Dear Computer Lady,
We are trying to get the sound to work on a new Windows 7 installation.
It previously worked through our external speakers, but now only comes from the monitor.
What are we doing wrong?
Chuck
Dear Chuck,
I can’t tell you for sure what is wrong without actually looking at your computer, but I can tell you what the most common reason for sound not working is.
If you unplugged your speakers at all, or moved your computer when you did the new Windows 7 installation, you might have plugged your speakers back into the wrong port on the back of your computer.
This is the number 1 reason sound doesn’t work after a computer has been worked on.
On the back of your tower, there are anywhere from 2 to 6 sound jacks. Some are for speakers, at least one is for a microphone, there might be a line in, and/or a line out and they are all the same size.
The key is knowing which jack to plug your speakers into. I can’t always tell by just looking at the back of a computer, but from years of trial and error, I have learned that first you try the green jack, which almost always works, then if it has a black one, try that.
Since you have sound coming from your monitor, perhaps you plugged your monitor speaker jack in where your regular speakers should have been plugged in.
Elizabeth
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Elizabeth Boston is a Web designer, Social Media Consultant and managing editor of, “Ask The Computer Lady”.
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