Just completed a hardware upgrade and Windows reinstall. All games/apps Work apart from LFS.

I have searched these threads and Ive tried everything but so far to no avail.

Have latest motherboard drivers and AUdio Drivers
Lastest DirectX9.0c Runtime
Ive applied the LFS test patch
Ive reinstalled
Ive done the DirectX sound tests and all pass


Motherboard : Asrock 939 Dual SATA2
Realtek onboard sound
Audio COntroller ALi(5455)

I'm now totally out of ideas

1) Try to revert to some older patch version(U, T, S)
2) Check device manager for any IRQ/DMA conflict
3) Try to remove your soundcard in device manager and then add it again

try increasing the sound delay (options -> misc).

on my computer, when running windows vista, any setting under .25 produces no audio at all, and .26-.28 produces audio with popping noises and .29+ produces clear audio.

could be the same issue.

you could also try <Shift+W> to reinitialize the audio.

Quote from MadCatX :

1) Try to revert to some older patch version(U, T, S)
2) Check device manager for any IRQ/DMA conflict
3) Try to remove your soundcard in device manager and then add it again

1) I'm not going to run an old version of the game when I have paid for it even if it did work
2) No Conflicts - Every other game I own works fine, Every other App sound wise works fine. Its JUST LFS that refuses to work.
3) Tried that - no difference

Ive even got the latest Realtek drivers direct from their website as opposed to the official Motherboard provided latest ones.

Quote from glyphon :

try increasing the sound delay (options -> misc).

you could also try <Shift+W> to reinitialize the audio.

Doesnt help. No sound at all in menus or otherwise. The error comes up a few seconds after the first splash screen.

Shift W in game doesnt help. Searching these forums before I posted here found quite a few examples of exactly the same problem that other have had, and No real answers.

What about lending some PCI sound card? If there is some general problem in sound management(dunno what problem, just an idea), sound shouldnt work in LFS with ANY card. If LFS just doesnt like your card, PCI sound card would be a solution.
Also you can try disabling sound acceleration in DXDIAG - it helped me once when I was solving one weird sound issue.

Quote from Squeezer :

1) I'm not going to run an old version of the game when I have paid for it even if it did work
2) No Conflicts - Every other game I own works fine, Every other App sound wise works fine. Its JUST LFS that refuses to work.
3) Tried that - no difference

Ive even got the latest Realtek drivers direct from their website as opposed to the official Motherboard provided latest ones.

well, if you try an older version, and the sound works in that version, then it could indicate that the current version has a bug that is causing some people to not have audio.

really, what do you have to loose? download the older version, and extract the files to a different folder from your main installation folder and start it up. you don't even need to unlock it. the only time it takes is downloading.

OK..Update : I have also noticed that I dont have the Windows startup/shutdown sounds happening, and If I go to control panel and select the sounds the "play" button is grayed out.

Weird thing is I can locate those wav files on my PC and play them directly and they are fine.
Im guessing that something has screwed my native Windows sound ?? in the registry as I Audio is fine with playing MP3s, AVIs and other games

EDIT: I gave up trying to find the root problem and did a system restore to just after I installed Windows a few weeks back. Have reinstalled the other software again and it is working now.

I am guessing that one of the Audio/Video Codec packs I installed stuffed up something in the registry

I had this happening to me too. The built in audio codecs in Windows XP got screwed up. Tried some tips out on the net for repairing them, but to no avail. Had to completely reinstall the OS.

I am joining the club It also happened to me some time ago and I can confirm that the windows reinstallation is the only way out. It looks like LFS is somehow using those win audio codecs for sound. Games that are using their owns(DirectSound?), are then OK.

Try disabling them then enabling the driver in control panel -> sound and audio etc. and go to drivers i tihnk it is. go to your sound card driver then disable, apply then enable, apply. (it may say "device cannot start")

Have to do it every time i start-up. Mine are Realtek!

I have the solution to your problem!!!!

same happened to me and i eventually after ages worked it out.

Hmm, looking nice. Thank you. Can you describe us how does it work? (what values it modifies in the registry)

I'm sorry but i dont why it works, I found the solution after searching the internet for hours and hours.

basically along with LFS saying "error initialising sound" your windows scheme sounds no longer work, also sounds on many web pages. I thought the two were linked and found the solution to the windows schemes sounds not working which in turn fixed my LFS.

how did u fix this alesky

I'm sure he will remember after 9 years.