Need help with laptop sound not working

[amrome29]

Please help! I just got an error that reads: "There are no active mixer devices available. To install mixer devices, go to Control Panel, click Printers and other Hardware, and then click Add Hardware." When I did that there was a list of all kinds of different audio hardware and they all say they are working properly. I don't know what to do at this point? I know that I am not even close to being in the same league as most people on this site. I am in need of help with our new HP laptop we just purchased a few months ago. I was on the Internet and pushed the button that I believe was the MUTE button lit up on the laptop. There was a noise when I clicked and I wanted to be quiet while my husband was sleeping. I hit this MUTE button and it worked, no more loud clicking noises when I clicked on a site.
Now the problem is I can't hear anything anymore and I've gone to the help on the computer which isn't any help. I tried to play a CD and it doesn't work. I also tried to watch a TV clip on one of the networks and the TV clip was playing but no sound. The only sound I did hear was one loud beep when I got an error playing around in the control center.
I apologize if this is not the place for this sort of question. I'm not even sure if I have Windows XP but I'm pretty sure I do. The only other thing I've played with is Internet Options and I don't see anything there that has to do with sound. Can somebody out there help me?

[Sinister-wolf]

funny, when it happens to me, i reboot and it works again fine.

[bleak]

For what its worth I have the exact same problem you described it to the tee. I tried restarting but that did not work. I hope someone helps us out. I am starting to think something may be wrong with the sound card