How to find out what sound card is in a laptop? How to determine the sound card model programmatically and physically

On a computer or laptop. This problem may be due to either missing or damaged drivers or an inoperative sound card. In any case, even to reinstall sound drivers, you need to know the sound card model. There are several ways to determine the model of a component part. Read also: Where to download and how to install sound drivers on Windows 10?

Software method for determining the sound card model

You can find out the sound card model on a PC running Windows 7 and higher operating systems using standard means: using the Device Manager and the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. In the first case, to determine the sound card model, perform the following steps:

• Click “Start” and right-click on the “Computer” icon and select “Properties”.

• In the new window, click “Device Manager”.

• In the manager we need the “Audio audio inputs and audio outputs” branch.

• However, it is worth noting that this section does not always display the data correctly.

The sound card detection through the DirectX Diagnostic Tool is as follows:

• Press “Win+R” and enter “dxdiag”.

• A new window will open. Go to the “Sound” tab. Using the specified code you can find the sound card model.

• However, again this method is not 100% accurate. Therefore, if you want to know exactly the model of your device, you will have to install additional programs. Among the software, we recommend PC Wizard and Everest.

Determining the sound card model using the first program is as follows:

• Download and run the program on your PC.
• The program will open. Click on the “Speakers” icon. The “Device Audio” parameter is exactly the sound card model.

You can determine the sound card model using the Everest program in the following way:

• Download and install the software on your PC.
• Go to the “Multimedia” branch and select “Audio PCI/PnP”.

Physical way to determine the sound card model

This method is more suitable for stationary PCs, since disassembling a laptop and searching for small parts can cause difficulties and lead to damage to components. To physically find out the sound card model, perform the following steps:

• Remove the side cover of the system unit.
• We are looking for a small chip on the motherboard. It might look like this. Near it there will definitely be a power stabilizer for the sound chip.

• Also, the sound card can be built-in, then it will be located near the audio inputs and outputs and look like a small board.

• In any case, the chip will contain information that is necessary to find suitable drivers.

For other ways to determine the sound card model, watch the video:

A sound card (sometimes called a sound card) is an additional device for a computer that allows you to process sound. Initially, the boards were separate cards; a little later they began to be integrated into motherboards in order to save money. It is clear that such cards do not produce the best sound, and if you are a music lover, it is worth purchasing a separate sound card. The cost of really good boards can easily reach several tens of thousands of rubles.

The first external sound card can be considered a device from Covox Inc. It connected to the printer port of an IBM PC and allowed the reproduction of monophonic digital sound. The IBM PC, by the way, was initially distinguished by its lack of sound, since it was created to solve business and scientific problems. The only sound it made was the sound of the built-in speaker needed to indicate faults. This was in 1986. Interestingly, this device was one of the most popular on the market over the next 10 years, although already in the late 80s of the last century, audio cards from other manufacturers began to appear on the market.

Modern audio cards are not large in size and take up relatively little space, not to mention the built-in ones. Many users don’t even know their sound card model, which, in general, is not at all surprising - the main thing is that there is sound. But in fact, you need to know the card model, at least so that if something happens you can update the drivers on it. For example: you turn on the computer, and . Through trial and error, you find out that you just need to reinstall the drivers.

Today I will tell you how to find out the name of your audio card.

Method one

I will show an example based on the Windows 7 operating system, but in fact the method is also suitable for other versions of Windows, including XP or 8.

First of all, we will need to open the device manager. You can get into it in various ways. For example, hover your mouse over the Computer icon on your desktop, right-click and select Properties.

A window will open to view information about your computer. On the right side of the window there is a “Device Manager” icon - click on it.

Now the device manager we need has opened. Here we see a list of devices, but we are only interested in “Sound, video and gaming devices”. Click on the icon and you will see a list of audio cards.

It is important not to get confused as there may be other media devices located here. In addition, the name of the audio card in my case (Realtek High Definition Audio) is incomplete, since the card is built-in. If you have a separate sound card, its name will be reflected in full.

Method two

If you need to find out the exact name of the audio card, even if it is built-in, third-party software will help you. On the site I have already mentioned many times about programs for viewing the computer configuration. One of the most popular programs is, without a doubt, Everest. Yes, the program is paid, but you can use it for free for the first 30 days, and if you like it (and you definitely will), you can purchase it.

So, download Everest from the official website, install it on your computer, and then launch it. Having opened the program, we find the subsection “Multimedia” - “Audio PCI / PnP” and see the full name of the audio card on the right side of the screen.

Method three

If you use an external sound card, then you probably still have some packaging left over from it. Find the last one and see the device name on it.

If you bought a system unit in a store in a store, then you need to find the purchase documents - they will indicate the names of all components, including the sound card.

Traditionally, you can ask your questions using comments.

Before you suspect that the sound card on your computer is broken, carefully inspect the existing PC connectors for external damage. You should also check the functionality of the subwoofer with speakers or headphones through which the sound is played - try connecting them to any other device. Perhaps the cause of the problem lies precisely in the equipment you are using.

It is likely that reinstalling the Windows operating system, be it 7, 8, 10 or the Xp version, will help in your situation, since the necessary settings could simply be lost.

Let's move on to checking the sound card

Method 1

The first step is to deal with the device drivers. To do this you need:

After this, the drivers will be updated and the problem will be resolved.

This procedure can also be carried out if you have the latest version of the software on removable media. In this situation, you need to install by specifying the path to a specific folder.

If the audio card is not in the device manager at all, then move on to the next option.

Method 2

In this case, a complete diagnosis is required to ensure correct technical connection. You must do the following in a specific order:

Please note that this option is only suitable for discrete components that are installed on a separate board.

Method 3

If, after a visual inspection and checking the speakers or headphones, they are in working order, and reinstalling the OS did not bring any results, we move on:

After the sound card test is completed, the system will inform you about its status and if it is inoperative, you will understand this based on the results.

Method 4

Another option on how to quickly and easily check a sound card on Windows OS:

In this way, we will run a diagnosis of audio problems on the computer.

The program will offer you several options for problems and also indicate the connected audio devices. If so, the diagnostic wizard will allow you to quickly identify this.

Method 5

The third option for checking whether the sound card is working is as follows:

In the “Driver” and “Information” tabs, you will receive additional data about the parameters of all devices installed on your PC, both integrated and discrete. This method also allows you to diagnose problems and quickly identify them through software testing.

Now you know how to quickly and easily check your sound card in several ways. Their main advantage is that for this you do not need online access to the Internet, and all procedures can be carried out independently, without contacting a specialized service.

Discussed in more detail in this video

Question from a user

Hello.

Perhaps my question will seem absurd, but still, tell me how to find out if I have a sound card? I connected the speakers to the computer, but there is no sound at all.

I have three different outputs on the back of the system unit: red, green and blue. I tried to connect speakers to everything, but there was no sound. What can be done?

Good day.

In this article I will look at several ways to determine the model of the installed audio card (if, of course, there is one ☺) ...

Is there an audio card on the computer?

To determine the presence of an audio card, just look at the outputs that are available on the back wall of the computer. In the vast majority of cases (this is standard), sound outputs are indicated in three colors, see fig. 1 (which you named):

1. pink - used to connect a microphone;
2. blue- necessary to connect a sound playback device, say, some kind of player;
3. green- for connecting headphones and speakers.

If they are there, then the sound card is installed and below we will consider the issue of determining its exact model (information is very necessary for finding and installing drivers, without which there is no sound on the PC and there will not be...).

By the way, as for laptops, the outputs here are often not marked with different colors, but a small thematic picture is drawn opposite each one (see Fig. 2 - the outputs for a microphone and headphones are shown there).

Rice. 2. Connectors for connecting a microphone and headphones (this means the laptop has a sound card)

Method number 1 - through the device manager

The device manager displays all the hardware installed and connected to the computer/laptop (including sound card, video card, TV tuners, etc.).

To open Device Manager:

1. press the simultaneous buttons Win+R(the "Run" window should open);
2. enter the command devmgmt.msc(without quotes, periods, etc., see Fig. 4);
3. press Enter.

Rice. 4. Open the device manager // devmgmt.msc

Next you need to open the tab - the name of your sound card will be displayed in it. An example is shown in Fig. 5 - sound card on PC "Conexant SmartAudio HD".

Note! The exact model of the sound card is not indicated, because... integrated map. If there was a discrete card on the PC, the dispatcher would show its exact model.

By the way, you can find a driver for an audio card (and, by the way, to clarify its model) using ID equipment (each piece of hardware has its own). To do this you need to open properties the necessary equipment (see Fig. 6).

Then you need to copy this line into a search engine: Google, Yandex, etc. In the search results you can find both the model of your device and the drivers for it.

ADDITION

In Device Manager, in the tab "Sound, gaming and video devices" your sound card may not be there. In this case, try opening the tab "Other devices" - it contains devices for which drivers are not installed in the system (they are marked with yellow exclamation marks, see Fig. 8).

