Hearing Hard Drive Through Desktop Speakers

[A-Z]

I have had my laptop for a few years now and never heard any other sound coming through my desktop speakers. When I insert the jack for the speakers into my stereo jack my hard drive is amplified and is quite disruptive when listening to music. I am unsure if it had something to do with inserting a longer 3.5mil jack into the port. When I had plugged this longer jack into the port it didn't fit in all the way I pushed it in further until it fit and after that my stereo jack did not work effectively and when i plug in certain jacks into the port some speakers work and others just create a loud buzzing sound. Is there a problem with the stereo jack itself and can it be repaired by opening up the laptop (not under warranty mind you) and compressing the jack so that when i do plug in certain jacks it works. Don't worry about the warranty because this laptop has already been broken three or four times first three were viruses (antiviruses shutdown after a year and didnt delete them and BLAM into the computer they go and the fourth time it dropped from my bed 2ft and was left that way for about 8months and finnally got a new OS installed) none of those previous problems affected my stereo port. Mic is unplugged and I don't have a built in mic or webcam.

 

[powerpack]

Make sure your mic is muted.

 

[Nanobyte]

As far as I know all 3.5mm jacks are the same length. A mono jack may look longer but is the same length as a stereo jack. Normally you push the jack in until the plastic shoulder butts against the coloured socket ring. Some jacks may be tighter than others. Telephone headset jacks are 2.5mm and shorter.

Mono Jack: long sleeve, insulator, tip
Stereo Jack: shorter sleeve, insulator, short ring, insulator, tip

If you plug a mono jack into a stereo socket, the right channel of the socket is grounded. Been plugging the microphone into the (green) audio output? I don't know if PCs have any circuit protection to prevent damage. That could cause problems with other hardware but you would know if you plugged a microphone in rather than speakers!

Speaker jacks (normally connected to the audio output) are stereo so I cannot imagine plugging in any speakers would cause problems. I don't know if the socket contact distances are such that it is impossible to short the right channel to ground.

This does not help you much directly but may ring some bells. You may be able to see with a magnifying glass and light if the socket is damaged inside. Otherwise the case will have to be opened.