OK...you guys are all tech experts...I'm not...therefore, let's try this the easy way, following the KISS principle:
Disclosure...I have a 7 year old laptop which successfully upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 on a public library slow wireless connection...yeah, there's a few oddities but not relevant to this discussion.
#1: check the bottom right area of the bottom tray on your 'desktop' THE SCREEN...look for a speaker symbol...mouse over...it should say 'speakers and dual headphones'...if there is an 'x' after the symbol it means the sound is on 'mute', click on the symbol...it will show the symbol, the 'x', followed by a sliding level adjustment bar...click on the 'x'...it will 'unmute' and adjust the sound level with the slider for volume.
#2: Chaz, note, the control panel is still available. Click on the 4 pane Windows symbol in the lower left hand corner of your screen...click on 'CONTROL PANEL'...There you will find 'SOUND' with links to 'adjust system volume', change system sounds, manage audio devices...look around in those categories.
#3: I don't know which computer you have, but the mfrs offer on their websites 'driver updates' downloads.
#4: The 'favorites' issue...shortly after the windows 10 download and installation Microsoft downloaded a bunch of updates. There were some issues with some the favorites going missing...the actual computer file had the favorites only up until the 'updates'. They seem to have resolved the issue now...but before assuming this is the problem:
- if you are using Internet Explorer, which Windows 10 allowed you to keep...update to the latest version...assuming you have, in the upper right hand corner of your screen when your IE browser is open, there is a 'star' symbol...click on it...if the favorites appear, click on the arrow at the top of the favorites box to pin it to the left hand side of your screen...if they're there, great! if not:
- if you are using the new Edge browser, which came with Windows 10, open that browser...in the upper right hand corner is a symbol with 3 parallel lines...mouse over it...it will say 'hub, favorites, history and some other stuff...click on it...you will see some symbols at the top and the panel will say 'history'...click on the 'star' symbol and your favorites should show...or at least the panel if they really are all missing...if the favorites are there, click the pushpin symbol on the upper right of the panel and it will pin the favorites to the page...on the right hand side...you will also see a link called 'favorites settings'...click on it...it will show a symbol control saying 'show the favorites bar' which should be set to 'on'...it will also show 'import favorites from another browser' if you have explorer it will show that...click 'import'...if the favorites are still hiding in explorer, they will be copied over to Edge. NOTE: explorer does not seem to have an equal function available to import. If you have your favorites in Edge, the only way to recreate them in Explorer is to open both browsers in separate windows and click on the favorites links one at a time in Edge, then copy and paste from the Edge address window to the address window in Explorer, bring up the page in Explorer, and then save it to favorites in Explorer...if the favorites are actually disappearing in Explorer after shutting down the computer, before you close everything, just open Edge and import the favorites as above in the settings link...only takes a minute and you have a backup file.
This did get long but it's not complicated...it's still at the level of 'did you check to see if it's plugged in?' Just follow the steps one at a time in order...it doesn't take very long...hope it works out for you.
