Windows sounds can't be turned off

Vista just will not obey. My sound scheme [Control Panel\Sound\Sounds] in Vista64 is "No sound." Yet programs like Free Cell continue to make sounds. The individual program events on the Sounds tab has selectable sounds, all of which show "none" for the sound event. When I first changed to "no sound," there was no sound--for a couple of days. I could solve this problem by going into each individual sound and selecting a different file, such as a short custom audio file of a second or so of silence, and that will kill the sounds, but there has got to be a less cumbersome way of getting rid of the sounds. [I am not concerned about the greeting Windows gives you when it boots up, although I'm thinking about recording an actual hello from my parrot and replacing the Windows Logon Sound.wav with it.]
 

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Have you tried going in-to the "volume mixer" in the bottom right of your task bar and muting the "Windows Sounds?"
 

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The volume mixer actually works, but it seems like when I select a "no sound" scheme, I shouldn't have to worry about sounds except what I create intentionally from that point on. The first tab in "Sound" refers to a "sound theme" as a "set of sounds applied to events in Windows and programs," so my simple mind assumed that selecting a no sound "scheme" meant just that. I note now, as a result of your suggestion, that when you open certain programs such as Free Cell, they suddenly appear as new separate volume control sliders in the volume mixer with mute buttons. I never noticed that before, since I had never checked it with Free Cell open. I find it truly bizarre that Microsoft would expect a user to go to the volume mixer for each program separately. Testing on a few programs, I find that Sound Forge and PhotoStudio do not open new volume control sliders, but Photoshop Elements 8 and Roxio Creator do, although the mixer calls PE8 "name not available." Fascinating.
 
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My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Fujitsu Lifebook A6230
    Memory
    4gb ram
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI HD3470
    Mouse
    logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    dsl
The volume mixer actually works, but it seems like when I select a "no sound" scheme, I shouldn't have to worry about sounds except what I create intentionally from that point on. The first tab in "Sound" refers to a "sound theme" as a "set of sounds applied to events in Windows and programs," so my simple mind assumed that selecting a no sound "scheme" meant just that. I note now, as a result of your suggestion, that when you open certain programs such as Free Cell, they suddenly appear as new separate volume control sliders in the volume mixer with mute buttons. I never noticed that before, since I had never checked it with Free Cell open. I find it truly bizarre that Microsoft would expect a user to go to the volume mixer for each program separately. Testing on a few programs, I find that Sound Forge and PhotoStudio do not open new volume control sliders, but Photoshop Elements 8 and Roxio Creator do, although the mixer calls PE8 "name not available." Fascinating.
Well I am glad I could help! Let me know if there is anything else.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Build
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P
    Memory
    Corsair XMS2 Xtreme Performance 2x2GB DDR2
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 9800 GTX+
    Monitor(s) Displays
    19'' Samsung 1440 x 900 (2ms) SyncMaster Widescreen Flat Panel
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900
    PSU
    OCC Gamestream 600w
    Case
    Apevia X-Discovery
    Keyboard
    Razer Lycosa
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder
    Internet Speed
    Comcast; Download: 21.08Mb/s | Upload: 4.27Mb/s
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