Well, rather than completely restore your computer to its original factory
state, I would just try the Driver installation first, if everything else on
your computer seems to be okay. If the the SigmaTel HD Audio driver in
C:\Drivers isn't working, try to find first) an updated version of the sound
driver from Sony's internet site for your model, or, if an updated version
isn't available, then (second) download the original version of the sound
driver that came with your computer. If you have to download the Original
Drivers Package, then do that. After you download the file, right-click on
it and choose "Run as Administrator". If you downloaded the Package, find
the SigmaTel HD Audio driver setup in C:\Drivers, then right-click that and
choose "Run as Administrator" to install.
Too, since the sound driver uses a few files from Vista's system files, you
might try this to see that things are okay:
Run the System File Checker. To do this, right click on Command
Prompt (Start Menu\Programs\Accessories), and choose
Run as Administrator. Copy the following, and Paste it after the prompt:
sfc /scannow
Press Enter. It will scan all your system files. It may take a few
minutes. If things are okay, you are
given the text message "Windows Resource Protection did not find any
integrity violations".
"AWAC" <AWAC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news
08814EF-5754-478A-8D27-20BAC11F8CE5@microsoft.com...
> Thanks again for your help. I have investigated and printed the recovery
> instructions - I now have to make the recovery DVDs before I can start the
> recovery process. I plan to do this tomorow (Saturday).
>
> I also checked out . the SigmaTel HD Audio driver is there. I
> tried to re-install it but it stopped, telling me that certain components
> were unavilable????
>
> I can download all the drivers and utilities from the Viao website
> dedicated
> to my particular model of Vaio, which I will also do tomorrow. I have to
> do
> some file housekeeping (e.g. dumping all my data files onto my portable
> 250GB
> HDD) and dumping BBC TV progs I have from 3 of my DVDs to the portable
> HDD,
> then format the 3 DVDs to use as my recovery DVDs. I will then reinstall
> the
> whole lot, get the updates off the web and hopefully all will be well. I
> will
> post the results here - probably on Sunday morning. I was told this
> evening
> that SONY just sent me a free Blue-Ray DVD of "Casino Royale", so I hope
> that
> this one month old notebook is OK for when I get back to England so I can
> watch the movie on Blue-Ray!
>
>
>
> "dean-dean" wrote:
>
>> This might help get you to the Recovery Manager, also:
>>
>> http://kb.sony-europe.com/KB/Solutio...99/V00185.html
>>
>>
>> "dean-dean" <dean-dean@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:unGTG7V1HHA.1344@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> > Using your VAIO Recovery Utility (or some such similar name), can you
>> > choose
>> > to re-install the sound driver (SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC)?
>> > Also
>> > check C:\Drivers or C:\Utilities. It should give you the option to
>> > selectively choose a program or driver that you want to re-install.
>> > (This
>> > should not to be confused with the option to restore your computer to
>> > it's
>> > original factory condition, or anything extreme like that). I have a
>> > Sony
>> > laptop, and I have that option to choose a driver to re-install. I
>> > also
>> > have the option to download the driver for my model from the Sony
>> > Support
>> > website, but I don't see that option available for your model. Yours
>> > must
>> > be too new 
>> >
>> > I only see this available:
>> > http://support.vaio.sony.co.uk/downl...=VGN-FZ&m=2667
>> > Click on Preinstalled Drivers and Utilities for more info, on that
>> > page.
>> >
>> >
>> > "AWAC" <AWAC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> > news:5C166D9A-6524-4A9D-8283-9A2C79EAD9EE@microsoft.com...
>> >> Did all that and still not working (pity!). i really do appreciate
>> >> your
>> >> help.
>> >>
>> >> I work in Nigeria (Lagos) and live in England (where I bought the
>> >> Viao).
>> >> the
>> >> complete name is VGN-FZ11Z - It's the new one that is designed for
>> >> entertainment!!...some entertainment...fixing the sound afer a few
>> >> weeks
>> >> of
>> >> owning it! the URL for the Viao is:
>> >> http://vaio.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProd...y=VN+FZ+Series
>> >>
>> >> The driver is: SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC (it says it is
>> >> working
>> >> properly).
