If you are referring to the laptop's built-in speakers, you won't get much volume from them and even if you could the sound would be distorted owing the speakers' small size and limited frequency range.
You can't improve matters with software, but what you can do is buy a pair of 'active' desktop speakers ('active' because they are powered either by a/c mains or batteries or from the USB port (the usb type get both the sound-signal & the power from the USB port). This power drives a small amplifier built into the speakers.
If you only get low volume when playing DVD-video, check the volume control setting in the player software.
If it's all the time from any application, check the position of main volume slider by clicking the speaker icon in the system-tray.
If there is no speaker icon, go to 'Control Panel (classic view)->Sounds & Audio Devices'
Edited by pip22, 04 March 2008 - 03:56 AM.