Problems With My Sound Card

im having problems with my sound card, anytime I try to listen to my music files this appears on the screen;

There is no sound card
You either do not have a sound card installed on your computer or it is not functioning properly. If you do not have a sound card installed, you must install one before you can listen to audio in a digital media file. If you do have a sound card installed, refer to its documentation to troubleshoot the problem.

followed by;

Error ID = 0x80040256

can anyone help please?

That particular error gets this response, among others:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328435

In order to help you, we need more info, so;

Please tell us the make and model of computer OR make and version of motherboard if a u-build.

Alternatively;

Download and run Everest Home (it is free):

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

Once you download it, click on it and let it install and then run it from the icon on your desktop.

Click on the + sign beside 'Computer', then on 'Summary', then go to the VERY Top of the screen and click on 'report'.

Note: the 'Very Top' isn't one line down, it means what it says.

Cursor over 'quick report-summary' and then click on 'plain text' and then click on 'save to file' and change the 'save in' folder to 'Desktop' and then click 'Save'.

Clear all your open windows and on the Desktop click on that 'report.txt' icon - this will open it in a text editor
(probably Notepad) and then use your mouse to highlight ALL the 'debug' entries and delete them, then use your mouse to hilight all the remaining text then copy and paste it to here.

For future reference: once you open Everest, click on file, preferences, report and uncheck the 'include debug information in the report' box. People rarely want to see that stuff.

Others here might NOT need this info to help I do. :)