Fix Sony Vaio sound – No speaker or headphones are plugged in

Has happened a couple of times on my Sony Vaio

Diagnosis – This post fixes this issue

1. Red cross against sound volume in notification tray
2. Also inspect > Windows Key > Sound >
   • Playback > Only one playback device shown – for me that was “Digital Audio (HDMI) High Definition Audio Device – Not plugged in”
   • Recording > “No Audio Device is installed”
3. Clicking on the sound icon and asking it to detect and resolve problems does not work.

Solution 1 – Try first because it is quicker and less disruptive

Put in headphones and then click on sound icon in notification tray.
Detecting problems may then resolve the matter and put back in the speakers “Default Device”

Solution 2

In MSConfig find the service or startup that is stopping the sound from working
Possible Catalyst Control Center
Possibly Sony Vaio Event Manager or something of that ilke.

Solution 3

Solved by installing driver from here:

http://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/product/VPCEB1C5E/downloads/Preinstalled_Drivers_4943

This got my sound back, but I lost my Aero themes. Got this back after just a little more work. Putting following into a FixAero.reg file and installing may have helped. And a second restart after.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM]
“UseMachineCheck”=dword:00000000 “Blur”=dword:00000000 “Animations”=dword:00000000

Solution 4

Use msconfig and change to Normal Startup will fix it, but lose the Aero theme.

Note: After my laptop started working again, the Program and Features showed that “Realtex High Definition Audio Driver” was installed in the last days.