Sound Issues

so my girlfriends parents just got a new computer and everything but the sound works great. its just on-board sound, but they don't need anything special.

I can't get any sound out of the speakers. I get the Error message "No Audio Device Installed" from a bubble in task tray. when i look at it in the device manager it says the sound device is installed and working properly and that the drivers are up to date (i tried uninstalling/reinstalling them).

All the volume setting/output settings are correct, nothing is muted etc. if anyone has any ideas let me know..

Its windows Vista pre-installed on a Compaq computer.

 

Check your speaker configuration on Vista. Reason: I sent a 2.1 system with my mom's computer to Colorado. The tech who hooked it up said 2.1 wasn't supported in Windows Vista

 

hmm, that seems like it would make sense since they have a 2.1 system. i'll be over there tomorrow to check it out.

in the mean time if anyone else has any suggestions of other possible causes please let me know so i can try all the possible solutions at once, instead of going back and forth.

thanks