So my (your) sound-card, and on-board sound worked fine together for 2 years (or relatively long time). All of a sudden, weird crazy sound problems for no apparent reason. Symptoms 1. Sound just quits playing randomly. (Not that often) 2. Sound goes insanely low, you can tell its playing the right sound but its "garbled" and INSANELY low. 3. One speaker (left or right in 2.0) goes out. BUT, if you turn just that speaker up (in playback properties, then Balance) you get same effect for #2. There could be more symptoms, but these were mine. Solution 1. Go to Start Menu by clicking on bottom left Windows button. 2. Click on Control Panel on the right pane. 3. Go to Hardware and Sound -> Device Manager, or you might just have a Device Manager icon and click it. 4. Scroll down (look down list) till you see Sound, video and game controllers 5. Double click that title, and you will see another list of items. 6. Find High Definition Audio Device, or the one that isn't labeled [insert your audio card here (commonly SoundBlaster X-Fi)], USB tigerJet (that is MagicJack if you have it), and any HEADPHONES you are using. 7. Right-click it and select DISABLE 8. PROBLEM ENDED Tips Will this always work for you (or fix your problem)? NO. Why would you post such an easy fix? Couldn't find it anywhere on Google searches, which is what you do when your lazy or stumped, and just maybe someone just like me, with the same problem, will read this. This is easy as hell problem to recognize! Not when its worked fine for 2 years, you just won't notice the solution anymore. How did you find this out then? I pondered the situation. (Do these tests to double-check.) I determined it could not be my speakers, since problem persisted on my headset. Could not be my sound card, problem persisted with on-board sound being used (speakers plugged into regular port). Wasn't my drivers, updated drivers twice from manufacturer's website. Only other option could be my Mobo...but it 95% of the time not your Mobo. Then I thought...wait a second...2 sound chips working at the same time...might = problems. Happy Fixing. :70s:
