Windows XP Startup and Shutdown Sounds aren't working!

[rgarr]

Please Help!!!

I'm running windows XP SP2 and I've tried Google, Microsoft Knowledge Base and Kelly's Corner Web Site to no avail. I'm at a complete loss!



When the PC is turned on and off the default Start Windows
and Exit Windows sound is not played through the speakers
which are turned on. All other Windows sounds are played
correctly.


I have checked the sound properties in Control
Panel/Sounds and Audio Devices /Properties and the Windows
Default Sound Scheme is selected. The corresponding .wav
files are in place i.e. Windows XP Shutdown.wav and
Windows XP Startup.wav.


Please advise how I can rectify this fault.
Thanks

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[Fulvio]

That makes two of us. I don't really care, but I have heard nposounds for over a year.
I will give it another shot.

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[rgarr]

That makes two of us. I don't really care, but I have heard nposounds for over a year.
I will give it another shot.

Hi Fulvio,

I appreciate your response, however, I do care about fixing this problem and I'm looking for a fix...I fully realize that this isn't life threating to my PC...the startup and shutdown wavs worked before so they should work again. I'm looking for a serious response to my problem. Thank you !

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[rgarr]

I found a fix for my problem and I'm posting it here in the hopes that it may help others. It is as follows below:

The no startup/shutdown sound was a problem possibly caused by a reg fix program that optimized the XP shutdown. I found the solution at one of the XP tweak sites. It is caused by a missing beep on error registry entry. To fix it, you'll need the TweakUI powertoy for XP from Microsoft. It's a useful tool.

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/tweakui

After installation of TweakUI, open the TweakuUI tool, by clicking [Start], All Programs, power toys for Win. XP, etc. With the TweakUI open, goto the -General- setting and then check the "Beep on errors". This should restore the startup and shutdown sounds. This worked for me.

Thank you All!

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[Fulvio]

I'Ll be darned! I have Tweak UI for WinXP, and, guess what, the only box which was unchecked was the one which needed to be checked. Now, will it work?
It does. And, uncheck the box, restores peace and quiet.

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[jjssparkle]

I was just going to say: "have ya got your speakers turned on" ?

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[Fulvio]

I was just going to say: "have ya got your speakers turned on" ?

That will do it al the time. Except that it was not that issue.

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[CactusCharlie]

I'Ll be darned! I have Tweak UI for WinXP, and, guess what, the only box which was unchecked was the one which needed to be checked. Now, will it work?
It does. And, uncheck the box, restores peace and quiet.

I have the same problem , but i've tried this and the "beep" box was checked.


The startup and shutdown sounds are there and i can play them through Win Media Player manually.


I also have no warning/alert sounds, inc. new message alert on Outlook Express.

I have looked through PC annoyance books i have and i cannot rectify the problem, can you please help me.

I use Win XP Home (Service Pack 2) PC is Dell Dimension C521, bought November 2006.

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[PaulD]

1. In the Registry, for each user these sound definitions are at
[tt]HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default[/tt]
Under each of the keys listed are two sub-keys: [tt].Current[/tt] and [tt].Default[/tt]

For [tt]SystemStart[/tt] I have [the above...]
[tt](Default) REG_SZ (value not set) [/tt]
and under [tt]SystemStart\.Current[/tt] is
[tt](Default) REG_EXPAND_SZ %SystemRoot%\media\Windows XP Startup.wav[/tt]

For [tt]SystemExit[/tt], the path is the same, except that the file is [tt]Windows XP Shutdown.wav[/tt].

In each case the [tt]\.Default[/tt] values are the same.

Also, the default established when a new user is defined is located at
[tt]HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\AppEvents[/tt]\etc.-as-above

(Windows has a lot of 'defaults', doesn't it? Gotta keep 'em straight.)
(I have Windows XP Pro - SP2, but I don't think that there should be any differences.)

2. Somtimes one can reset an error condition by turning off the setting, then turning it on again. So (and there is no guarantee on this; and this process may be overkill):
In the Control Panel / Sounds that you reference -
a. Set the Sound value to "[None]"
b. Logoff the user (or do a Shutdown if desired)
c. Logon again
d. Re-establish the desired .wav sound. Test.

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[CactusCharlie]

1. In the Registry, for each user these sound definitions are at
[tt]HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default[/tt]
Under each of the keys listed are two sub-keys: [tt].Current[/tt] and [tt].Default[/tt]

For [tt]SystemStart[/tt] I have [the above...]
[tt](Default) REG_SZ (value not set) [/tt]
and under [tt]SystemStart\.Current[/tt] is
[tt](Default) REG_EXPAND_SZ %SystemRoot%\media\Windows XP Startup.wav[/tt]

For [tt]SystemExit[/tt], the path is the same, except that the file is [tt]Windows XP Shutdown.wav[/tt].

In each case the [tt]\.Default[/tt] values are the same.

Also, the default established when a new user is defined is located at
[tt]HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\AppEvents[/tt]\etc.-as-above

(Windows has a lot of 'defaults', doesn't it? Gotta keep 'em straight.)
(I have Windows XP Pro - SP2, but I don't think that there should be any differences.)

2. Somtimes one can reset an error condition by turning off the setting, then turning it on again. So (and there is no guarantee on this; and this process may be overkill):
In the Control Panel / Sounds that you reference -
a. Set the Sound value to "[None]"
b. Logoff the user (or do a Shutdown if desired)
c. Logon again
d. Re-establish the desired .wav sound. Test.

Hi Paul.

Many thanks. I'll let you know how i get on with your info.

Cheers, Charlie.

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[CactusCharlie]

1. In the Registry, for each user these sound definitions are at
[tt]HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default[/tt]
Under each of the keys listed are two sub-keys: [tt].Current[/tt] and [tt].Default[/tt]

For [tt]SystemStart[/tt] I have [the above...]
[tt](Default) REG_SZ (value not set) [/tt]
and under [tt]SystemStart\.Current[/tt] is
[tt](Default) REG_EXPAND_SZ %SystemRoot%\media\Windows XP Startup.wav[/tt]

For [tt]SystemExit[/tt], the path is the same, except that the file is [tt]Windows XP Shutdown.wav[/tt].

In each case the [tt]\.Default[/tt] values are the same.

Also, the default established when a new user is defined is located at
[tt]HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\AppEvents[/tt]\etc.-as-above

(Windows has a lot of 'defaults', doesn't it? Gotta keep 'em straight.)
(I have Windows XP Pro - SP2, but I don't think that there should be any differences.)

2. Somtimes one can reset an error condition by turning off the setting, then turning it on again. So (and there is no guarantee on this; and this process may be overkill):
In the Control Panel / Sounds that you reference -
a. Set the Sound value to "[None]"
b. Logoff the user (or do a Shutdown if desired)
c. Logon again
d. Re-establish the desired .wav sound. Test.

Hi Paul.

Many thanks. I'll let you know how i get on with your info.

Cheers, Charlie.

Hi Paul,

I have tried the first one but i didn't have much luck although i am not up on the technical aspects of PC repairs yet.
Re - the second one , again i am not sure if i did it properly, i'm not sure how to do a desired.wav test.

I would be obliged if you could bear with me and help me further.


Regards, Charlie.

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[PaulD]

Sorry, I should have been more explicit.
(1) - This was intended for reference only, in case one desires to verify that the Registry does have the correct data. It was not meant to imply that one should create or edit any Registry entry.
(2) - (Charlie says:) "The startup and shutdown sounds are there and i can play them through Win Media Player manually."
- a. 'The sounds are there' - where? In C:\Windows\Media? Yes, that is their residence. If 'there' means something else, please clarify.
- b. 'I can play them through WMP'. That's good; but that is not the problem.
- c. Note from the first post (RGARR, edited and reformatted):
"... sound properties in Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Properties > (tab) Sounds ".
- d. Look at the box at the bottom. When the desired Program event ('Start Windows' or 'Exit Windows') is selected, is the desired .wav file indicated in the Sounds box? And does it play when you click on the arrowhead adjacent to the box?

Testing - This was meant that after 'turning off and turning on' the sounds (as per (2.c and d), above) one can cycle Windows (Shutdown, and fire up again). But if (2d) isn't set, then this is irrelevant.

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[CactusCharlie]

- d. Look at the box at the bottom. When the desired Program event ('Start Windows' or 'Exit Windows') is selected, is the desired .wav file indicated in the Sounds box? And does it play when you click on the arrowhead adjacent to the box?


The sounds do not play here, i keep getting, "What's This" when i right click Start Windows etc.


There are no arrows beside the box, just the up and down arrows at the right of the box.





When i click browse to choose Sounds , i get a list of all apps in WINDOWS, and as i do not know what to look for i cannot choose one.

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[PaulD]

OK, now we're beginning to communicate.

"The sounds do not play here, i keep getting, "What's This" when i right click Start Windows etc."
- No, not right-click. 'Select' means single-left-click; this will cause the item to become highlighted.
- Note that each of the Events listed either has or doesn't have a little 'loudspeaker' icon to the left of it. If the icon is present, then a sound file is currently associated with that event.
- When you click on the down arrow that is inside the box, the box expands to list all the .wav files in the Windows\Media folder.
- The 'Play' button is the right-pointing-arrow-head button between the "Sounds" box and the Browse button.

"When i click browse to choose Sounds , i get a list of all apps in WINDOWS, and as i do not know what to look for i cannot choose one."
- Using the controls at the top of that "Browse for ... sound" sub-window, navigate to the Windows\Media folder. That is where these default sounds are stored. But if you have another .wav sound filed somewhere else you can navigate to it too. On this computer there are 35 .wav sounds in Media. You may have a different number.

Select the appropriate file, click on the OK button. Then you'll be able to test it. When all selections are satisfactory, click on the Apply button. I do note that some of the Events that are listed have no sound associated.

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[CactusCharlie]

What i have discovered today, in Sounds Speech and Audio Devices , the following do not have any Speaker Icons.

WINDOWS
----------------
All Events


NET MEETING.
--------------------

Receive Call
Receive Request To Join


WINDOWS EXPLORER.
------------------------------

(Same as WINDOWS)


Windows Media Folder is not in the WINDOWS folder, i have searched for it and cannot find it.

I used the search on Start, and all the sounds are there but i don't know which file or folder they are in.

When i left click on the events listed without the icons the arrow does not work.

I don't know what the hell i have done to make these sounds unavailable.

I'm really very sorry for being a nuisance.

Regards, Charlie.

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