You didn't mention if your device shows as the preferred device in Control Panel
Multimedia applet Audio tab.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375




"ms" wrote in message ...
W98SE, 96 MB RAM, daily cold boot.
Computer was assembled in 1997, daily use since then with few problems. I
rarely use sound, so have sound card output connected to speakers and unplug
the speaker adapter normally. Periodically, I plug in the adapter and play
MIDI and MP3 files OK with various sound utilities.

Yesterday, I plugged in the adapter, saw the usual power button light up in my
Labtec speakers. I clicked on a new executable sound utility, opened and
clicked on a MIDI file, it played normally. Then I opened a MP3 file, I saw
the file opening in the util screen, but no sound. Then I went back to the
same MIDI file, it again plays, but now no sound. From then on with various
sound utils (I never use WMP directly), they all work, but no sound output at
all.

I looked through a previous helpful post by Brian A. Not an expert, but I can
note the following:
My P166 is very stable and reliable with W98SE, practically never have BSOD.
I am careful, can't recall anything done that would have effected sound.
Getting updated drivers are not IMO available, as the sound card is 1996
vintage, but it has always worked fine up to now.

Sound icon in System tray present, volume normal, screens look normal.
Several system utils show sound card is still installed.
Device Manager shows: ES 1868 Plug and Play Audio Drive
The screens show it operating normally, uses normal (?) resources
No yellow question marks
It appears to be normally enabled.
Under resources, no conflicts.
Unplugged the external Labtec speakers, my monitor has built-in speakers, no
change.

Maybe, of course, in the above, I missed something. There has been nothing
that happened on the hard drive to cause this, I seldom install anything, have
low resource use, normally trouble free.

Advice?

TIA

Mike