Ubuntu 8.10 : Sound stopped working and pidgin freezes

[Uranium233]

First off- hi, I'm a relatively new Ubuntu user who found the Ubuntu forum way too overactive. I'll probably have other questions in the future. I'm a long time forum user, though.

Anyway, here's what happened:
I was installing java and using pidgin, and the computer froze for the first time. I restarted the computer, and I got an error. I tried again, and it started, but the speakers started making a crackly sound. I tried muting it, which stopped the sound, but since I was afraid they would break somehow I shut down the computer for a while.

When I started it again, the computer was permanently muted. If I try to open volume control, I get the message "No volume control GStreamer plugins and/or devices found." I made a guess and tried reinstall the Gstreamer plugins I could find under the Synaptic Package Manager, but had no luck there. I also ran through installing java again in case that had something to do with it.

In addition to this, Pidgin also freezes whenever I try to IM someone, although it seems to work prior to that. I tried reinstalling it, but had no luck there, although it remembers all my accounts etc so I wonder if I'm really reinstalling it.

I'm using Ubuntu 8.10.

Thanks.

[Uranium233]

I've managed to solve the problem!

1. Run a command I don't understand trying to accomplish something unrelated.
2. Find my user folder to have been replaced by files inside a CD image.
3. Notice that I can't access the desktop through the windows, although I can still see it.
4. Notice that I can't run any programs.
5. Refresh desktop, to find it empty.
6. Log out and log in, and find out that it can't even log in.
7. Remember where I put my ubuntu installation CD so I can reinstall while restarting the computer.
8. Start computer normally and find everything working normally.

wait wut (I DID try restarting earlier)

[ManuelPadilla]

If your machine sound stopped working after selecting the "Voice/Video Settings" in Pidgin, then, that may be the cause. Go back to Pidgin > Tools > Plugins, then select "Voice/Video Settings" and under "Voice" select your hardware from the drop down.

I dont know why UBUNTU allows a simple application like PIDGIN to alter your computer's hardware. I had this issue today. My sound hardware was GONE! And the issue war PIDGIN!

Solution, Get rid of Pidgin, and install something else.