Hey purplefacemcgee,
With your issue being for Windows 7, and not for Windows 8.1, the troubleshooting steps will be a little bit different. I would first suggest reinstalling your original sound drivers. I have included the document 'Using Recovery Manager to Restore Software and Drivers (Windows 7)', please click on the option for Hardware Driver Reinstallation, and follow through the steps for reinstalling your original sound driver only.
Now once you have installed the original driver, you will need update your sound drivers. You can do both the Windows, and HP updates that are recommended for your notebook from the HP Support Assistant. I have included the document 'Using HP Support Assistant (Windows 7, Windows Vista)', Please click on the option for Maintaining your computer and installing the latest software updates. Pretty much once you do have the HP Support Assistant open click on Maintain, and then Software Updates. Please install all updates that are listed. After the updates have been installed, please restart your notebook, and test the sound.
If by chance you are still experiencing the same issue, I would suggest running the Microsoft Fix It tool for 'Automatically diagnose and fix Windows audio playback problems'. This tool will check the settings, drivers, and services to make sure that it is running correctly, and try to fix any issues. Please follow through these steps to run the tool, click on the green Run now button > click Save > open the download > click Run. What was the outcome of the tool, are you still experiencing the same issue with the sound?
If you are still experiencing the sound issue after the above troubleshooting steps, please let me know exactly what is happening with your sound. (ie, no sound, sound is choppy, or distorted). Does the sound issue occur in multiple programs, or just one? (ie. Windows Media Player, YouTube, or CD/DVD).
Looking forward to working with you! :)
