1) "Sound & Displays cannot operate correctly" message
Issue: When I try to open the Sound & Displays control panel, an error message says, "Sorry... Sound & Displays cannot operate correctly on this Macintosh. Please consult your Sound & Displays documentation for a description of what your Macintosh needs for Sound & Displays (Quit)".
Resolution: The Sound & Displays control panel requires AppleScript in order to operate properly. Make sure AppleScript has not been disabled by opening the Extensions Manager in your Control Panels folder under your Apple Menu. If there is not a check to the left of the AppleScript Extension, click on the extension to put a check there, close the Extensions Manager, and restart your computer.
If the Sound & Displays control panel still fails to launch, you should reinstall AppleScript by using the "Apple Macintosh CD" that came with your computer:
Step 1
Double-click the installer located in the Install System Software folder of the disc.
Step 2
Click on the Easy Install pop-up menu and choose Custom Install
Step 3
Click the triangle next to Utility Software, check the box to the left of AppleScript, and then click Install.
2) "Sound & Displays cannot be used at this time" message
Issue: When I try to open the Sound & Displays control panel, an error message says, "Sorry... Sound & Displays cannot be used at this time. The required extensions cannot be found. These extensions have either been disabled or are not present. To use this application, first put the Sound & Displays extensions in your extensions folder, and then restart your Macintosh."
Resolution: The Sound & Displays extensions are "AVSetup" and "SystemAV". There is no file called "Sound & Displays Extension". Although these files are stored in the Extensions Folder, they are not listed by the Extensions Manager control panel. However, they are listed by some third-party extension-managing software (such as Conflict Catcher). Make certain these two extensions have not been disabled or removed from the Extensions folder. If these extensions are missing, reinstall the system software using the "Apple Macintosh CD" that came with your computer:
Step 1
Double-click the installer located in the Install System Software folder of the disc.
Step 2
Click Install.
Step 3
When the installation is complete, quit the installer, and restart your computer to load the newly installed extensions.
3) "Port cannot be deactivated" message
Issue: When I try to deselect one of the options under Sound Input, I get the error message, "This port cannot be deactivated."
Resolution: You cannot uncheck a Sound Input source, because then you would not have any Sound Input source. The way to uncheck a particular source is to check one of the other two sources. The three sources available are External Audio Input, Internal CD, and External Microphone.
4) "This port cannot be activated" message
Issue: When I try to check External Microphone under Sound Input, this error message appears, "This port cannot be activated."
Resolution: When Speech Recognition is turned on, it locks the Sound Input so that the Sound Input cannot be changed. Turn Speech Recognition off by opening the Speech control panel, choosing Speakable Items from the popup menu, and clicking the OFF button.
If you want to use Speech Recognition, first select External Microphone in the Sound & Displays control panel, and then open the Speech control panel to turn Speakable Items on.
5) Computer Speaker option is automatically unchecked when I restart
Issue: Every time I start up my computer, the option for "Computer Speaker" under "Sound Output" is unchecked. I click to check it, and then I get sound out of my internal speaker. However, the next time I start up my computer, the "Computer Speaker" option is unchecked again.
Resolution: When you start up your computer, it checks to see if anything is plugged into the speaker port (such as headphones). If something is plugged in, the operating system will automatically check "External Headphones" and uncheck "Computer Speaker" under Sound Output. You can override these settings by clicking the desired output option, but the setting is not saved between restarts.
6) Audio compact discs do not play
Issue: I cannot play audio compact discs. I can mount audio CD-ROM discs, and see the counter working in the AppleCD Audio Player, but I hear no sound. I can hear audio from multimedia CD-ROM discs and alert sounds without any problems.
Resolution: This is an issue involving accessing sound options while running Speech Recognition. When you turn Speech Recognition on, it "listens" for commands captured by the microphone. Because of this, Speech Recognition will not allow you to select the Audio CD as the input source. Therefore, you cannot play an audio compact disc through your internal speakers while speech recognition is turned on. Turn Speakable Items off in the Speech control panel and then select Audio CD as your sound input source in the Sound & Displays control panel.
7) Unable to locate the AppleVision Setup control panel
Issue: I have successfully installed the AppleVision software that came with my AppleVision 1710AV or 1710 display, but I am unable to locate the AppleVision Setup control panel. I am using a Power Macintosh 8500. What do you recommend?
Resolution: AppleVision Setup does not appear as a separate control panel on either the Power Macintosh 8500 or 7500 series computers. If you have installed the AppleVision software, the settings options found in the AppleVision Setup control panel are automatically incorporated into the Sound & Displays control panel.
To access the configuration options for an AppleVision 1710AV or 1710 monitor connected to either the Power Macintosh 7500 or 8500, follow these steps:
Step 1
Choose the Sound & Displays control panel from the Control Panels folder under your Apple Menu.
Step 2
In the lower right corner of the Sound and Displays control panel in the Displays option section, double-click the text "AppleVision 1710AV" or "AppleVision 1710" (depending upon which monitor you have.
Although the interface may be slightly different than described in your AppleVision manual, you can now access the same options mentioned in the documentation for the AppleVision Setup control panel.
8) AppleVision options do not appear in Sound & Displays control panel
Issue: The AppleVision options do not appear in the Sound & Displays control panel.
Resolution: The ADB (keyboard) cable is plugged directly into the computer. Plug the ADB cable into the monitor, and connect an ADB cable from the monitor to the computer's ADB port.
These articles can help you locate the software update mentioned here:
This article was published in the "Information Alley": Volume II, Issue 18, Page 10