Check for driver update in device mgr.

Did it work correctly for some time and then it became intermittent? Or has it always had this off and on pattern?

If it's something that just started, it's unlikely to be a driver problem. Unless a new driver got installed that doesn't work right.

The laptop is a couple years old and this problem cropped up in about the last six weeks. Ideas??

I'd probably start by running control panels Troubleshoot / Audio.
Maybe mentally note the time it happens and later on look in the Reliability History to see if any notes of errors.

Probably visit Toshiba Support for my model and maybe download and reinstall the Audio driver... maybe visit their forums and search or look for other Toshiba users with same problem.

But it sounds like a loose wire. ...
What browser do you use.. it could be some kind of internet cache corruption. Assuming this happens playing web stuff audio's. Maybe try CCleaner ?
.. If only happening in say Media Player you could uninstall it in Programs/Windows features and restart and re-install it. What source does this happen ?

Here is a link that might be useful: /How-to-use-Reliability-Monitor

This post was edited by mikie on Thu, Jun 5, 14 at 19:19

If it has a little or never used headphone jack, you might try plugging headphones into it when the sound fails. If you hear solid sound via the headphones, then try gently disconnecting and reconnecting the plug multiple times to see if that action gets the speakers back to normal.

Thank you. I will try all of the above and report back.

I use Mozilla Firefox.

Bumping this back up. When I plug in headphones, I can hear the sound through the speakers. Sometimes I have to jiggle the headphone jack to get sound. It does seem as if there is a loose wire or connection. Is this an easy fix?

It may or may not be easy. I had this happen in an older HP laptop, and it was a ribbon that had come loose when a wire broke. With the help of someone on a forum and good instructions, I was able to fix it. First I had to buy the ribbons on Ebay and then take the keyboard off to get to the speakers. Not exactly easy but not too hard, either. I suggest you go to a Toshiba help forum and ask for help there. You'll need the model number and other pertinent information.

Thanks for responding. I would not attempt to fix this myself. That would only be a disaster.

Maybe I'll take it to Best Buy, where I bought it, and see if they can fix it without having to send it out somewhere and charge me more than the cost of a new laptop.

Personally, I avoid Best Buy, I think better choices at better prices can be found elsewhere. Their service charges are quite high too and I'm not sure how capable their techs are.

Are there other PC service providers in your area to try? Hopefully there's a cheap and easy fix, but it's also possible that the sound on this PC is dead.

Same here about best buy. I would rather use the local place than go there after what they did to my friend and from what I understand they send the laptops out or that is what she was told when she took her laptop there that it would have to be sent out. They wouldn't even look and diagnose it in the store. Find a nice local repair place. Mary

Thanks. I'll look around for a local place. I'm sure there are plenty.