Startup/Shutdown Sounds NOT working 3

[JonathanNYC]

I've XP Home (upgraded from the lovely ME). My "startup" and "shutdown" sounds do not play. When I preview them they play. I've done the "apply" so that is not the issue. All other assigned sounds (I beleive) play correctly in preview and when they are supposed to "play". I've tried a variety of sound schemes and I also checked to make sure nothing is muted or disabled or that volume levels are sufficient. etc. The peculiar thing is that for whatever reason the startup and shutdown sounds do not play. Of course I can live without this, but just curious. Might it be another software program preventing the startup/shutdown sounds from playing (I've got ems free surfer, zone alarm, spybot, adaware, AVG and a few others running).

 

[bcastner]

Some things to try (based in large on Kelly Theriot suggestions):

Startup Sounds are missing:

Using TweakUI. If used in the past, go back into the program and check:

+General
Beep on errors (verify that the box is checked).

Or download it and check the box:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

System Sounds are missing generally:

Go to Start/Run/Regedit and navigate to this key: HKEY_USERS. If it doesn't have a Data entry in the right pane that reads: (value not set), double click (Default) and delete it. If it does, check your HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21 keys for the same.

Restore System Default Sounds (Line 6)

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

This edit corrects many Sound issues:
Fix the Ding.wav File (Line 6)

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

 

[JonathanNYC]

Thank you very much, Bcastner, for your valuable contribution. I was about to try each suggestion one by one. To my sheer delight, the first recommendation, TweakUI, did the trick and enabled the startup and shutdown sounds. You are a gem, thanks again.

 

[phlyx]

Hopefully I can continue this thread. I am running WinXP Pro SP2 on an ASUS P4P800-Deluxe with SoundMax Audio built in. A couple days ago I noticed my system sounds were not working anymore. I can go into sounds in Control Panel and click the play button and play every sound fine. I have un- and re-installed drivers, done all the suggestions I can find (in here and Kellys Corner), went back to default sounds and still have no startup or exit sounds, no new mail notification or anything. In fact when I get a new email my speakers just do the tiniest "beep" rather then the sound set for it. I get sounds with media player and applications but nothing for system sounds.

Any help or hints beyond what has already been posted would be GREATLY appreciated.

~ Phlyx ~

 

[lameid]

Try getting the latest drivers from the motherboard manufacturer.

Also, on a hunch, try ensuring that the sound is enabled in the bios. Also try and make sure that any IRQ settings set for it in the bios match those in device manager.

And just in case you have a channel muted (I have XP Pro so things maybe a little different in Home)...
Go into control panel
Open Sounds and Audio Devices
Switch to Audio Tab
Click the Volume button under Sound Playback
Ensure that none are muted except for line-in
Make sure that the volume is not turned all the way down for any of the sliders

 

[linney]

If your sounds were working a couple of days ago, what have you changed these past couple of days?

Try using System Restore to revert back to a noisier time.

 

[phlyx]

This is my workstation at work and is XP Pro, not home. I found in restore that Monday morning there is an item "Software Distribution Service 2.0" when I powered up that day and restore won't let me roll back before that point. Nothing else is listed except for the new Intellimouse software last Friday but I uninstalled that with no change. Nothing else has been installed or changed since then.

Nothing is muted and all sounds play in control panel (when you hit the sample button for setting up system event sounds they all play fine) and in media player. Even changed system sound scheme back to windows default. Checked BIOS and sound is active and it does work for everything EXCEPT system events. Don't think this is hardware as everything works, volume controls, everything for all sound features EXCEPT system events.

I am just scratching my head....

~ Phlyx ~

 

[bcastner]

hcp://help/tshoot/tssound.htm

 

[phlyx]

>>hcp://help/tshoot/tssound.htm

Been there... done that....

~ Phlyx ~

 

[bcastner]

1. In Windows XP, click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click System, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
3. Double-click to expand the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers folder, double-click Primary IDE Channel, and then click the Advanced Settings tab.
4. In the Transfer Mode box, click PIO only, and then click OK.
5. Double-click Primary IDE Channel, and then click the Advanced Settings tab.
6. In the Transfer Mode box, click DMA if available, and then click OK.
7. Restart the computer.

 

[bcastner]

Obscure try #2: Open notepad and copy/paste the below. Save the file as sounds_ding.reg

******** start copy/paste below this line
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default\.Default]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default\.Default\.Default]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,6d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\
77,00,73,00,20,00,58,00,50,00,20,00,44,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,2e,00,77,00,61,\
00,76,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default\.Default\.Current]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,6d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\
77,00,73,00,20,00,58,00,50,00,20,00,44,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,2e,00,77,00,61,\
00,76,00,00,00

******** end copy/paste above this line

Double click to merge with your registry. Restart and test.

