A sound card is a device that handles data-to-audio and audio-to-data translations, enabling a computer to play sound on speakers or to record sound from an external device, like a microphone. There are two general types of sound cards: dedicated cards, which are stand-alone chips plugged into a PCI slot on a motherboard, and integrated cards, which are chipsets built into the motherboard. Identifying an integrated sound card can be helpful, both for updating drivers, troubleshooting and upgrading sound devices.
Instructions
Identify the Sound Device with DXdiag
1. Click "Start," then click "Run."
2. Type "dxdiag" in the Run text field to begin the Direct X Diagnostic Tool. Click "OK." This will produce a diagnostic window containing vital information about your system's hardware resources.
3. Click the "Sound" tab on the top of the Direct X Diagnostic Tool window. If you have multiple audio devices installed, there will be more than one sound tab. The sound tab will list information about your sound chipset.
Use the Device Manager to Identify an Audio Device
4. Click the "Start" menu, and right click "My Computer."
5. Click "Device Manager" on the left side of the window.
6. Search the list of devices for "Sound, Video and Game Controllers." Click the plus sign next to that entry to expand the list. Your sound device will be listed here.
7. Double click the sound device to bring up a Properties window with additional information about the card and the card drivers.
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