Win 7 Pro

Power fail may have caused or perhaps something else.

Play video on VLC.
VLC Volume up.
Windows Volume Mixer shows bouncing green volume indicator.
Both for Realtek Device and VLC Media Player.

Switched to other device Samsung and it also shows device and VLC
bouncing green volume indicator but no sound.

I have made no hardware changes.

I then upgraded my video card but this did not help the sound at all.
All the same as above. MSI Nvidia GT701 to Nvidia GT710. Updated the
Nvidia drivers too.

Where do I look next ?

Edward wrote:
> Win 7 Pro
>
> Power fail may have caused or perhaps something else.
>
> Play video on VLC.
> VLC Volume up.
> Windows Volume Mixer shows bouncing green volume indicator.
> Both for Realtek Device and VLC Media Player.
>
> Switched to other device Samsung and it also shows device and VLC
> bouncing green volume indicator but no sound.
>
> I have made no hardware changes.
>
> I then upgraded my video card but this did not help the sound at all.
> All the same as above. MSI Nvidia GT701 to Nvidia GT710. Updated the
> Nvidia drivers too.
>
> Where do I look next ?

Check using services.msc.

https://superuser.com/questions/989645/what-services-are-required-for-having-audio-in-windows-7

Look in Device manager (devmgmt.msc).
See if there are any "yellow marks" in the Multimedia
Devices section, implying "it broken".

Do you have backups ?

Are there any System Restore points ?
System Restore points carry copies of Registry Files,
and while it's highly unlikely the Registry is damaged
(two levels of journaling), using a Restore Point might
be an option if you lack backups.

I prefer to think a service has tipped over
at this point.

Also, while the Superuser thread appears authoritative,
there is something funny about Sound on 7. The Dependency
list at one time, was *missing* an item. If your sound
was not working, it could be the item not in the list.

OK, to the Superuser answer, add this one.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-hardware/no-audio-cannot-start-windows-audio-endpoint/ed0b46ea-ac67-48cb-bf08-6dd1c7a04d57

"I am guessing the problem with the Windows Audio Endpoint Builder
is that you have disabled the Windows power management on Windows 7"

This would be the list. For Services.msc checking.
Device Manager integrity is a separate check.

Multimedia Class Scheduler
(No further dependencies)
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
DCOM Server Process Launcher
(No further dependencies)
RPC Endpoint Mapper
(No further dependencies)
Windows Audio Endpoint Builder <=== more specific to your problem
Plug and Play
(No further dependencies)
Windows power management on Windows 7 <=== more specific to your problem

Paul

Edward wrote:
> Win 7 Pro
>
> Power fail may have caused or perhaps something else.
>
> Play video on VLC.
> VLC Volume up.
> Windows Volume Mixer shows bouncing green volume indicator.
> Both for Realtek Device and VLC Media Player.
>
> Switched to other device Samsung and it also shows device and VLC
> bouncing green volume indicator but no sound.
>
> I have made no hardware changes.
>
> I then upgraded my video card but this did not help the sound at all.
> All the same as above. MSI Nvidia GT701 to Nvidia GT710.  Updated the
> Nvidia drivers too.
>
> Where do I look next ?

Speaker wire unplugged?
Speaker power supply unplugged?

On Wed, 26 May 2021 16:54:18 -0700, Edward <Edward@NoSpam.com> wrote:

>Win 7 Pro
>
>Power fail may have caused or perhaps something else.
>
>Play video on VLC.
>VLC Volume up.
>Windows Volume Mixer shows bouncing green volume indicator.
>Both for Realtek Device and VLC Media Player.
>
>Switched to other device Samsung and it also shows device and VLC
>bouncing green volume indicator but no sound.
>
>I have made no hardware changes.
>
>I then upgraded my video card but this did not help the sound at all.
>All the same as above. MSI Nvidia GT701 to Nvidia GT710. Updated the
>Nvidia drivers too.
>
>Where do I look next ?

Is there a separate sound dashboard for your sound card?
It might show up on the control panel if it is not on the tool bar.