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> "dean-dean" wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> Well, when you reported that Volume Mixer wasn't showing a separate
>> >>> column
>> >>> for the game, that, to me, indicates a sound driver problem, or that
>> >>> it
>> >>> lost
>> >>> it's configuration. Try right-clicking the Volume icon, and choose
>> >>> Playback
>> >>> Devices. Double-click the Device in the window that pops up. On the
>> >>> Enhancements tab, put a check next to "Disable all sound effects",
>> >>> then
>> >>> click Apply. On the Advanced tab, click on Restore Defaults, and
>> >>> make
>> >>> sure
>> >>> both check-boxes, under Exclusive Mode, do have a check mark.
>> >>> (Apply,
>> >>> OK).
>> >>>
>> >>> What country do you live in? Is VGN-FZ11Z the complete name for your
>> >>> Vaio
>> >>> model? In Device Manager, under "Sound, video and game controllers",
>> >>> what
>> >>> is the name of your sound device?
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> "AWAC" <AWAC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >>> news:964E9911-5C97-4533-82A4-920B086027E2@microsoft.com...
>> >>> > Well, turning off games, hard switch off, switch on, turn on games
>> >>> > again
>> >>> > didn't work. I am stuck!
>> >>> >
>> >>> > "AWAC" wrote:
>> >>> >
>> >>> >> Many thanks for your reply. However, the volume for the game (or
>> >>> >> indeed
>> >>> >> any
>> >>> >> of the pre-loaded games) is not listed separately when I have any
>> >>> >> of
>> >>> >> them
>> >>> >> running. What is shown in the Volume Mixer is Device (speaker and
>> >>> >> headphones)
>> >>> >> plus another one for Windows Applications. They are both set to
>> >>> >> 100%
>> >>> >> volume
>> >>> >> and neither is muted.
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> i am now trying the following - turn off games, switch off laptop
>> >>> >> (coMplete
>> >>> >> shutdown and not just restart). When it boots up again, i will
>> >>> >> turn
>> >>> >> on
>> >>> >> the
>> >>> >> games again and hope that they instal correctly (i.e. complete
>> >>> >> with
>> >>> >> sound!).
>> >>> >> I will post he result (fingers crossed!).
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> "dean-dean" wrote:
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> > You might check this. When playing Mahjong, for example,
>> >>> >> > right-click
>> >>> >> > the
>> >>> >> > Volume icon in the notification area, and choose Open Volume
>> >>> >> > Mixer.
>> >>> >> > The
>> >>> >> > game will be listed with its own volume control. Is it muted,
>> >>> >> > or
>> >>> >> > turned all
>> >>> >> > the way down?
>> >>> >> >
>> >>> >> > "AWAC" <AWAC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >>> >> > news:4B975F9C-180E-4AC9-B8F0-B4258FC2D07C@microsoft.com...
>> >>> >> > > The sound on all the Vista (Home Premium) pre-loaded games
>> >>> >> > > worked.
>> >>> >> > > Now
>> >>> >> > > although the games work, i cannot get the sound to work. I
>> >>> >> > > have
>> >>> >> > > one
>> >>> >> > > other
>> >>> >> > > game loaded into the standard Vista games folder - Rush For
>> >>> >> > > Berlin -
>> >>> >> > > and
>> >>> >> > > that
>> >>> >> > > works perfectly. I have tried disabling the sound to each
>> >>> >> > > pre-loaded
>> >>> >> > > game,
>> >>> >> > > saving and restarting the computer (Sony Viao VGN-FZ11Z which
>> >>> >> > > is
>> >>> >> > > 3
>> >>> >> > > weeks
>> >>> >> > > old!) to no avail.
>> >>> >> > >
>> >>> >> > > All other sounds work pefectly (e.g. music at start up, bleeps
>> >>> >> > > and
>> >>> >> > > stuff,
>> >>> >> > > etc) and I have no problems with sound via DVDs.
>> >>> >> > >
>> >>> >> > > Very puzzling - but how can I get the sounds back? Can anyone
>> >>> >> > > help
>> >>> >> > > please.
>> >>> >> >
>> >>> >> >
>> >>>
>> >
>>
>>