[help?] windows sound recorder and volume controls

Posts: 258

i dont have any problems listening to audio on my laptop.
i'm trying to record audio on it with the program Sonar. i'm not getting any signal on the line im trying to record, although midi and other sounds that are already in the program play back fine.

long story short, i have no speaker icon in my taskbar, nor do i have windows sound recorder.
i dont know why.

im figuring this may be why my sound card won't get a signal through it's input.

is there anywhere i can download the window's mixer control/sound recorder/speaker icon.whatever it's called?

because i dont know how to install just these components off a disc, or if i even have the windows backup discs?

gracias

Posts: 8245

Some things to try:

Check the Device Manager
Update or reinstall sound card drivers
Control Panel -> Sounds & Audio Devices -> Check volume icon to show in task bar & check under the audio tab for the Default Sound Recording device.

If you're using Vista (please specify related hardware / software when asking for PC help)

In regedit delete these two keys, then reboot:

IconStreams

PastIconStream

Check here:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/106787-notification-area-system-icons.html

Posts: 258

im using xp.

i went to check the "show icon" box in the sound devices panel nd it tells me that i do not have windows volume control installed.

my only problem is that my laptop has some viruses or something and i can use the internet.
so when it prompts me to add new programs online, i can't.

i guess i wont know how to fix this until i can pay someone to fix my laptop. (the modem connects, but no pages will load in mozilla, IE, etc.)

Posts: 8245

Laptops should have a recovery disk with instructions.

Posts: 258

i have 3 recovery discs and i cant find the volume controls anywhere.
so i tried reinstalling WMP and dell media direct, which didnt help.

its like i never had sound recorder on there or something.

someone told me to go somewhere to find unused icons and it may be there.
how do i get to that?

Posts: 8245

If you had them, they should be in a folder on the desktop with an obvious label.