Edward <Edward@NoSpam.com> wrote:

> Win 7 Pro
>
> Power fail may have caused or perhaps something else.
>
> Play video on VLC.
> VLC Volume up.
> Windows Volume Mixer shows bouncing green volume indicator.
> Both for Realtek Device and VLC Media Player.
>
> Switched to other device Samsung and it also shows device and VLC
> bouncing green volume indicator but no sound.
>
> I have made no hardware changes.
>
> I then upgraded my video card but this did not help the sound at all.
> All the same as above. MSI Nvidia GT701 to Nvidia GT710. Updated the
> Nvidia drivers too.
>
> Where do I look next ?

No mention where are your speakers. If they are external speakers, and
have their own power source (i.e., walwart A/C adapter), try rotating
the volume control through full cycles (min to max) several times.
Rheostats can get oxidated when left at the same position all the time,
and rotating the wiper wipes the contacts.

In a similar vein, if you are using external speakers, those plug into a
jack (usually in the back panel of the computer case). Pull and push in
the plug in the jack several times while also rotating the plug when
pushed into the jack. That wipes oxidation from the contacts.

No mention what the audio is like. If you are watching a video that is
erratic, like some guy playing the drums or banging sticks together, the
volume bounces around, so will the volume level shown. You didn't
mention where is the video. If online, what is the URL to it?

Sorry, I left out information.
Tired and frustrated. Forgive me.

The PC is using a LG TV as the monitor and sound.
LG TV has internal speakers and also outputs to my sound system.

The TV plays sound OK for movies and TV.
It is set for Internal Speakers + Optical.

The PC is connected via Optical.

This all worked before.

I verified the TV is set correctly.

I see the PC screen on the TV and see the PC is showing audio playing
with green vertical bars jumping as VLC etc play.

There is an RealTek app on the PC and it is set for optical out.
I tried all setting on the PC.

The TV has only one setting for audio input and is set for Speakers +
Optical as it always was when it was working before.

I checked all cables.

I need to know how to check where the signal is being lost.

Edward wrote:
> Win 7 Pro
>
> Power fail may have caused or perhaps something else.

>

> Play video on VLC.
> VLC Volume up.
> Windows Volume Mixer shows bouncing green volume indicator.
> Both for Realtek Device and VLC Media Player.
>
> Switched to other device Samsung and it also shows device and VLC
> bouncing green volume indicator but no sound.
>
> I have made no hardware changes.
>
> I then upgraded my video card but this did not help the sound at all.
> All the same as above. MSI Nvidia GT701 to Nvidia GT710.  Updated the
> Nvidia drivers too.
>
> Where do I look next ?

Edward wrote:
>
>
> Sorry, I left out information.
> Tired and frustrated. Forgive me.
>
> The PC is using a LG TV as the monitor and sound.
> LG TV has internal speakers and also outputs to my sound system.
>
> The TV plays sound OK for movies and TV.
> It is set for Internal Speakers + Optical.
>
> The PC is connected via Optical.
>
> This all worked before.
>
> I verified the TV is set correctly.
>
> I see the PC screen on the TV and see the PC is showing audio playing
> with green vertical bars jumping as VLC etc play.
>
> There is an RealTek app on the PC and it is set for optical out.
> I tried all setting on the PC.
>
> The TV has only one setting for audio input and is set for Speakers +
> Optical as it always was when it was working before.
>
> I checked all cables.
>
> I need to know how to check where the signal is being lost.

