My computer suddenly stopped making any sound (opens in new tab)

My computer suddenly stopped producing any sound at all, and I have already checked that the volume is not muted, speakers are connected properly, and the audio driver appears to be up to date, but nothing seems to fix the issue. Could anyone suggest troubleshooting steps I might have missed, such as checking audio services, default playback devices, or Windows sound settings, to help me restore sound without reinstalling the entire operating system?