Hi,

Most likely you tried to install a different sound device driver and the installation failed, or you didn't like it and tried to un-install it but it didn't finish completely. That's what happened in my case and this is what I do (based on the advice of other members in different threads) :

1. First I removed C-Media sound device driver.
2. Remove the registry by clicking start, run, type regedit.
3. Select hkey local computer, software, microsoft, windows, current version, control panel, cpls, and I remove cmcpls
4. Select hkey local computer, software, microsoft, windows, current version, run, and remove cmaudio
5. Then I go to start, search, and type in cmicnfg.cpl and click search. I remove all cmicnfg.cpl found there.
6. I search the same for cmcpls, cmaudio, and cmuda and remove them all.
7. Next I remove the device driver of C-Media by doing : start, my computer, right click on my computer and select manage.
8. Click device manager (on left) then select sound, video, and game controllers (on right panel, near bottom).
9. Right click on C-Media (in my case this is the device driver I want to remove that is causing problems), and select uninstall.

At this point, all C-Media device driver is removed and clean from the disk drive and from the registry. Then I install Realtek AC97 (this is what I want). I can get this from the computer vendor. If you use Dell, get it from dell.com, Toshiba get it from toshiba.com, emachines get it from emachines.com and so on. Just go there and select download, search the link for audio, and you have to type in your computer type, model.

Once I install Realtek AC97, I reboot my pc and the sound works perfectly. I hope you can fix your problem.

Regards,
Ben