plugged in headphones and then speakers into the jack on the CD drive itself, and can get audio out of that.

But sill no sounds from the system speaker or output jack. Hmmmmmm..

[necso]

13. CDRW/ROM

makes it own sound. The cable from it to the sound card/motherboard is the way this sound gets ultimately to the PC speakers.

A digital CDROM or CDRW may have a digital and an analog output, these must go to the appropriate port on the soundcard/motherboard.

But this has only to do with the sound from the CDROM(RW), not stuff from the hard drive, internet etc.

[Armstead]

15. It's playing from the system

The sounds coming through it aren't CD's but are things from software RealAudio streams, Mpegs on the hard drive and Windows sounds.

So does that mean it's like a loop and I have to find a way to get it to the sound card?

[necso]

17. I am thoroughly confused.

A CDROM(RW) has an ancient compatibility mode where it will spin a CD and make sound locally which you can tap into from the jack on the front. The cable from the CDRW(ROM) takes an analog or digital version of this and sends it to some audio chip which then drives some analog or digital output. The front panel jack only tells you if the CDRW(ROM) can spin a cd.

Most sound on a computer is digital data which comes from the cpu to the sound device and originates from the hard drive, internet etc (even a file on a CDR).

If you let me know which of my suggestions you have tried then I can give you some more, but ignoring player, audio device controller and windows sound settings (which you have tried I guess), what I have already said is like 95%+ of problems that I have seen.

[GOPisEvil]

14. Is there a cable that might attach to your sound card?

Mine's got one - it should be bundled to the power supply cable (at least it was in my case. See if there's a input space on your sound card, and find a matching connector. Maybe that will help.

[Madrone]

16. Is the "little speaker" down in the taskbar by the time?

If so - "supposedly" the sound driver is installed and working.

Right click on My Computer, and check in the device manager to make sure your sound card is functional.

The obvious - (sorry, but it's required asking!) - make sure your speakers are plugged into the correct jack.

Definitely do what another poster suggested and crack the case again to make sure the card is seated properly.

I hope ya grounded yourself before you got fiddling around inside, and didn't fry your card out by way of static discharge.