Audacity Forum

We keep backing up to more and more basic problems. Did you get your new Audacity 2.0 from here:

http://audacityteam.org/download/

...or somewhere else? Who made your Virus Protection Program and is it up to date? Can you run your virus program in "thorough mode" where it makes you stop using the computer while it's working? Go make coffee or something.

And stop reinstalling Audacity for a while. You might be doing more harm than good.

Koz

Hi Koz,

Glad to hear from you again.
Initally downloaded Audacity 2.0 from sourceforge and on the next three occasions.
The last two times I've downloaded from CNET Download.com.

My Antivirus is Avast Free Antivirus which runs constantly. I have just checked and is is right up-to-date.I never have to stop using the computer while it is running.
I used to use AVG free, but five months ago a computer engineer deleted it and installed Avast.

Are you permitted to use TeamViewer to assist?
Am I the only person with this problem?

Brian.

If you right-click over the speaker icon and Playback Devices and Recording Devices don't respond, your system is already pretty broken. Audacity is unlikely to play, let alone record in these circumstances if the sound device is actually the cause of the problem.

Did this computer engineer reinstall Windows or put a new hard drive in? In that case he may not have (re)-installed the sound device properly. I suggest you read http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Updat ... ce_Drivers and follow the advice there, in particular looking in Windows Device Manager for audio devices. If there is no audio device or it only has Microsoft drivers, look for the drivers CD that came with the computer and reinstall the audio device. Otherwise you'll want to go to the web site of the computer manufacturer (if it is a branded machine like Dell or Lenovo) or the motherboard manufacturer and obtain a Windows 7 32-bit audio driver that is meant for your exact computer model.

Another possibility is that security programs are actually interfering with Audacity and Windows. Are you running any other firewalls (you should only run one at a time), or any other antispyware or security programs?

Taking remote control of your computer is certainly one possibility if you give permission and accept all the consequences thereof, but I think you have other problems to sort out first.



Gale

Gale,
It does seem that the sound divice is causing the problem.

My computer is a DEll XPS 430 - originally using VIsta, but as soon as Windows 7 became available I converted the operating system. This was very easy to do and I had no problems after that.

Six months ago my C Drive packed up and an engineer replaced it with a Samsung 1TB drive.
He was able to recover all my files and most of my programmes. I cannot remember if I used Audacity Beta after this and before installing Audacity 2.0.

I have read the Audacity advice. I have checked Windows Device Manager audio Devices and checked the drivers. They are all up-to-date as far as I can see. I tried the original installation CD but could not find the Audio Device. I was also concerned that this would be for Vista, not Windows 7 32bit.

I then spent hours trying to find the Dell driver applicable for this computer for a Windows 7 operating system but was unsuccessful.

The only firewall operating is Windows. I also have Windows Defender, but this is switched off.

If you are able to take control of this computer I would be delighted as I am getting to the stage where I am considering using a sledgehammer on the wretched thing.
My telephone package allows me to phone land lines in most countries for up to an hour at a time at no extra cost if you need a code to connect to the computer.
I also operate with a dual screen.

Brian.

He was able to recover all my files and most of my programmes

.

Why would he (the Engineer) recover PROGRAMS, when a program is loaded it is put in a certian place for the computer to find it and then added to the regestery, if the program is not properly installed you don't know what will happen to it. Changing the HDD will completley change the address of programs and you will not even be able to locate them on the computer. Have you had any problems with other programs?

Now you know why many people start fresh with each new operating system upgrade.

Virus Protection programs do run in the background and on-the-fly inspect incoming and outgoing files for health and a match to the virus profiles. It's all largely out of sight, out of mind. But. It's not going into all the heavy duty system files and preferences and link libraries because you're using them. In order to do an exhaustive inspection of your machine, the system has to stop and that means you get to make coffee.

If your virus software has no provision for exhaustive inspection, I bet it does in the high quality paid version.

