Help! Sound Problem: Please Assist!

[LeonhardEuler]

Sound problem: Please Help!

First of all, I really don't know much of anything about computers, so please excuse me if this is pretty stupid. I got my computer from a friend of my father's who didn't need it anymore. He deleted all the files on it before he gave it away, including stuff like windows and the drivers for the video card. I have it working pretty well, but the sound doesn't work. It can make beeps and it hisses every so often, so the speakers are working, but it can't play any sound files. Something simmilar happened with the display: it could do basic stuff, but it could only display 8 colors which messed up certain programs. I think I need drivers for my sound card or something. When I needed them for the display, I got them by finding the video card in add/remove hardware and then the computer found the drivers on the internet. Right now I have an "unkown PCI device" in add/remove hardware that I think might be the sound card, but when I let my computer search for the drivers, it can never find them anywhere. Maybe the problem is something else, I don't know, but that's what it seems to be. Thank you very much in advane for helping me!

 

[dduardo]

What type of graphics card and sound card do you have? Once you have that information you can go to the manufacturers websites and download the drivers you need.

 

[LeonhardEuler]

How do I find that information?

 

[dduardo]

Open up the computer and look at the cards. You might have to take the cards out. They usually have a sticker or printed information on the cards.

 

[LeonhardEuler]

How will I know which is the right card?

 

[brewnog]

How will I know which is the right card?

The graphics card is the one with the socket for the monitor lead, the sound card is the one with the sockets for your speakers, headphones and microphone.

 

[LeonhardEuler]

OK, I think I found it, but I don't know what the manufacturer is. This is what I found on the card:
Audio PCI

ASSY NO: 09 REV:A
N10225

EMI(B)

 

[dduardo]

By doing a google search of the N10225 I was able to find out the audio card is a CREATIVE LABS CT4810.

You can find the drivers here:

http://www.softwarepatch.com/utilities/creative-ct4810.html

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What does the video card say?

 

[LeonhardEuler]

Sorry this is taking so long. I downloaded the drivers, but can't find how to install them. Any idea how to do this?

 

[LeonhardEuler]

I don't know what I did, but the sound started working all the sudden! Thanks dduardo and brewnog!

 

[dduardo]

That's good. Now let's get your video card working. What model is the video card or is it intergrated into the motherboard?

 

[LeonhardEuler]

Oh, I already got the video card working when I first got the computer. It found the drivers on the internet by itself. Thanks again.