Realtek AC'97 Audio for VIA (R)

alucard120 · 22-08-2008, 05:46 PM

My friend basically had to buy a brand new copy of windows and install it onto her machine, her speakers aren't working or anything so I'm trying to find the drivers for her. Her computer is a compaq presario running windows xp her speakers are Realtek AC'97 Audio for VIA (R) and her motherboard is FIC AM35 and she's using a AMD Athlon XP 2400+ (Thoroughbred) , 2.00 GHz, 256KB and video card S3 Graphics ProSavageDDR (Microsoft Corporation) (1024x768x32bpp 75Hz) I'm not sure if there's anything else needed or not, if so I can most likely get it not 100% sure though.

ROKARUW · 22-08-2008, 08:20 PM

I am crazzy I CAN NOT FOUND NOTHING.THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

twobits · 22-08-2008, 08:43 PM

The drivers are on your MB CD. You can install then off the CD. Do you have this CD for Your PC? If you do not you will have to go to MB web site & down load drivers.

alucard120 · 22-08-2008, 08:48 PM

They have no cd, it's an older computer I'll try and find the website for that motherboard thanks.

**Digerati** · 22-08-2008, 09:32 PM

First, the obvious, make sure the speakers are setup properly and connected to correct port. The motherboard manual WILL discuss connecting speakers. If you do not have the manual, from FIC.

To get any added features that sound device offers, twobits is correct, you will need to install specific drivers. However, there are standard Plug 'n' Play drivers that XP "should" load when it sees the hardware. Those PnP drivers should allow sounds, if the device is working. Since she is using the motherboard's on-board sound device, that device must be enabled in the BIOS Setup Menu before it will work and before any sounds will be produced.

If disabled, enable it and Save and Exit. After the boot hopefully you will hear the Windows start sound.

But if it was disabled, and it worked before, then why is it disabled now? Was the BIOS reset? If not intentional, I would replace the $2 battery for a new one from your local battery/camera/watch counter. Power down and unplug the computer and open the side panel. Check to ensure the fans and heatsinks are not full of heat trapping dust. Locate the thin wafer battery on the motherboard, touch bare metal of the case to discharge any static, and pry out the battery with something non-metal, like a thumbnail. Take the old battery with you as many battery counters will recycle it - a good thing.

Do not touch the new battery with bare skin - I use a clean sock. Boot directly into the BIOS menu and make sure the drives are properly detected and identified, date and time are correct, and necessary on-board devices such as sound and Network Interface are enabled, then Save and Exit and boot normally and hope it works.

If already enabled in the BIOS, and sure connected properly, try another set up speakers.

If all else fails, cheap generic sound cards can be added very easily, and just by pass the on-board sound. That said, high quality 7.1 THX sound cards, while more expensive, can be added just as easily, and, with a set of quality speakers, provide serious ear candy too!

alucard120 · 22-08-2008, 10:01 PM

I had her go and install all the windows updates, she said now all the windows sounds will play but no sound from videos / mp3s etc. I'll have her look at the bios and make sure it's enabled. Pretty much she has no cd's or anything else for the computer except the windows xp disk she bought no backups or anything else. I'm not sure what happened with the computer, all I know is the harddrive ended up being wiped not sure why but anyway they went out and bought new windows xp disks so they have nothing besides the computer and xp install disk.

**Digerati** · 22-08-2008, 11:06 PM

Quote:

she said now all the windows sounds will play but no sound from videos / mp3s etc. I'll have her look at the bios and make sure it's enabled.

If she hears sounds, then it is enabled.

Does she have a Nero or another WinDVD disk? This will contain codecs she needs.

alucard120 · 23-08-2008, 01:38 AM

I got it fixed now, thanks for the help though. I just ended up going to the compaq site and downloading the origional drivers for her model and it worked fine.

**Digerati** · 23-08-2008, 02:00 AM

Great and thanks for the follow up.