Hi JoPatty,
Welcome to the HP Forums!
I would like to take a moment and thank you for using the forum, it is a great place to find answers. For you to have the best experience in the HP forum, I would like to direct your attention to the HP Forums Guide First Time Here? Learn How to Post and More.
I grasp that you have an intermittent sound issue.One day you have sound the next you don't.
Is it possible you are accidentally hitting the mute key? Here is a link to No Sound from Speakers (Windows 8)
When this happens have you tried running The HP Support Assistant to look for updates and help resolve issues.
Have you tried the Windows troubleshooter?
MS Fix It if you are running XP. Vista or Windows 7.
Windows 8 has a built in troubleshooter.
Press the Windows key + C to open charms
Type troubleshoot sound and in the search bar and press enter
Follow the on screen prompts.
If you would like further assistance, would you please provide the exact model of HP computer you have and the operating system you are running.
How Do I Find My Model Number or Product Number?