# Aser Aspire 5102WLMi Sound Problem (No Audio Device!?!?!?)



## Tonic1080 (Oct 21, 2006)

Ok, so here's the lowdown. I just ordered my new Aspire 5102WLMi from Newegg.com and, as suggested with a lot of the comments I had read prior to buying the laptop, I went out and bought another 512 ram before even fireing it up. When I did turn it on everything worked as well a expected. I installed a few programs, let it stretch its legs a little, and gave it a test run. Everything worked fine (including the sound).
Then I proceeded to follow the next bit of common advice, to reformat the HD to get out of the FAT partitions. Well, I reinstalled windows (upgrading to XP instead of the Media Center) and all the drivers (including the ATI chipset and the audio drivers) provided on the Aser website. Windows has also been upgraded to the most recent patches available.

The Problem: there is no audio device detected on the machine anymore. All the drivers are in but its acting as if there is no audio hardware on the laptop.

Everything else is working fine, anyone know what I might be missing? I even went back and tried running ALL the drivers on the website for the 3100, 5100, and the 5110 series computers just incase I missed anything.
Here is a list of what software has been tried so far.

Aser eData Security Management v2.00.3076
Aser Empowering Platform v2.3.2015
Aser ePerformance Manager v2.0.2.007
Aser ePower Managment v2.0.2016
Aser ePresntation Management v.2.0.2008
Aser eSetting Management v2.3.2017
Aser GridVista v2.53.0209
Atheros 802.11 a+b+g Wireless Lan Driver v4.2.2.7
ATI Chipset and Display Driver v8.251
Bluetooth Driver and Utility
Broadcom 802.11 b+g Wireless Lan Driver v4.10.40.0
CPU Driver v1.3.1.0
Flash BIOS v2.00
Launch Manager v1.10.1e
Modem Driver v7.51.0.0
Realtek Audio Driver v5.10.0.5257
Realtek LAN Driver v5.635.923.2005
SMC FIR v5.1.3600.7
Touchpad Driver Synaptic v8.2.19.0 and Elantech v5.0.3.6

If im not mistaken this is suppose to include HD sound hardware and such, is there another driver from somewhere else I am suppose to have or is the Realtek the one?
Anyone had similar problems or any advice for what is goig on here? Should I reformat back to Windows XP Media? Any conflicting software/hardware that would make a difference?


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## PanamaGal (Jun 3, 2006)

You didn't mention doing anything with the BIOS. But I'd still go there and check to make sure that sound is enabled, as it sounds like it somehow got turned off. Drivers won't do any good if Windows is not seeing the hardware. I'm curious though, you said you upgraded to XP over Media Center. MCE is essentially XP Pro without domain registration, and with media extras. Unless you needed the domain registration, you could do more with Windows MCE. Check the BIOS for the sound hardware and let us know.


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## Tonic1080 (Oct 21, 2006)

I checked the BIOS and I couldnt even find an option in there to do anything with audio or any such hardware.

One thing that did catch my attention was my boot priority list:

1. IDE 0 - my hard drive
2. IDE 1 - DVD RW
3. SATA - empty
4. PCI BEV - *Realtek Boot Agent*

I noticed on my drivers that I downloaded and installed from the Aser website that there was a Realtek audio driver and a Realtek LAN Driver. I dont know if these would have anything to do with my boot priority (figure this is a 3rd item from Realtk) but I figured I would throw it out there anyway.

Would my upgraded memory right when I got it have anything to do with it?
I noticed that all the 5102 computers people were talking about online had Windows Media Center instead of Professional. Would there be a conflict in the hardware and the operating system?


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

Lets go to the system control panel, hardware tab, and click on device manager. Let us know if you see any yellow or red marks and what shows under audio.


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## Tonic1080 (Oct 21, 2006)

Yes I have some yellow items but they are unidentified (so I wouldnt even know what drivers to look for).
Other devices - PCI FLASH Memory (three of these)
System Devices - PCI Device

I can assume this is my sound card/hardware but another problem is I have been unable to find any details about what exactly my audio system is (Realtek?) so I don't know for sure what exactly to download for it. 
The only drivers for audio I found on the Acer website were Realtek drivers. If it is integrated sound then I assume the ATI Chipset drivers would have covered it.


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

Try the audio driver from here.
http://www.acerpanam.com/synapse/fo...m/us&siteid=7293&areaid=7&formid=3394#results


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## Tonic1080 (Oct 21, 2006)

that link you gave just takes me to the search section for Acer drivers. I posted all the drivers I installed at the opening post. (that was all drivers for the 3100, 5100, and 5110 series') 

If you found something under a different series that might apply to my problem, just say what driver it is and for what series/computer it is listed.

Again, would this problem be because of my upgrading to Windows XP Pro from Media? I tried going to back to Media but they didnt send me a disk to do so and the disk I used from a friend will not accept the Product Key that came with the laptop. Do I need to get a Windows XP media OEM disk to use my key?


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## laboye (Apr 11, 2006)

You would need it, but you would need to activate it. In that case, you would destroy your only license if it doesn't work right. Here's the one I found:

AcerPanAm.com/us

The Realtek in the BIOS is LAN, that's nothing. Perform a manual Windows Update. When you get through the preliminary stuff, click Custom. On the left, select the driver downloads and select and install them all.


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## garths (Oct 2, 2007)

Tonic1080

Try rebooting on battery power only.

If that solves the problem, persuade your friendly ACER Support people to replace you ac adapter.

Works for me!


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