As many years as I’ve been a computer geek, I have never had a problem stump me like this one. I’m having a continuing problem trying to play 44.1k audio files. It started a few months back, went away, and is back again. The computer is a Toshiba laptop, several years old, with the standard built in Realtek audio hardware. After a lot of screwing around at that time and many driver installs, I found that it may have had something to do playing a Flash video. After playing one, my computer would lock up when trying to play a 44.k audio file in any format on any piece of audio software I have installed. I was able to get it to work again by deleting my audio hardware in device manager (Win XP, current SP), rebooting, then letting it reinstall itself. Well, that trick no longer works and I’m frustrated. I’m at the point where I’d even pay to have somebody fix this. Does anyone know of any super geek forums where I could go and spill my woes?
try superuser.com
You could also try running dxdiag (type dxdiag at the command prompt)
Also, try going to microsoft with your question
Try this one Denny.
Wow, what a cool tool! Unfortunately, all the sounds it played for the test were 22k, and I know that works.
Thanks for all the tips, everybody…keep 'em coming!
Try moving the “hardware sound acceleration level” back a notch or two.
“It started a few months back, went away, and is back again.”
If you know the window between the last time you know it worked well and the first time it recurred, I’d suggest spending some time poring through the Application and System logs in Event Viewer (under Computer Management, right click My Computer and hit Manage). Perhaps some installation or configuration change will be listed there that has caused the issue.
It’s a long shot, but hey. I’d also try reinstalling audio card drivers for grins.
Oh, you might try System Restore…if its been on and working you can go back to a System Restore point when it was working and then bingo, problem solved, hopefully. Saved my bacon more than once.
Lastly, the nuclear option…back up and reimage the machine with factory discs.
I’m happy to report that it’s working again now! I’m not happy to report that I really don’t know why, other than I must have scared it silly by posting questions in half a dozen forums! Thanks for all the suggestions…for all I know, tomorrow I may be troubleshooting this again!
Damn…I’m such an optimist. I changed the output mapping on one of my pro audio apps and it works fine there. Otherwise, no change. I just went to Pandora and it locks up tight without playing…
That’s cause you let it know you were happy. Damn newb users! First mistake… never let the computer know how you’re feeling! 
I know it will be hard, but what happened in the immediate time that this error first cropped up?
I ain’t no newb, dood, I just got carried away. I’ve been working on 'puters since you were a gleam in your father’s eye! 
I’ve racked what’s left of my brain over that and so far, nothing comes to mind.
Be sure not to introduce too much aeration during racking!
Denny,
Not sure, but I ‘think’ what I suggested last time fixed it (unfortunately I’m pretty sure that thread was lost in Brewhahaneverneverland)
Try right-clicking My Computer and going to Manage…then Device Manager…then try uninstalling the audio device totally (right-click Uninstall)…reboot…then reinstall the drivers again…
Could be a different issue this time, but it’s worth a shot…
+1 Try the un-install / Re-install. But, before you un-install, start up in safe mode. To do this, as so soon as you turn your computer on, start tapping the F8 key. It will bring you to a screen that gives you an option to stat in safe mode. Start up that way, then go into device manager, and uninstall. I seem to have better success by doing it this way when I need to unistall something.
Have you tried a different browser? While the symptom is audio - it all seems web related…
-OCD
Yeah, that worked in the past, but not so far this time…
Good idea, so I tried it with IE. No go, though…
OK, download the Ubuntu disk - work off of that for a while to see if your speaker issue remains intermittent. This will tell you if you have a hardware or software issue. You don’t need to install Ubuntu, you can run it from the DVD.
-OCD
have you tried to play the audio file on other computers?