"Attempting to play MP3 with no vaudio"

[prytz]

Found some threads with the same issue but none of the solutions worked for me.

I can't hear certain sounds, specifically .MP3 sounds. So like only bullets, explosions and steps.

The console shows this error (or similar, this is on game launch, when it tiries to playe the menu music):

Attempting to play MP3 with no vaudio [ ui\gamestartup10.mp3 ]

Failed to create decoder for MP3 [ ui\gamestartup10.mp3 ]

Tried reinstalling, disabling antivirus, validating through steam, deleting sound.cache files and so on..

Anybody know solution to this?

[BakedPoe]

Okay, so I have the same exact problem as you and still can't fix the issue for myself. I've also went down further into the rabbit hole and here's what I found.

• So sound.cache in the (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\sound folder sometimes gets corrupt, to fix this just delete the file, verify game, and play.
  
  
• I have uninstalled Steam, reinstalled it, and reinstalled TF2. This did not work meaning that the problem might have been with my sound system. That was not the case however.
  
  
• I reset to the defaults of my sound system in the laptop that I use to play this game. This didn't fix the problem for me.
  
  
• The TF2 sound files are probably still in your folder. They are in mine, and none of the sounds are working still. You won't be able to see them, but I bet they are still there if you already tried to verify your game. I found this out by downloading GCFScape[nemesis.thewavelength.net] (which opens the .vpk files) and then I used that app to open tf2_sound_misc_dir.vpk in \Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf. I was able to see all the sound files for TF2. And by all the sounds, I mean ALL THE SOUNDS. After looking through them, I realized that the sound files are all there and not one is missing.

The issue is coming from either the sound.cache file (Maybe I'm downloading a corrupted version of the .cache file? And .cache files are almost impossible to open without using the same program used to create it. This means that you might have to have the Source Engine to access it, but I'm not too sure on that part.) or some file is not directing the program correctly to tf2_sound_misc_dir.vpk.

That is all the information that I have and I hope I helped you atleast.

EDIT: Forgot one last fix for this.

• Some anti-malware or anti-virus software will quarintine mssmp3.avi, if this happens, take it out of quarintine and make sure the program makes an exception for it.

[prytz]

Originally posted by BakedPotatoez:

Okay, so I have the same exact problem as you and still can't fix the issue for myself. I've also went down further into the rabbit hole and here's what I found.

• So sound.cache in the (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\sound folder sometimes gets corrupt, to fix this just delete the file, verify game, and play.
  
  
• I have uninstalled Steam, reinstalled it, and reinstalled TF2. This did not work meaning that the problem might have been with my sound system. That was not the case however.
  
  
• I reset to the defaults of my sound system in the laptop that I use to play this game. This didn't fix the problem for me.
  
  
• The TF2 sound files are probably still in your folder. They are in mine, and none of the sounds are working still. You won't be able to see them, but I bet they are still there if you already tried to verify your game. I found this out by downloading GCFScape[nemesis.thewavelength.net] (which opens the .vpk files) and then I used that app to open tf2_sound_misc_dir.vpk in \Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf. I was able to see all the sound files for TF2. And by all the sounds, I mean ALL THE SOUNDS. After looking through them, I realized that the sound files are all there and not one is missing.

The issue is coming from either the sound.cache file (Maybe I'm downloading a corrupted version of the .cache file? And .cache files are almost impossible to open without using the same program used to create it. This means that you might have to have the Source Engine to access it, but I'm not too sure on that part.) or some file is not directing the program correctly to tf2_sound_misc_dir.vpk.

That is all the information that I have and I hope I helped you atleast.

EDIT: Forgot one last fix for this.

• Some anti-malware or anti-virus software will quarintine mssmp3.avi, if this happens, take it out of quarintine and make sure the program makes an exception for it.

Thanks for someone finally replying :).

I used the software to open the .vpk files (thanks!) and it seems like all sound files are indeed intact on my system (just did a quick check).

