Troubleshoot sound-related problems with Microsoft games or mapping programs

This article describes how to troubleshoot these sound-related issues in the Microsoft games that are listed in the "Applies to" section:

• No sound plays.
• Sounds are too quiet.
• Sounds are distorted or scratchy.
• The computer stops responding ("hangs") when sounds are played.

Troubleshoot the problem by using the following methods in the order that they are presented.

Method 1: Check whether you can hear the sound in Windows

Test the sound in Windows by playing your favorite music or video file. If there is no sound, contact the manufacturer of the computer or of the sound card for more troubleshooting help. If you can hear the sound, go to Method 2.

Method 2: Check whether sound is enabled in the program

Each program has a unique setting to turn on and turn off the sound. Refer to the product documentation (manual) for certain keys or game settings to "toggle" the sound on or off.

If the issue continues to occur, go to Method 3.

Method 3: Restart the computer by using a clean startup procedure

When you start Microsoft Windows, other software may start automatically together with the operating system. These programs can include antivirus and system utilities that may interfere with the game. When you perform a clean startup, you prevent these programs from starting automatically.

You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to complete this procedure. If the computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from completing this procedure.

To view detailed steps about how to do a clean startup, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:If the issue continues to occur, go to Method 4.

Method 4: Install the latest version of Microsoft DirectX

To download and install the latest version of DirectX, visit the following Microsoft Web site:If the issue continues to occur, go to Method 5.

Method 5: Update your sound card driver

Contact the manufacturer of your sound card to obtain and install the latest version of the driver. For information about how to contact the manufacturer of your video adapter or sound card, see the "References" section of this article.

To determine whether applicable driver updates are available, visit the following Microsoft Windows Update Web site:To view a video that shows how to use Microsoft Windows Update, click Play to view this streaming media presentation:



To identify the name and the provider of your sound driver, follow these steps:

1. Open the Direct X Diagnostic Tool. To do this, click Start
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   , type dxdiag in the Start Search box, and then click dxdiag.exe in the Programs list.
2. Click the Sound tab.
3. Under Device, look for Name.
4. Under Drivers, look for Provider.
5. Click Exit.

To view a video that shows how to use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, click Play to view this streaming media presentation:

For information about how to contact the manufacturer of your sound card, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.