 

[phlyx]

Did the PIO then back to DMA, restarted, no change. Did the reg for beep and no change. I did something else, too, which was interesting. There is a basic user setup on the workstation (but no matching account on the server) so I logged in to this user on the local workstation and the Windows start and exit sounds played! But I log back in as myself and nothing so I am thinking something is screwy in the registry somewhere. I compared the [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents] sections and they looked pretty much the same but I am thinking something in my user registry is totally preventing system sounds at all. Any clues as to what in the registry might prevent any system sounds from playing?

Thanks for your help,
Scott

~ Phlyx ~

 

[bcastner]

Go to Start/Run/Regedit and navigate to this hive: HKEY_USERS

There should only be the <Default> entry as a value entry there (there will be other sub-Keys present, ignore them).

If it doesn't have a Data entry in the right pane that reads: (value not set), double click (Default) and delete it. If the Default value is not set, then check your HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21 XXX-XXX-XXXX-XXX-XXXX key for the same. If there are multiple users, check each of the \S-1-x-xx entries, as one of them represent your logon.
The point being that no value other than an empty Default value should be at the root of each of these entries.

 

[phlyx]

For HKEY_USERS the .DEFAULT already says :

(Default) REG_SZ (value not set)

There are two user account S-1-5-21-.... the bottom one also has (value not set) but the top one is just totally blank and does not say (value not set). I clicked on the key and did a DELETE so it now says (value not set) and going to reboot.... BRB

~ Phlyx ~

 

[phlyx]

ALL FIXED!!!! That did it!!! The registry entry for my account was blank but did not say (value not set) and when I deleted the key all my sounds started working again!!! THANKS BCASTNER!!! I bow down in your presence.... :O)

Thanks for all your assistance here!
Scott

~ Phlyx ~

 

[bcastner]

You are very welcome.

Bill Castner

 

[phlyx]

It is SOOOOOO nice having system event sounds back on.... guess it's that saying about you don't know what you've got until it's gone.

I had tried to roll back restore prior to Monday when Windows Update installed Software Distribution Service 2.0 but it wouldn't let me. That is whan my sounds stopped working. I am now mildly curious if that update may of somehow did that to my registry.

Thanks again for your help Bill. Our I.S. department is stretched so thin that I doubt if they ever would of put any priority on fixing my sound problem (we even have to provide our own speakers if we want sound) so it was me of live in silence.

Have a great 'noisy' week :O)
Scott

~ Phlyx ~

 

[Stealth625]

My event sounds have not worked for some time now (a few months) and I do not remember what caused the problem. I finally ran across this post which is definitly the closest thing I have found to my problem, but doing these pieces of advice did not fix my problem. I (as the same as phlyx) have no System Event sounds (another thing I noticed is my AOL Instant Messenger sounds do not work either which I figure must relate to this). All other sounds on my computer work (mp3's, games, etc.) The problem is when I go to Sounds and Audio Devices Properties menu and click "Sounds" tab, I click a sound and the little play button remains grayed out. This is where we differ. I have tried everything listed here (even created another account on my computer to see if maybe it was my account) but have had no success. If anyone can help me out that would be appriciated.

 

[phlyx]

Hey Stealth, When you go to Sounds and Audio and click on the AUDIO tab do you have any devices selected for SOUND PLAYBACK? Not sure what sound card you are running but I did find this suggestion, too :

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to Entertainment, and then click Volume Control.
2. In Volume Control, on the Options menu, click Advanced Controls.
3. Click Advanced Options on the Play Control dialog box.
4. Click to clear the Digital Output Only check box, and then click Close.

... just a suggestion

Hope you find it

~ Phlyx ~

 

[Stealth625]

Yep, still having the problem. I have a Soundblaster Audigy soundcard and I also have integrated audio on my motherboard, have tried them both and none work. As I said, the audio playback works, just like you had described phlyx in your problems but I cannot hear or even play System Events from the sounds tab. Drivers are all up to date as well. The problem must be something a little more complex seeing as I can get regular sound from anything but my System Events. Maybe a problem with my registry as well just a little more complicated or maybe even more simple. I tried what was suggested in this thread by bcastner and I had no luck. If anyone needs more information I can try and feed it to you as much as I can because I would love to get this problem fixed and I am open to anybodys suggestions. I may not be able to reply until Sunday as I will be out of town so if anybody can lend me a few suggestions and I will try them out and report my feedback as soon as I get back. THANKS!

ALSO: The system events HAVE worked before, I just have no idea why they stopped working.