Question about soundcards

[straycat]

Sometimes I have no sound say looking at youtube and sometimes I do have sound.Could I have a bad sound card or is it getting ready to crap out?
How hard is it to replace is it a plug and go thing?
I'm not a computer geek and pretty much stupid when it comes to computers.

[xenophobe]

Bad sound card, perhaps out of date driver or lack of specific codecs.

They're pretty easy to replace. Open cover, unscrew card holder, remove card, insert new card, fasten, and then plug in all your appropriate cords.

You may need to install the software drivers first, or after... the instructions should say, and should have decent diagrams on what you need to do.

[straycat]

OK I'll check out Best buy this week end.

[Spivonious]

More likely than not it's a driver problem. Search around on your computer builder's / soundcard maker's website for updated drivers.

With that said, if you're running with the onboard sound (you plug your speakers in next to the port cluster on the back, i.e. USB, serial, parallel, ps2) then pretty much any dedicated soundcard will sound better. If you can afford it it might be worth ugprading anyway. The actual upgrade process is extremely simple as long as you're okay opening up the computer.

[delt]

let me guess.... windows? *sigh*

[Burn]

I seriously doubt the problem has anything to do with which OS he's running.....

[straycat]

I do run windows XP.Opening the computer is no big deal I can do that.I have replaced DVD drives.I have updated everything several times and had sound after the updates but 3 or 4 days later no sound.