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).

 

[Stealth625]

Had an idea as to try and help with solutions. I HAVE messed with my Windows Services. I do not believe that that did anything to just make my system event sounds not work BUT it could be a possibility as I can sometimes overlook those types of things. Maybe there is a certain service that needs to be enabled that I might have disabled for this to work?

Just trying to spit out ideas.

 

[bcastner]

Stealth625,

What is the make and model of your sound card?
Does all appear healthy in Device Manager, no yellow exclamation marks?
Double click the sound device, and check:
. is the device enabled in the hardware profile
. is it assigned under the Properties tab to Audio Devices

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

Did you check that there is no value present except Default? Did you check that this reads "value not set". If there are any other values there remove them.

Now do the same for the subkeys HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21 XXX-XXX-XXXX-XXX-XXXX
There should only be one value at the root of these subkeys reading Default, and it should read "value not set"

 

[Stealth625]

SB Audigy Audio [B800] is what it says in the Audio Devices Properties. Yes everything is healthy in device manager with all updated drivers as well. I did try the registry suggestion and it did not work. There is only Default and it reads value not set for each. Under my HKEY_USERS I have the subkeys .Default, S-1-5-18, S-1-5-19, S-1-5-19_Classes, S-1-5-20, S-1-5-20_Classes, and the 2 21's. I should not mess with these others right (I only have one user on this computer)?

 

[bcastner]

No, do not mess with them.

Start, All Programs, Creative, Sound Blaster Audigy, Creative EAX
This pops up a little window in the lower left corner. Click the file icon, and de-select Load on Startup.

 

[linney]

A couple of other things to check.

No system sounds
thread779-917841

http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2002/2002-10-31.htm

There Is No Audio Playback After You Install the Sound Blaster Live! Sound Card

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;313022&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[Stealth625]

I never even installed the Creative EAX, so I installed it then did as you said and it didn't work, so I uninstalled it again. linney, that thread you mentioned had the people saying that they COULD preview the sounds in the properties menu...I CANT (Get a grayed out box). From that I sense it has to be something simple that I just disabled somehow? Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

 

[linney]

Sound files for program events must be in Microsoft WAV format, a file format developed to store and replay sounds on a personal computer. Their names usually include .wav as an extension. Can you play any .Wav sounds at all?

 

[Stealth625]

Yes I can play .wav sounds.

 

[darlingmel]

I am SO glad I stumbled across this thread!
I also have the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS. And I too, have lost access to system sounds. Just as with Stealth625, my preview button is greyed out. I have tried everything short of formatting the HD! (thought has crossed my mind!) I can play CDs and DVDs till the cows come home, but if I want to hear a video clip or something that comes from system sounds... Zippo. My computer manufaturer said that it is another program "over-riding" my system settings. I don't think so. Any more ideas, anyone???

 

[Stealth625]

I'm not alone! Definitly sounds like the same problem that I have darlingmel...anybody have any suggestions or know how to fix this?

 

[Stealth625]

Maybe it is a problem with one of the sound format tags...

This site

http://msmvps.com/chrisl/articles/10723.aspx

helped me with one of my problems I had with my MP3 Decoder... something tells me this may be related with something I did to make a few sound tags corrupt or something? Does anybody know anything about this or know anything else?

 

[linney]

Talking of other programs causing a conflict, is anyone running unusual screensavers?

volume mutes itself!
thread779-798066

OK, so I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel. Why do all these sound event problems seem to involve Sound Blaster?

 

[bcastner]

I spent some time browsing the Creative site's Forums, and found it a confusing mess. The issue is discussed several times and likely an answer can be found there.

 

[Stealth625]

Thanks everyone for your information, I finally found the creative forums (indeed they are a mess, as well as a little confusing to find) and created a thread there. Hopefully I will get some feedback on how to fix this issue and I will let you know what I find. Thanks for your help.

 

[linney]

Can you post the two links to the Creative forums(1) and your thread(2)?

Thanks.

 

[bcastner]

http://forums.americas.creative.com/creativelabs

And did a search on "XP no system sounds"

 

[Stealth625]

Here is a link to my thread...

http://forums.americas.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=soundblaster&message.id=1475

And a link to the creative forums....

http://forums.americas.creative.com/creativelabs/

So far no luck ... but I have gotten a MOD which is helping me get this solved =).

 

[bcastner]

They also have a European Forum:

http://uk.europe.creative.com/support/forums/

 

[Stealth625]

darlingmel,

If you ever find out what caused this problem let me know because I don't think I will ever figure it out =/.

 

[linney]

Have you thought about doing something like this to help diagnose the problem.

266465 - HOW TO: Perform a Parallel Installation of Windows 2000

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;266465&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

You can do the same with XP. Don't install any unnecessary programs, just keep the parallel installation as simple as possible.

See if your sound works in the parallel installation. Here you can experiment by adding and removing things and when you have finished just delete the parallel install folder.