local files playing but no sound

[2shakey]

Spotify premium on Windows 7. I have had countless problems with spotify, so it's difficult for me to remember all the possible things I have done to get a working spotify. Recently, it has been working okay, except that it will not make sound when playing local files. All my working files are mp3, and work if downloaded onto my Android phone. I have looked up solutions to my problem and found: Clean reinstall, reinstall quicktime, install K lite codec pack, restart pc, turn off local files in library or downloads, turn off local files, restart pc and turn local files back on. Having completed all these steps, now my spotify is running slower and more difficult, and it remains that I cannot listen to local files. Having spent multiple hours on multiple days, I am resorting to posting a message giving a full account of my problems, as I have now read too many 'solutions' in various places and can't figure out why they are not working, whether I am doing them in the wrong order, or what is the source of my problem. many thanks.

[2shakey]

Any ideas anyone?