Strange Sound Issue Since 10.5.6

Hey everyone,
This thread here (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1454444&tstart=1) has the same problem...but I don't believe my sound card is busted, as I hear the gong/chime sound when turning on my Powerbook.
In summary:
When I hit the volume buttons on the keyboard (F3, F4, F5) the sound control icon shows up on the screen, with all the boxes white (indicating full volume), but beneath them is a "not allowed" icon - circle with a diagonal line through it, like Ghostbusters without the ghost. I can't click on anything in Sound Preferences (sound volume shows at full, and I can't click on the sound bar or the mute button).
Any suggestions would be helpful! It seems like this has started ever since I updated to 10.5.6, and I don't really know how to roll my machine back as this is my first Mac.
Thanks everyone!

Odd. I have had the exact problem described on Feb. 10: no sound output or input device detected, controls disabled, but volume sliders at "full" and everything grayed out. I restarted my computer, hoping it was just a glitch, but it didn't help.
This discussion prompted me to check my keyboard backlight keys, where I discovered that they were also disabled. Followed the Audio MIDI setup link, but the setup assistant could not detect audio in or out devices, so I couldn't set anything.
Here's where it gets interesting (to me): the support article got me thinking about AU stuff (audio units) used by 3rd party software. I had recently moved (not deleted, fortunately) the Finale GPO folder from its default location. I had planned to delete it after making sure it wasn't needed by anything. On a hunch, I found the folder and put it back where it is supposed to be. Restarted, and HEY, my sound and keyboard backlight controls work again.
Weird.
I guess I need that GPO folder after all. Now, if I can figure out why Garage Band thinks the GPO serial number is incorrect...but that's off-topic.

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Hello
This issue has been brought up on this forum several times under other topic headings. Look under Audio Driver Missing, for instance. I have had this exact problem since purchasing my Toshiba notebook more than a year ago. Toshiba tech support is useless - and you're right that BIOS updates or changes make no difference, at least so far. The other ideas or replies given so far on this forum also don't solve the problem. Unfortunately for now I think you have to live with it, until someone spends the time to figure out what is really going on. I am curious if it is a Toshiba problem, a Realtek problem, or a Vista / compatibility issue.
I have two suggestions, which aren't fixes, but can help get your sound back when it disappears:
1. Restart several times, not just once. Sometimes it works.
2. Try the System Restore function. This used to work for me, until I updated the BIOS and now it no longer helps with this issue!
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i thought it was interesting and worth mentioning, in case this happens to anyone else.
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hopefully and most probable is that its just an issue with iOS 5.0.1. i also have an iPad 2 thats up to date with 5.0.1 and ive not had this issue, YET.
i just thought it would be beneficial to the community to share this issue and get word out that this is happening. i would like to hear everyones thoughts on this issue and if this has happened to anyone else. the Apple Representative that i spoke to had not heard of or had to deal with this issue so it sounds like its rather new or rare. though she did mention that this is not normal behavior for the device and might be a software issue.
id like to conclude with my love for Apple, and how user friendly iDevices are in general. ive had iPods from the very first generation and all of them still work (though the older ones cant be updated past a certain iOS). the few issues ive ever had were easily fixed with a visit to the Apple Store or searching on the Apple Support Communities. so as with before, i will remain positive and look forward to a bug fix in the next update.
-thanks in advanced for reading, and any comments
Paper_Dragon

Have you got notifications muted ? Only notifications (including games) get muted, so the iPod and Videos apps, and headphones, still get sound.
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6ng4n wrote:Does your user in "audio" group?
I am now ;-)
I've got sound now that I am. I'm used to having the distro installer setting up my default account for me. Although I should know to check the groups, since I have had to setup custom users before ;-)
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Hi there
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Quicktime locks like decoding both audio stream simultanously (has no switch to select) causes strange echo.
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Strange Sound Issue Since 10.5.6

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