HD audio control panel has stopped working

Can you be more specific? have you installed any new hardware or devices as of recently? Is there an X over the speaker where it tells you your sound? Have you tried going to Control Panel > hardward and Sounds>Sound and checking if anything has been disabled?

Extraordinary folks who know more than the average bear about audio problems...
I have searched for a fix for WEEKS and tried dozens of ideas. I am so disgusted with HP for not providing a fix themselves. I've see my problem talked about for up to 3 years out there with no response. Problem is "a red x on my speaker icon and when I mouse over it, I get a "no Audio Output device is installed." Tried downloading the driver, and it won't install because there's no device. BUT, If I reboot about a zillion times in a row, suddenly it will fix itself, and I'll have audio... until the LT goes to sleep or reboots, then, it's same deal all over again. I have a HP db2715nr with Vista SP2. (Did I mention that I'm disgusted with my LT and with HP???) The last time I got it to work, I went into Bios with F10 on boot, and poked around (DID NOT change anything), and then got out. Next time worked, but then the NEXT reboot, back to same deal. Only doing same thing with bios didn't work. Is there something wrong with my hardware that might make the device load sometimes and not others? If it's hardware, I don't want to spend even more time wiping the disk and installing Vista, etc. (Did I mention that I'm disgusted?) <grin> And before anyone suggests it, when I right_click on the speaker Icon I get a nice empty window so there's nothing to“configure”... and when I do into the system drivers, the is no Sound and game driver and no yellow marker saying any drivers are bad. So most of the suggestions out there on the 'net are not doable. HELP. 'bout ready to fling this LT across the pond.

I checked the control panel and its is saying it's working and there is no red x on the speaker icon. I recently installed qiuck time player for my class