TForce6100-939 lost audio under Vista?!

[forthill]

I'm running Windows Vista Home Premium.
I've got a GeForce 6100 board (TForce6100-939) which has onboard audio of Realtek AC '97 codec.
I also have a pair of Labtec USB speakers.

The speakers have recently stopped working - no sound at all, and I'm trying to troubleshoot the problem without much success. In Vista the correct audio device is installed with its driver. Going into Device Manager, Sounds category there are entries for Realtek AC '97 Audio and Labtec USB Audio (speakers). If I click on 'sounds' and try to play any of the Windows sounds nothing comes from the speakers. I remember this had happened some time ago where the sound just stopped but several weeks or so later it came back.

I haven't tried another set of speakers yet. I have tried another USB port but without success.

What can I try to get this to work? If all else fails I know ultimately I can plug in an audio card and bypass the onboard audio.

Thanks,
Walter

 

[DaveSimmons]

I'd expect the USB speakers to have their own sound chip, try looking for it in control panel / device manager and making that chip the default audio output.

 

[forthill]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
I'd expect the USB speakers to have their own sound chip, try looking for it in control panel / device manager and making that chip the default audio output.

Tried that Dave. Regardless of which one I make the default audio output I get the same result of no audio.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Do the USB speakers have a headphone jack? Try using that to see if maybe the speakers' amp is dead.

Also try plugging the headphones into the line out of the motherboard.

 

[forthill]

Well, oddly enough - and I don't understand this - I removed via Add/Remove Programs the Realtek AC '97 Audio driver and re-booted. Windows prompted me, via SAC, to either allow the driver to be found/installed, find/install it later, or never install the driver.
I chose to never install the driver and now I have sound out of the speakers.

Go figure....
forthill