Need some Computer help.
 

Recently my laptop has started to not want to play sound, be it through the speakers, or a plugged in headphone. Since then, the fix has been to redownload the driver, which works. However, it's only a temporary fix. I've tried the Google machine, and what little info I can find tells me to do just that. I'm not the most computer savvy person, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

-Frenchy

What do you mean "temporary fix", did it break again?

Is the Shoup named for a USMC commandant? Which one (there were 2)?

Interesting - make/model of laptop? What operating system are you running? Win7 - 8 or ?

Was it something that happened suddenly and continued, or was it an intermittent problem?

Have you tried the System Restore tool to revert back to a previous set of system files etc. from a previous Restore Point?

According to what I am seeing, in the process of trouble shooting, the System Restore is the next step.

What happened to cause this Frenchy?

Sorry, looking back I guess I could have elaborated a tad more. Not sure what caused it. Went to use it one day and the sound didn't work. Deleted and redownloaded the driver, and the sound came back. Closed the laptop that night, came back the next day and the same thing. It's been going on like this for about 1 - 1 1/2 weeks now. I haven't tried a system restore yet. It's an Asus AH31 running Win 8.

Don, yes, General David M. Shoup was the 22nd Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Is there an X over the speaker icon on the lower right toolbar? Is it muting rather on its own in other words. OS and name model would help.
Are there any other quirks at boot up or with the keyboard?
Is the sound being routed thru the usb, there should be an indication under properties in device manager.
Clean out any malware or newly installed programs you didnt install.

Just a few places to check.

If all else fails, sew it in a weighted canvas bag, and tip it over the rail with solemn dignity.

But to be serious, check everything as suggested above. Also make sure your anti-virus software is up to date and then run a scan on the computer. You may have a bug that has infected the operating system.

I knew him when he was the CO at PI and I was 9.

I's try a system restore point from 2-3 weeks ago and see if that cures it. I have seen similar issues with sound and other drivers that was cleared after a system restore. Once done the Windows Updates came back down to download and install - and afterwards no problem seen. I never did pinpoint the exact cause back then.

Let us know how it goes eh?

Update. Tried a system restore from about 1 - 1 1/2 months ago, nothing. Googled the error i was getting: "The device is being used by another application. Please close any application any devices that are playing audio to this device and then try again." Turns out it's a common problem with the most recent win8 patch. Fixes are to install 8.1, or uninstall that patch. Currently downloading 8.1, so we'll see if this works.