diff -r df50f73f03ca Lib/test/test_winsound.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_winsound.py	Thu Nov 14 10:06:18 2013 -0800
+++ b/Lib/test/test_winsound.py	Tue Nov 19 11:45:53 2013 -0600
@@ -158,18 +158,14 @@
             )
 
     def test_alias_fallback(self):
-        # This test can't be expected to work on all systems.  The MS
-        # PlaySound() docs say:
-        #
-        #     If it cannot find the specified sound, PlaySound uses the
-        #     default system event sound entry instead.  If the function
-        #     can find neither the system default entry nor the default
-        #     sound, it makes no sound and returns FALSE.
-        #
-        # It's known to return FALSE on some real systems.
-
-        # winsound.PlaySound('!"$%&/(#+*', winsound.SND_ALIAS)
-        return
+        if _have_soundcard():
+            winsound.PlaySound('!"$%&/(#+*', winsound.SND_ALIAS)
+        else:
+            self.assertRaises(
+                RuntimeError,
+                winsound.PlaySound,
+                '!"$%&/(#+*', winsound.SND_ALIAS
+            )
 
     def test_alias_nofallback(self):
         if _have_soundcard():