Apart from the fixes you've listed and the ones I listed previously, I've also tried installing TF2 on another hard drive (on the same PC). That didn't work either.

I'm also thinking that the sound.cache file is the cause of this issue, but I'm really unsure.

I've been in contact with Steam Support and they're "unable to help".

Well, seems like we won't fix this issue any soon...

[BakedPoe]

Originally posted by MrKaKisen:

Thanks for someone finally replying :)

No prob bob. Hopefully Steam will somehow find a way to fix this.

[v_4l3_r]

quite some time has passed and the problem seems like it's not fixed, i've literally done everything the community said on different threads but I couldn't find a working fix...

[prytz]

Originally posted by Didgeridude:

quite some time has passed and the problem seems like it's not fixed, i've literally done everything the community said on different threads but I couldn't find a working fix...

I still have the problem, I've stopped playing the game because of it :(. I do have a seperate computer on which I do play the game from time to time (and it works), but it's not a sustainable solution for me. Valve, please fix.

[Maiq]

Try this

[prytz]

Originally posted by Namelezz:

Try this

Unfortunately, that did not solve my problem (didn't have that antivirus installed). However, it got me thinking - is there any other program that might interfere with TF2?

I tried to uninstall "Evolve" https://www.evolvehq.com/welcome before playing the game.. and guess what, it worked! I can finally play TF2 with sound!

[Sawmp monster]

Does your computer use a sound card? It could be an outdated or not supported one.

[v_4l3_r]

Originally posted by Lord Vilhelm:

Originally posted by Namelezz:

Try this

Unfortunately, that did not solve my problem (didn't have that antivirus installed). However, it got me thinking - is there any other program that might interfere with TF2?

I tried to uninstall "Evolve" https://www.evolvehq.com/welcome before playing the game.. and guess what, it worked! I can finally play TF2 with sound!

Well, don't know exactly what this Evolve is but it ain't on my pc, but maybe i'll try find some audio driver update and see if it's a software issue.
Because I read people say to verify the files integrity but everything is fine

[BakedPoe]

Hey there, so I'm back and I want to tell you how I fixed my issue:
I don't know.

Almost a week after I posted my comment, the glitch dissappeared. I could hear music playing once again and everything. I really wish I could tell you how it got fixed, but I don't know.

Accepting defeat, I just kept playing on the broken computer and eventually it fixed itself. Nothing new of info has come up that I know about. If your still desparate to try and fix it, I would recommend looking into the steam cloud files, there may be something hidden there. But try to look further into that rabbit hole before you start corrupting files.

[BakedPoe]

If you want to find a basic start to corrupt cloud files, try searching how to to a Hard Reset of Undertale after a Genocide run. It does have some useful info on how to corrupt it properly.

[???]

So I've been having this issue too. Getting back in to TF2 has been a nightmare for me. after days of tinkering and having no luck, the thing that fixed this issue for me was disabling the GeForce game overlay. No idea what the issue is there, but it seems like everything is working as it should now.

Hopefully that fixes the issue.

If anyone knows a way to keep the overlay and shadowplay active without messing up the audio, I'd love to know.

[THATSHOWAFREEMANDOESIT!!!]

Originally posted by BeefPizzle:

So I've been having this issue too. Getting back in to TF2 has been a nightmare for me. after days of tinkering and having no luck, the thing that fixed this issue for me was disabling the GeForce game overlay. No idea what the issue is there, but it seems like everything is working as it should now.

Hopefully that fixes the issue.

If anyone knows a way to keep the overlay and shadowplay active without messing up the audio, I'd love to know.

Thank you. This worked. Unfortunately I haven't found a way to keep both going in harmony. Hoping someone can figure out how soon.

[WinstonBigBoi]

Disableing nvidia overlay fixes it

[prytz]

Originally posted by Winston:

Disableing nvidia overlay fixes it

Yes, most overlays cause this issue for TF2. Even the Discord overlay caused it for me :/.