imported files won't play

I just installed the latest version of audacity. I imported a file for processing. Before I did anything, I hit the play button to hear the file. Nothing happened. Not even the play line moved. Eventually I got an error message that said, “Error while opening sound device. Please check the output device settings and the project sample rate.” The file says the sample rate is 44100hz. I contacted my tech guy who said the sound device (speaker) is working properly. The only changes I’ve made recently is trying to plug in a turntable that converts analog to digital (it didn’t work). help

See if this FAQ helps: http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_playback.html#usb