Find out if there is a sound card. How to find out the model of the audio card on the computer

A sound card (sometimes called a sound card) is an add-on device to your computer that allows you to process sound. Initially, the boards were separate cards, a little later they began to be integrated into motherboards in order to save money. It is clear that such cards produce far from the best sound, and if you are a music lover, you should buy a separate sound card. The cost of really good boards can easily reach tens of thousands of rubles.

The first external sound card can be considered a device from Covox Inc. It connected to the printer port of the IBM PC and allowed mono digital audio to be played. The IBM PC, by the way, was initially notable for its lack of sound, since it was created for solving business and scientific problems. The only sound it made was the sound of the built-in speaker, which is needed to indicate faults. This was in 1986. Interestingly, this device was one of the most popular on the market for the next 10 years, although by the end of the 80s of the last century, audio cards from other manufacturers began to appear on the market.

Modern audio cards do not differ in large dimensions and take up relatively little space, not to mention the built-in ones. Many users do not even know their sound card model, which, in general, is not at all surprising - the main thing is that there is sound. But in fact, you need to know the model of the card at least so that in case of something you can update the drivers on it. For example: you turn on the computer, and. Through trial and error, you figure out that you just need to reinstall the drivers.

Today I will tell you how to find out the name of your audio card.

Method one

I will show an example based on the Windows 7 operating system, but in fact the method is also suitable for other versions of Windows, including XP or 8.

First thing we need to do is open the Device Manager. You can get into it in various ways. For example, hover your mouse over the Computer icon on your desktop, right-click and select Properties.

A window will open to view information about your computer. On the right side of the window there is an icon "Device Manager" - click on it.

Now the device manager we need has opened. Here we see a list of devices, but we are only interested in "Sound, video and game devices". Click on the icon and you will see a list of audio cards.

It is important not to get confused as there may be other media devices here. In addition, the name of the audio card in my case (Realtek High Definition Audio) is incomplete, since the card is built-in. If you have a separate sound card, its name will be reflected in full.

Method two

If you need to find out the exact name of the audio card, even if it is built-in, third-party software will help you. On the site, I have already repeatedly mentioned programs for viewing the configuration of a computer. One of the most popular programs is undoubtedly Everest. Yes, the program is paid, but for the first 30 days you can use it for free, and if you like it (and you will definitely like it), you can purchase it.

So, download Everest from the official website, install it on your computer, and then launch it. Having opened the program, we find the subsection "Multimedia" - "Audio PCI / PnP" and see the full name of the audio card on the right side of the screen.

Method three

If you are using an external sound card, then you probably have left the packaging from it. Find the last one and see the device name on it.

If you bought a system unit in a boron in a store, then you need to find purchase documents - they will indicate the name of all components, including a sound card.

Traditionally, you can ask your questions using comments.

It is important to know the model of the devices installed in the computer, because sooner or later this information will probably come in handy. In this material, we will consider programs and system components that allow you to find out the name of the audio device installed in your PC, which will help solve most of the problems with its operation, or give you a reason to show off your existing equipment with friends. Let's get started!

You can find out the name of the audio card in your computer using tools such as the AIDA64 program and built-in components , as well as "Device Manager"... Below is a step-by-step guide to determining the name of the sound card in the device of interest under the Windows operating system.

Method 1: AIDA64

Method 2: "Device Manager"

This system utility allows you to view all installed (also malfunctioning) devices in the PC along with their names.

Method 3: "DirectX Diagnostic Tool"

This method requires just a few mouse clicks and keyboard presses. "DirectX Diagnostic Tool" along with the device name, it displays a lot of technical information that can be very useful in certain cases.

Open the app "Run"by pressing the key combination "Win + R"... In field "Open" enter the name of the executable as shown below:

In the window that opens, click on the tab "Sound"... You will be able to see the name of the device in the column "Name".

Conclusion

This article covered three methods for viewing the name of the sound card that is installed in your computer. Using third-party software AIDA64 or any of the two Windows system components, you can quickly and easily find out the data you are interested in. We hope that this material was useful and you were able to solve your problem.

Before you suspect a breakdown of the sound card on your computer, carefully inspect the existing PC connectors for external damage. You should also check the performance of the subwoofer with speakers or headphones through which sound is played - try connecting them to any other device. The hardware you are using may be causing the problem.

It is likely that reinstalling the Windows operating system will help in your situation, be it 7, 8, 10 or the Xp version, since the necessary settings could simply have gone wrong.

Let's move on to checking the sound card

Method 1

The first step is to tackle the device drivers. This requires:

After that, the drivers will be updated and the problem will be resolved.

Also, this procedure can be performed if the current version of the software is available on removable media. In this situation, you need to install, specifying the path to a specific folder.

If there is no audio card at all in the device manager, then go to the next option.

Method 2

In this case, its full diagnostics is required for the correct technical connection. You must do the following in a specific order:

Please note that this option is only suitable for discrete components that are installed on a separate board.

Method 3

If, after a visual inspection and check of the speakers or headphones, they turned out to be in working order, and reinstalling the OS did not bring any results, we move on:

After the test of the sound card is completed, the system will inform you about its state and if it turns out to be inoperative, you will understand this based on the results.

Method 4

Another option, how to quickly and easily check the sound card on Windows OS:

This will run diagnostics for audio problems on the computer.

The program will offer you several options for problems, as well as indicate the connected audio devices. If, the diagnostic wizard will allow you to quickly identify this.

Method 5

The third option, how you can check if the sound card is working, is the following:

In the tab "Driver" and "Information" you will receive additional information about the parameters of all devices installed on your PC, both integrated and discrete. Also, this method allows you to diagnose problems and quickly identify them by means of a software check.