If your device is in this tab, you need to find and install a driver for it. One of the easiest ways to find and update drivers is to use special utilities for auto-updating and installation. I talked about such utilities in this article:

Method No. 2 - through special utilities

Nowadays there are quite a lot of programs for viewing the characteristics of hardware connected to a PC/laptop. And, by the way, by using such utilities, you can save your time: they will quickly and easily show you all the characteristics of your equipment, tell you where to find drivers for it, etc. I provide a link to such utilities below.

The best utilities for viewing computer characteristics (description and links to official download sites):

One of the most famous and convenient (in my opinion) is AIDA64 (formerly Everest). After starting AIDA64, you need to open the tab " Multimedia/HD Audio " . Next you will see the name of your audio card (Conexant CX20751/2 - see example in Fig. 9) and its properties.

By the way, the AIDA64 utility is not free, so if it does not suit you, you can use other analogues.

For example, in the ASTRA32 utility, just open the tab "General information" - and in the “Sound” subsection you will find information about the manufacturer of your sound card and its model (see Fig. 10).

Rice. 10. ASTRA 32 - information about the sound device on the laptop

What can be done if there is no “sound sound”?

If it turns out that you don’t have a sound card on your computer, or it burns out (for example, due to a sudden surge in electricity, a lightning strike, etc.), and there is no money to purchase and install an internal card, I can suggest you think about purchasing and connecting external small USB sound card .

It is cheap ($1-2 if you buy in a Chinese store, for example, AliExpress), it does not take up much space, and can be connected to both laptops and personal PCs. And most importantly, connection and setup are very simple - even a complete novice user can handle it (which cannot be said about connecting an internal audio card).

If you have a modern version of Windows (note: Windows 7/8/10), then after inserting the card into the USB port, the system will automatically install the driver and the card will work. All you have to do is enjoy the sound that appears!

Its advantages:

1. fairly high-quality sound (even a cheap card provides quite acceptable quality);
2. compact size, comparable to a regular flash drive;
3. can be connected to almost any device that has a USB port;
4. you can connect a microphone and headphones;
5. very cheap (won’t disappoint, even if it doesn’t live up to expectations ☺).

In general, in my opinion, this is an excellent temporary option (and maybe permanent), which will not take a lot of time and money. I recommend trying it.

Well, that's all, good luck everyone!

PS additions on the topic are always welcome...

One day, almost every computer user is faced with the problem of a lack of drivers for a sound card, and of course, a lack of sound in the speakers. What should you do if you don’t understand exactly which driver needs to be installed for sound to appear? In fact, the problem is not as complicated as it seems at first glance!

So, let's look at several ways that will help determine the model of the installed sound card and select the devices necessary for proper operation.

Method one:

This is probably the most reliable and fastest way to determine the sound adapter model, but it has its drawbacks:

• not applicable to laptops;
• you need access to the contents of the system unit and a screwdriver;
• good eyesight to see the small writing on the sound chip.

If this does not scare you, then disconnect all wires from the system unit (after remembering the connection of all wires), remove the unit and remove the side cover of the case (on the left side, if you look at the case from the front). Immediately pay attention to the back panel of the system unit in order to orient yourself where and what sound card you need to find. If the sound card connectors are located together with other connectors of the motherboard (block No. 1 in the photo), then the sound adapter is built into the board, and if they are located separately (block No. 2 in the photo), then most likely the sound adapter is a separate device.

So, if your sound adapter built into motherboard (1), you need to find the audio chip on the board and look at its model. The photo below shows an example where the model of the sound chip is ALC233.

When searching for a chip, you need to pay attention to the following nuances:

• There may be a similar network controller chip nearby (for example RTL8139).
• There are some capacitors near the sound chip.

If at this stage you have already found a sound chip and found its model, then go to point “Searching and installing a sound driver”, which is below.

If your sound adapter is installed separate from the motherboard, look for a sticker on it (photo below) with information about the manufacturer and model number. If there is no such sticker, unscrew the screw that secures it, pull the adapter out of the connector and look at the markings on the largest chip.

Now that you have determined the model of the sound chip or manufacturer and the model of the sound adapter, you can begin searching for a driver for this device.

Known adapter manufacturer and model:

Go to the section and find the required driver for your operating system.

The known model of the sound controller chip is:

1. Download the archive with drivers for sound adapters. (alternative link to archive)
2. Unzip the archive to any folder on your hard drive.
3. Open the file sound.txt, which is in the archive.
4. Find your sound chip model and install the driver from the appropriate folder.

We hope everything worked out for you

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