The "No Audio Device" error was almost always a driver issue. Windows XP didn't know how to talk to your motherboard's sound chip, and it wasn't going to learn on its own.
Underneath, a yellow question mark sat like a warning sign, next to a generic label like "Multimedia Audio Controller." To the uninitiated, this was a brick wall. To the XP power user, this was a call to arms. windows xp no audio device
If you lived through the golden age of the Blue Taskbar and Bliss, you remember the ritual. You just finished installing a fresh copy of Windows XP Home Edition (Service Pack 2, naturally). The desktop loads, that rolling green hill shines back at you, and you go to play your favorite pirated MP3 from LimeWire. The "No Audio Device" error was almost always a driver issue