Re: no sound from computer
 

[QUOTE=TheMalcolmConnection]True, but I just saw on the website when I was looking for drivers that his particular model had Soundblaster options.[/QUOTE]
Ah, yeah, sorry. I missed that option.

Pull the card and see if the freezing up stops. If it does, you can leave it out and turn the onboard audio on in the bios. It won't be 5.1, but it will be sound.

Re: no sound from computer
 

[quote=cpayne5]Ah, yeah, sorry. I missed that option.

Pull the card and see if the freezing up stops. If it does, you can leave it out and turn the onboard audio on in the bios. It won't be 5.1, but it will be sound.[/quote]

True enough. I forgot that since it's PCI you can remove it. That's a good call. If the card is malfunctioning, then it may not be motherboard related so much as it's just that card.

Re: no sound from computer
 

OK, I removed the sound card and everything seems to be running smooth. No freezing, no conflicts in the device mgr.

Is it safe to assume the problem was the card? How do I go about buying a new one, do I just buy the same one? Are there any compatibility issues I need to know about?

thanks guys

Re: no sound from computer
 

Does your motherboard have sound? If so, you can enable this in your bios, and you'll have sound. If not (or if you want 5.1 again), you can just buy a new soundcard and install it.

Re: no sound from computer
 

I enabled the sound in the bios but I'm still not hearing anything, board must not have sound I guess.

Re: no sound from computer
 

It's conflicting with the you currently have. Try taking that card out of your computer if you are comfortable. AND if you see slots that'll fit a speaker connector on your motherboard, you should be good to go.

Re: no sound from computer
 

Scratch what I said before. Saw that you already did that.

I'd just order a new one from newegg. I always trust their shipping and prices. I would also say it is safe to assume it was the card causing all the problems.

Re: no sound from computer
 

What I mean, is if it has another set of holes for mic/speakers like on this MB. It's between the monitor port and usb ports.

[IMG]http://i6.ebayimg.com/02/i/05/ec/10/fe_1.JPG[/IMG]

Re: no sound from computer
 

[quote=cpayne5]What I mean, is if it has another set of holes for mic/speakers like on this MB. It's between the monitor port and usb ports.

[IMG]http://i6.ebayimg.com/02/i/05/ec/10/fe_1.JPG[/IMG][/quote]

yes it does

Re: no sound from computer
 

Did you plug in the speakers and enable the ports in the bios?

Re: no sound from computer
 

[IMG]http://img506.imageshack.us/img506/665/dscf02717vm.jpg[/IMG]

It should look like this.

Re: no sound from computer
 

If the mobo has onboard audio you might need to download the drivers from Dell in order to get it working, particularly if you had a PCI sound card already in there. As a side note, it's really weird for a sound card to just up and die one day. Not impossible, but very unusual.

Personally I wouldn't screw with onboard sound, but I'm picky about things like that.

Like Malcom said, if you get another PCI sound card, go Newegg.com. I order hardware on a regular basis and I order from Newegg every time, no exceptions. Their prices, selection and shipping cost/speed is the best in the business, and their return/RMA process is fantastic as well.

If you're shopping for cards, Sound Blaster is pretty much THE name in the PC audio business unless you're doing production level mixing or something, and even then there are some nice high-end sound cards.

If you just need a quick fix and aren't real picky, a basic [URL="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102002"]Audigy SE[/URL] would work well.

If you're into sound and have some nice speakers to pair it with, I can personally vouch for the [URL="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16829102190"]X-Fi Platinum[/URL].

There really aren't any compatibility issues to be concerned about. With a few very rare, bizarre exceptions, any Sound Blaster card from the past 2 or 3 years should work fine in any mobo from the past 2 or 3 years.

Re: no sound from computer
 

Honestly, I bought the Turtle Beach card and got GREAT sound from it. Very cheap.

Re: no sound from computer
 

[QUOTE=TheMalcolmConnection][IMG]http://img506.imageshack.us/img506/665/dscf02717vm.jpg[/IMG]

It should look like this.[/QUOTE]

What's that computer doing outside in the grass??

Re: no sound from computer
 

[QUOTE=TheMalcolmConnection]Honestly, I bought the Turtle Beach card and got GREAT sound from it. Very cheap.[/QUOTE]

Great sound is a very relative term ;)

I had a Turtle Beach card a few years ago with a midrange speaker setup and it was ok. I then upgraded my speakers to a bangin' setup and realized the shortcomings of the Turtle Beach card.

You really only need an expensive card if you've got high-quality speakers, otherwise you're just wasting money.

I personally just trust the Creative Labs (Sound Blaster) name - they've been doing it better for years and I'll spend an extra $20 or so for a name I can trust.