The playback devices, you can add volume feedback display
to the items. Then, when you select an item and select "Test",
a signal should be sent there (the ringing bell test).

https://i.postimg.cc/02WcVStf/win7-sound-test.gif

Paul

On Thu, 27 May 2021 09:42:19 -0700, Edward <Edward@Edward.com> wrote:

>
>
>Sorry, I left out information.
>Tired and frustrated. Forgive me.
>
>The PC is using a LG TV as the monitor and sound.
>LG TV has internal speakers and also outputs to my sound system.
>
>The TV plays sound OK for movies and TV.
>It is set for Internal Speakers + Optical.
>
>The PC is connected via Optical.
>
>This all worked before.
>
>I verified the TV is set correctly.
>
>I see the PC screen on the TV and see the PC is showing audio playing
>with green vertical bars jumping as VLC etc play.
>
>There is an RealTek app on the PC and it is set for optical out.
>I tried all setting on the PC.
>
>The TV has only one setting for audio input and is set for Speakers +
>Optical as it always was when it was working before.
>
>I checked all cables.
>
>I need to know how to check where the signal is being lost.
>
Did you try another optical cable?

gfretwell@aol.com wrote:
> On Thu, 27 May 2021 09:42:19 -0700, Edward <Edward@Edward.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> Sorry, I left out information.

> Did you try another optical cable?

You can hold the end of the cable that normally
plugs into the TV and check for red light. As
the TOSLink transmitter uses 650nm or so at a
guess. And it is LED light, rather than laser
light. The optical cable doesn't have much in
the way of optical properties.

Paul

Edward graced us with on 5/26/2021 4:54 PM:
> Win 7 Pro
>
> Power fail may have caused or perhaps something else.
>
> Play video on VLC.
> VLC Volume up.
> Windows Volume Mixer shows bouncing green volume indicator.
> Both for Realtek Device and VLC Media Player.
>
> Switched to other device Samsung and it also shows device and VLC
> bouncing green volume indicator but no sound.
>
> I have made no hardware changes.
>
> I then upgraded my video card but this did not help the sound at all.
> All the same as above. MSI Nvidia GT701 to Nvidia GT710. Updated the
> Nvidia drivers too.
>
> Where do I look next ?

Do you get sound if you plug in headphones in the headphone jack?

--
Sailfish
CDC Covid19 Trends: https://www.facebook.com/groups/624208354841034
Rare Mozilla Stuff: http://tinyurl.com/z86x3sg

I decided to delete ALL audio drivers.

There were four drivers.

I then booted.
Win 7 started up and said it was searching for audio drivers.
It listed three it was trying to find. I am on the internet so I guess
it went out there to find the drivers ???

When it finally finished I was astonished as it apparently found all
three it wanted.

First, some apps that I had running months ago started up at boot when
they had not done so in a year or more.
Not sure why !

I had left it all in the installation process and used my TV monitor to
watch TV.

Several hours later (so I do not know how long it took for the driver to
be installed) I went back and made the TV the PC monitor.
When I did, I heard a bong bong randomly at intervals of a few seconds
to many seconds. This is continuing.

I opened the tray speaker icon and saw that I now was connected to my
Device: LG TV and sound was coming through the HDMI cable.
OK, so good.

I tried playing a movie with VLC and I got proper sound. Hooray !

But why the bong bong. ?
The Volume mixer shows Device: LG TV, Applications: System Sounds and
Seamonkey (my newsreader).
The bong bong is indicated as a System Sounds ! I see the level jump
there on the bong.

But what is generating that ?

How do I trace that ?

Thanks for you interest.

Edward wrote:
> I decided to delete ALL audio drivers.
>
> There were four drivers.
>
> I then booted.
> Win 7 started up and said it was searching for audio drivers.
> It listed three it was trying to find. I am on the internet so I guess
> it went out there to find the drivers ???
>
> When it finally finished I was astonished as it apparently found all
> three it wanted.
>
> First, some apps that I had running months ago started up at boot when
> they had not done so in a year or more.
> Not sure why !
>
> I had left it all in the installation process and used my TV monitor to
> watch TV.
>
> Several hours later (so I do not know how long it took for the driver to
> be installed) I went back and made the TV the PC monitor.
> When I did, I heard a bong bong randomly at intervals of a few seconds
> to many seconds. This is continuing.
>
> I opened the tray speaker icon and saw that I now was connected to my
> Device: LG TV and sound was coming through the HDMI cable.
> OK, so good.
>
> I tried playing a movie with VLC and I got proper sound. Hooray !
>
> But why the bong bong. ?
> The Volume mixer shows Device: LG TV, Applications: System Sounds and
> Seamonkey (my newsreader).
> The bong bong is indicated as a System Sounds ! I see the level jump
> there on the bong.
>
> But what is generating that ?
>
> How do I trace that ?
>
> Thanks for you interest.

Bong bong, is probably some hardware detection
that is in a loop.

Just a guess.

A reboot will artificially stop the activity.
Until it starts again after the reboot of course.

Looking at devmgmt.msc (Device Manager), may
show devices which lack drivers.

Windows XP had setupapi.log or so, and it
was a date-stamped log of driver installation.
Later OSes have ruined this.

On Windows XP, this is what the plugin of a USB flash stick
looks like.

************ setupapi.log on WinXP ************
[2021/03/18 00:35:36 1552.8 Driver Install]
#-019 Searching for hardware ID(s): usbstor\disklexar___jumpdrive_______1.00,usbstor\disklexar___jumpdrive_______,usbstor\disklexar___,usbstor\lexar___jumpdrive_______1,lexar___jumpdrive_______1,usbstor\gendisk,gendisk
#-018 Searching for compatible ID(s): usbstor\disk,usbstor\raw
#-198 Command line processed: C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
#I022 Found "GenDisk" in C:\WINDOWS\inf\disk.inf; Device: "Disk drive"; Driver: "Disk drive"; Provider: "Microsoft"; Mfg: "(Standard disk drives)"; Section name: "disk_install".
#I023 Actual install section: [disk_install.NT]. Rank: 0x00000006. Effective driver date: 07/01/2001.
#-166 Device install function: DIF_SELECTBESTCOMPATDRV.
#I063 Selected driver installs from section [disk_install] in "c:\windows\inf\disk.inf".
#I320 Class GUID of device remains: {4D36E967-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}.
#I060 Set selected driver.
#I058 Selected best compatible driver.
#-166 Device install function: DIF_INSTALLDEVICEFILES.
#I124 Doing copy-only install of "USBSTOR\DISK&VEN_LEXAR&PROD_JUMPDRIVE&REV_1.00\594150744&0".
#-166 Device install function: DIF_REGISTER_COINSTALLERS.
#I056 Coinstallers registered.
#-166 Device install function: DIF_INSTALLINTERFACES.
#-011 Installing section [disk_install.NT.Interfaces] from "c:\windows\inf\disk.inf".
#I054 Interfaces installed.
#-166 Device install function: DIF_INSTALLDEVICE.
#I123 Doing full install of "USBSTOR\DISK&VEN_LEXAR&PROD_JUMPDRIVE&REV_1.00\594150744&0".
#I121 Device install of "USBSTOR\DISK&VEN_LEXAR&PROD_JUMPDRIVE&REV_1.00\594150744&0" finished successfully.
************ setupapi.log on WinXP ************

You can see two similar sections of activity.

On some devices (storage devices, like SIL3112), the
driver installs twice, because the stack has two
levels to the driver. The bottom layer is the
physical layer (how to operate the registers).
The one above, is a SCSI layer, and that interfaces
to the OS SCSI stack. That's used for foreign devices,
you write to SCSI and Windows lets you in. But that's
not the same as the sequence captured above, which is
just one driver, but first the system thinks about it
a bit, and then the second part is the actual install.

When the same USB stick is plugged in the next time,
the serial number is checked, and then the same driver
installation process is not required. There is some
degree of caching going on there. Generally, when
a serialized device is seen for the first time, a
"complete" ceremony results. later instances might
require less work/steps/logs.

Windows 7 might not keep as good records, so you'll
have to check what files are getting updated.

At this point, we don't know what subsystem is doing it,
so it would be premature to dig out a specific tool
which is good for one subsystem. For example, for USB,
it would be this (downloads near bottom).

https://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtreeview_e.html

If something USB was connecting and disconnecting,
you might see an entry flashing in the USBTreeView
window.

Paul