[problem] got audio playback but can't record, no task bar icon

Hey, i got a realtek ac97 acl850 and i've been fighting non-stop with this weird problem that came up two days ago. I don't know what happened but all of a sudden the volume control task bar icon disappeared, i also realised i couldn't record any audio. I reinstalled drivers, tried the nvidia and the realtek ones but none worked, used driver cleaner, still no good.
Yesterday i found a guy with the same problem, he tried to sound cards: a realtek ac97 alc850 (same as mine) and a SB live 5.1. The problem persisted with both, so it has it be a windows problem.
Does anyone know what can be happening?

thank you

 

what happens when you go into Device manager? does it show any errors under sound?..You can reset the task bar icon in sound properties in the control panel..there will be a check box saying place volume icon in the taskbar. going in there will also show if you have problems. Give more info..do you have playback?..when you mean you can't record you mean what exactly? it starts but no signal?..it doesn't show any recording device?..what exactly do you mean..thats to vague..I'll help if I can but you nee to give me more info...

 

i get no errors. I can play audio files and video files or w/e that involes audio. When i reffer to recording i cant even press the "record" button in the windows sound recorder...
Recording and playback devices show Realtek AC97 audio. And reseting the task bar icon does not work.
Everything seems to be normal except it isnt

 

For what it's worth sounds like driver corruption..What is your system set to for default recording device?..how many sound devices do you have?..do you have more than 1 card?..Get driver cleaner. You reintalled drivers..but that doesn't help if files are in use..the will not be written over..and if ones corrupted and being used..then your stuck..does that make sense?..what happend prior to this issue?..install anything new?..anything you can think of or did it just happen?..maybe go into BIOS, disable the device..this will free up the files..reboot. use add/remove to pull out the AC97 drivers..then use driver cleaner to remove the rest..make sure you have newest drivers..or atleast a version you know is GOOD. a version that you have used. and reinstall...that should fix it...try it out..but if you have answers to any of the questions..post back before going through the process..but that should fix it...but if you have mone than one device than this is probably not your problem.

 

i got only 1,
i already used diver cleaner
nothing happened prior to the problem, it happened all os a sudden
i will try disabling the card in the BIOS and removing the files

 

i insist it is a windows problem becuz one guy i know hast the same problem and tried 2 different cards, please read my first post completely.

 

it did not work

 

hmm, OK when you go into Audio properties in control panel, under Audio at the top..it should have playback, and recording//what in there for a device or are they greyed out? Sounds like driver corruption for sure but just maybe NOT your soundcard..something in between..playback but no recording. you said this is just sound recorder?..try another recording program..maybe sound recorder is corrupterd..check that stuff for me and post back..

 

playback/recording are ok, they both shot AC97 audio.

i can't record with ANY program.

 

How about enabling the "Show volume control on the taskbar" checkbox under Control Panel ---> Sound & Multimedia ---> Sounds ---> Sound Volume?

If you can pop that up, you may be able to change the playback and recording settings using the default sound panel that Windows provides.

 

i've already tried that 100 times, that isn't the problem.

 

no one has any other idea ?

 

you dont seem too willing to take peoples advice, saying that you have tried things 100 times and you are certain it is a windows problem..
format your hard drive and try with a fresh install of windows.. maybe you screwed something up.......
if that doesn't work... pray

 

haha, all that people said i have already tried. but i thank your advice.. i really dont want to format, but that seems to be the only solution

 

If it's on-board audio, you could try disabling it in the bios, boot into Windows with it disabled, restart the computer and re-enable it in bios to see what happens. Perhaps you'll luck out.

 

ROBSCIX already told me to do taht, i tried but it didn't help. Thx tough..

 

maybe it's your chipset drivers? or Direct X, could be just the chip is pooched, di you send it a high voltage signal or such? it's weird that one aspect would work and the other wouldn't usually when a device goes it all goes...Maybe it's time for a new sound card.

 

somebody told me it is a virus... i think ill format, i got no other option..

 

In that case why not scan for viruses?

 

already did it, found nothing :S.