My Computer Lost Its Sound--Help!

Laptop or desktop computer?

Does your computer have external speakers?

Have you tried rebooting your computer?

The sound is back. Don't know why.

I tried to delete this thread. I was told that my efforts killed a hamster.

Thanks for responding, Tico. The problem resolved itself. I don't know why. Don't know what happened.

A couple of questions before you completely forget this (hopefully isolated) incident:
1. desktop or laptop?
2. oldish or newish computer?
3. what kind of speakers do you use?:
...a. internal or external?
...b. if external speakers, how are they connected?

Trying to see if it's a possible hardware issue that might be intermittent.

Thanks, tsar

Looks like problem is solved ... but I just want to tell tsar that I think his questions were insightful, probing, and spot on.

If something has not been accidentally unplugged, some other program has temporarily changed the sound settings. Rebooting the computer usually fixes sound problems and a lot of other common PC problems.

Here's the non-technical analogy:

Think of it as an editing project. Using a bunch of yellow post-it notes to notate editing suggestions, the project eventually collects a cluttered mess of bits and pieces piled on top of each other and loses organization. Our computers also collect a cluttered mess of bits and pieces and can become disorganized (making something not work as expected). Rebooting the PC allows the operating system to permanently incorporate (or discard) the pile of editing suggestions (eliminating the mess of notes) and reorganize itself with a clean start.

Thanks for the info, Butrflynet. The problem resolved itself. I don't know why it happened. I don't know why it stopped. But the info will be helpful if it happens again.

That explains how that dead hamster got in my mailbox.

Just when you think you are out.. they pull you back in.