You might throw yourself open to Microsoft's on-line virus inspection.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-se ... moval.aspx

Koz

I have used Avast for years. The free version is quite powerful, and includes the ability to do an exhaustive scan, including a boot-time scan (an in-depth scan of all files and the boot sector before Windows starts). The only things that you get from the PAID versions are a sandbox, additional firewall options, and spam-blockers for e-mail.

It's always a good idea to periodically do a full scan - but I don't know if that will actually solve your problems.

Brian,

The only audio driver I could find for XPS 430 on the Dell site was http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/ ... cs=19&l=en which seems to be for a Creative Sound Blaster XFi card - is that what you are using, that is there is no built-in motherboard sound device? Another way to get information about your audio devices is to click the Windows globe, type "dxdiag" (without quotes) then run dxdiag.exe when it appears in the search results.

When you went to the Dell site did you enter or let Dell detect your "Service Tag"? See http://support.dell.com/support/topics/ ... egacy=true . This may give you a better chance of identifying any drivers you need.

If I was in your position and drivers provided no solution, I would try a system restore to before you installed Audacity 2.0.0 (or to before then).

If that did not help, I would disconnect the internet, exit Avast (not the firewall) and other security programs and see if that made Audacity run. Anti-virus and anti-spyware engines can prevent programs and interface elements of Windows launching.

Then whether you have success or not, I would do a full boot-time virus scan using Avast!

If that did not help I would reinstall Windows. It is quite easy to reinstall Windows 7 while keeping your program settings and files (though of course you should backup your files before reinstall).

If that solves the problem then you could create a system image using Windows Backup and Restore which will give you a working system (ready to go with drivers installed as they were) which you can go back to if your hard drive fails again.



Gale

Thank you all for your advice and assistance.
Yesterday Audacity finally worked - and today it is still working.

Thor 21344
"He was able to recover all my files and most of my programmes"
I regret if my information was confusing. When the computer enginner replaced my C Drive with a brand new one he was able to recover all my files and nearly all of the programs installed on the old C Drive which were in C/Program Files.
I have had no trouble at all with any programs until I installed Audacity 2.0, which is the only program that has not worked.

Koz
As a fairly newcomer to computers and without formal training when upgrading from Vista to Windows 7, I followed the instructions on the installation disc.(I was installing Windows 7 Home Premium, not the Professional version which would have meant a clean instal).
I had no difficulty in the conversion and everything has worked fine until Audacity 2.0.
Thank you for your information about Microsoft's on-line virus protection which I did not know existed. I downloaded the program and ran a full system scan.
This ran from late morning until well into the afternoon. No malicious files were found.

Solanus
Your information about Avast was very useful. I did a full system scan which took ages. Fortunately no malicious files were found.

Gale Andrews
Thank you for your perserverance. I did use the Dell Service Tag when trying to identify a driver for the sound, and like you came up with just the Creative Sound Blaster which I'm sure was not on my system . I was reluctent to download it as I have now upgraded from Vista to 7.
Befor resorting to System Restore I followed your instructions by disconnecting form the internet and exiting Avast. I then did a computer restart, restored Avast and re-connected to the internet.
I then clicked on Audacity symbol on the Desk Top and AUDACITY OPENED!!!
I could hardly believe it, so I closed Audacity and re-opened it again, and again, and again. Each time it worked.
Today I tried again (I could hardly believe the solution was so simple) and it is still working.
So no need to reinstal Windows 7.
I will certainly be making a back-up. I use Genie Timeline and a seperate 2GB drive for back-ups.
I am extremely grateful for all your assistance.

I knew nothing about computers until six years ago. I am now aged 75. After buying a digital camera wanted to improve the pictures. I used to print them at first, but that proved very expensive so I learned how to burn them to a DVD. I then wanted to produce slide shows with tranitions, captions and music. Hence Audacity.
Next I wanted all my friends to be able to view the shows, so I learned how to build a web site (http://www.brianthomaswilson.me.uk).

Once again thank you all.

Brian Wilson.

Brian,

I'm glad Audacity is running. How about right-click over the speaker icon > Playback and Recording Devices?

I don't know what inference to draw, except possibly that the heuristics Avast! employs to block viruses were getting tangled and needed a restart while Windows was running.



Gale