Freezing during the legal screen & "ERR_NO_SOUND" in Max Payne 3 for PC

Last Updated: April 5, 2024

Question: I am freezing in Max Payne 3 PC on the legal screen at boot.  The only way to proceed is by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL, and an error message appears saying I don't have a sound card.  What is the problem?

Answer: This error will occur if you do not have any sound set up, such as speakers, headphones, or the computer's own internal output.  The error will read:

ERR_NO_SOUNDNo DirectX compatible sound card found. Please make sure that you are running with a DirectX compatible sound card and your speakers are connected.

When viewed in the Windows Error Reporting section of an MSInfo file, the faulting application shows up as MaxPayne3.exe and the faulting module is "unknown."

To fix this issue, make sure you have a sound card and that you have at least one valid audio output chosen.