Now you know how to quickly and easily test your sound card in several ways. Their main advantage is that for this you do not need online access to the Internet, and all procedures can be carried out independently, without contacting a specialized service.

How to find out the sound card on the computer through the device manager

To do this, you do not need to download third-party software or programs. You just need to go to the dispatcher and select the desired item. Be careful, this method will not always let you know the specific model, most often, you will only be shown the family of the sound card. This is quite enough if you are looking for drivers for a computer or laptop, but if the task is specific - to find out the card model, then this method is definitely not suitable for you.

Go to "Start" in Explorer and find the "Control Panel" field. Click on it once.

In the window that appears, you will see the search bar on the right at the very top.

Start typing the words "Device Manager", a search will be performed automatically at the bottom. As soon as you see that the search line appears there, click on it.

In the manager you need to find the line “Sound, video and game devices”. Open it by clicking on the small triangle next to it.

You can now see all the audio devices on your computer. In this case, there are two of them. This is a small addition from Nvidia and the main High Definition Audio sound card is built in.

If this method did not help you or you need a specific model, then try using the following methods.

How to find out the sound card on a computer in DirectX

Quite simpler and faster way. Suitable only for those users who have already installed Direct X. Usually, you unbeknownst to yourself have installed it a long time ago, you just might not remember it. A very important and useful utility.

Simultaneously hold down the Win and "R" or Win and "k" keys in the Russian layout.

In the pop-up window, type the command “dxdiag.exe”, then press the Enter key.

Wait a few seconds for a response from the program, then go to the “Sound” tab. On the DirectX Diagnostic Tool pane.

You will see complete information about the sound card, as well as all the necessary drivers. On the second line, you will see the equipment code, which is also important information.

It may be that you did not install this program earlier, or you cannot find the device. Then resort to the last, reliable method.

How to find out the sound card on a computer using a third-party program

One of the most truthful programs can be considered “Everest”, which is now called AIDA64. Follow the link to the official website of the developer http://www.slo.ru/download. Please note that the trial period is thirty days.

Select “Download AIDA64 Extreme”.

Once the installation file is saved, go to the downloads folder and double-click on it. Follow all instructions of the installation program, agree to the license agreement and select the program language.

The installation will take a few minutes, as soon as the bar is completely green - the installation is complete.

Open the installed software. Find the “Multimedia” tab in the list on the left.

Inside it you will find the section “PCI / PnP Audio”, click on it. The exact model of the audio controller will be written in the window on the right.

In this case, the device also has an HD Audio device. If you need to know it, just click on the line name.

The last method is the most accurate and detailed. You will most likely recognize your sound card model and required drivers.

An audio card is an equally important element of any computer that is responsible for sound reproduction and its quality. Over time, it can fail, for example, the most common malfunction is failed drivers, sound interference, or even completely.

In this case, it is necessary to carry it out. But before proceeding to determine the breakdown, you need to find out which sound card is on the computer, or rather its manufacturer and model. This will allow you to most accurately identify and fix the problem.

The easiest way is device manager

The advantage of this method is that to determine the installed sound card, you do not need to download and install additional programs, thereby cluttering the system.

Therefore, we open the device manager. For example, this can be done by clicking on "Start" and entering the required phrase in the search bar. There are also suitable ones for Windows 7, 8 and Windows 10.

Also here you can see detailed information about its driver. To do this, right-click on the model and go to "Properties". Open the "Driver" tab, here you need the item "Driver version".

Usually the version of the driver is looked at when you need to reinstall it.

We use AIDA64

With the help of the "AIDA64" program you can find out not only the manufacturer of the sound card, but also determine the exact model. What cannot be said about the previous method. The utility is free and compatible with all versions of Windows. You can find and download it here.

After installing the utility, do the following:

Viewing detailed information about each component is only half of what AIDA64 can do. I recommend taking this utility into service.

Visual inspection

If you have an external sound card in your system, then in order to find out its manufacturer and model, you just need to open the side cover of the case, remove the board and carefully examine it. The name can be written both on the board or chip itself, or on a special sticker.

In the case of an onboard audio board, just look at the motherboard. You need to find the controller responsible for the audio output. It is precisely on it that the manufacturer's marking is most often present, even less often you can find a sticker with a number.

For laptop users, this option can be confusing. Alternatively, you can use utilities like AIDA64, HWINFO or Speccy.

We use DirectX

Also, to find out which sound card is not only on the computer, but also in use at the moment, a special diagnostic tool will help.

You can start it in the following way:

The advantage of this method is that by looking at the "Default" line, we can understand which audio card is currently active.

Speccy

Program " Speccy"Are kindly provided to us by the developers of the well-known utility" Ccleaner ". It is able to show all information about the hardware installed in the computer. Absolutely free and available in Russian. In general, I recommend it.

After installing the program, you must:

Everything is extremely simple.

HWINFO

The HWINFO program will also help you to find out the manufacturer of the sound card. In terms of its functionality, "HWINFO" is somewhat reminiscent of "AIDA64", but it is convenient because it does not have to be installed into the system.

How to use it:

As you can see, there is nothing difficult.

BIOS settings

You can find a sound card in the BIOS. But unfortunately, the manufacturer and model of the board are not always displayed in it. But looking at the version of the controller is not difficult.

It should be remembered that the appearance of the settings panel and the names of the items can be different in each case. It all depends on the BIOS version used. Therefore, if your settings panel is different, look for similar designations.

And so, how to see it all: