HippieGirl
New Member
Okay, now I'm confused. Exactly what should I do? Do you think a system restore might work?
I have that High Def Audio
I have that High Def Audio
Speakers not working
- Thread starter HippieGirl
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Somebody can't brain today.. They must have the dumb... lol
You're looking in precisely the right section. We've already seen the Sigmatel entry and we know it's good.
We also know that HD audio devices include the MS HD audio driver....which is in that screenshot you just posted.
That's precisely why people do well to forget he exists. Their sanity and wallets will thank them. This picture is perfect for him:
lmao
Anyways... with that out of the way.
First, right click on the Sigmatel entry and try rolling the driver back to a previous version. If that fails:
1) Reset the BIOS
2) Uninstall those two drivers from the Device Manager, and when asked tell it to delete the software as well.
3) Reboot
4) Reinstall the Sigmatel driver from your Dell disks and see if it works.
You're looking in precisely the right section. We've already seen the Sigmatel entry and we know it's good.
We also know that HD audio devices include the MS HD audio driver....which is in that screenshot you just posted.
That's precisely why people do well to forget he exists. Their sanity and wallets will thank them. This picture is perfect for him:
lmao
Anyways... with that out of the way.
First, right click on the Sigmatel entry and try rolling the driver back to a previous version. If that fails:
1) Reset the BIOS
2) Uninstall those two drivers from the Device Manager, and when asked tell it to delete the software as well.
3) Reboot
4) Reinstall the Sigmatel driver from your Dell disks and see if it works.
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Yes reset the bios to see "Plug'nPlay=no", "OS2=no", floppy, cd rom, hard drive in that order for the boot order section, and the need for re-entering the time and date. With the onboard sound already enabled by default in the bios you need to reload factory default or clear the cmos?
If the audio chip on the board and jack as well as connections are still good the problem is software related where toying with the bios accomplishes "NOTHING"!
The concept of trying a fresh download and installation of the update for the software as well as drivers for the onboard sound and looking in the device manager to start with is to see if all "software" drivers are going on as they should. The front jacks seeing sound there show that the audio chip on the board didn't simply go doa on you.
With repeat attempts and seeing no sound from the rear jack on the board itself you llikely have a cold solder point or contact that let go on you. With a physical hardware problem no reset of the bios is even worth the waste of time there.
If the audio chip on the board and jack as well as connections are still good the problem is software related where toying with the bios accomplishes "NOTHING"!
The concept of trying a fresh download and installation of the update for the software as well as drivers for the onboard sound and looking in the device manager to start with is to see if all "software" drivers are going on as they should. The front jacks seeing sound there show that the audio chip on the board didn't simply go doa on you.
With repeat attempts and seeing no sound from the rear jack on the board itself you llikely have a cold solder point or contact that let go on you. With a physical hardware problem no reset of the bios is even worth the waste of time there.
HippieGirl
New Member
I won't be able to do anything until tomorrow.
I use the driver's disk, not the Vista disk. Right?
I use the driver's disk, not the Vista disk. Right?
You can use the driver/software disk that comes along with the system or download a fresh update directly from the Dell support site to see if a few tries at reinstalling the software/drivers will get you anywhere if the audio jack and connections are still good but simply not active. If there was a software or driver glitch and not a bad solder point or something broke on you the sound should be able to restored.
This is one thing to try out before quickly assuning the worst of needing something repaired or replaced. If the speaker cable was pulled on too hard at some point and did some damage to the jack or a contact point saw a cold solder... ouch! Then you will have to decide on a repair cost or seeing an expansion card in for sound there.
This is one thing to try out before quickly assuning the worst of needing something repaired or replaced. If the speaker cable was pulled on too hard at some point and did some damage to the jack or a contact point saw a cold solder... ouch! Then you will have to decide on a repair cost or seeing an expansion card in for sound there.
That's for sure!
HippieGirl
New Member
The only thing I can remember doing just before it stopped working was to vacuum out the case. With 4 pets and hardwood floors, I do that fairly often (every two months or so). I have since taken the tower and put it on the desk instead of the floor.
Heaven has carpeting and will be easier on my PC - I hope.
Heaven has carpeting and will be easier on my PC - I hope.
If a wire got pulled off of the board that would be for the front not back since the jacks are soldered directly onto the board itself. If you bumped the jack and a cold solder point let go... ut oh! Generally the small plastic tube on a can of air cleaner not any nozzle on a vacuum cleaner is what is used to get into tight places when inside a case.
HippieGirl
New Member
I did use a vacuum. I vacuum 3 times a week at least, because I have FOUR very furry pets! LOL
I don't think I touched anything with the vacuum, I was careful like always.
I don't think I touched anything with the vacuum, I was careful like always.
Inside a case is no place for something like that. The suction from a nozzle may have pulled or twisted the mini jack just enough to see a cold solder point come loose on you there. A can of air pushes air out at the board with less force.
One idea would be to look closely inside at the jack itself with a small magnifier and only lightly press a little on the jack itself to see you notice anything lift up at all. That will show if a lead is now loose if you see one lift up. You would need to remove the entire board to see if the solder let go being on the other side of the board.
One idea would be to look closely inside at the jack itself with a small magnifier and only lightly press a little on the jack itself to see you notice anything lift up at all. That will show if a lead is now loose if you see one lift up. You would need to remove the entire board to see if the solder let go being on the other side of the board.
MosIncredible
New Member
Can't believe PC eye, the PC expert, didn't mention that vacuums create static electricity and could've easily messed up some hardware.
Sir Kinen
GROW UP. If you wanna behave like that, go to 4chan or play on WoW or something. But whatever you do, the belligerent attitude will stop. While I can understand your frustration, this is not the wild-west.
PC Eye
You have the right idea (originally) but you have it backwards. The reason there are "line out" and "headphone" jacks is because the headphone one is amp'd and the speaker one is not (because generally, speakers have their own power source). What this means is that if you plug speakers into the headphone jack, the signal is going to be double-amped (bad) and if you plugged headphones into the speaker jack you'd have very weak signal. For over a decade (and possibly, decade and a half), this hasnt really been an issue anymore.
If SOME device, be it headphone, speaker etc works on a port... the port works. End of discussion.
PC Eye, you do realize you'd pick up a lot less flak from SK (-- and myself) if the majority of your posts didnt have a random-copy-paste feel to it right? While I can appreciate the intent to help, there's been many times I've come across a thread to which you've replied where the response has not been... useful (example, "I have a problem with <insert thing here>" ... your response "Oh the objects is a blah blah blah")... if you want a hard example, see that DirectX10 thread. I'm sure you can find it.
So yeah, both of you -- get your act together and quit your bickering.
(Lorand, where's you're witty comment now?)
===
HippieGirl, if you could answer the following question that would help tons (with an updated check if possible):
GROW UP. If you wanna behave like that, go to 4chan or play on WoW or something. But whatever you do, the belligerent attitude will stop. While I can understand your frustration, this is not the wild-west.
PC Eye
You have the right idea (originally) but you have it backwards. The reason there are "line out" and "headphone" jacks is because the headphone one is amp'd and the speaker one is not (because generally, speakers have their own power source). What this means is that if you plug speakers into the headphone jack, the signal is going to be double-amped (bad) and if you plugged headphones into the speaker jack you'd have very weak signal. For over a decade (and possibly, decade and a half), this hasnt really been an issue anymore.
If SOME device, be it headphone, speaker etc works on a port... the port works. End of discussion.
PC Eye, you do realize you'd pick up a lot less flak from SK (-- and myself) if the majority of your posts didnt have a random-copy-paste feel to it right? While I can appreciate the intent to help, there's been many times I've come across a thread to which you've replied where the response has not been... useful (example, "I have a problem with <insert thing here>" ... your response "Oh the objects is a blah blah blah")... if you want a hard example, see that DirectX10 thread. I'm sure you can find it.
So yeah, both of you -- get your act together and quit your bickering.
Are you sure?
(Lorand, where's you're witty comment now?)
===
HippieGirl, if you could answer the following question that would help tons (with an updated check if possible):
- The speakers are confirmed working (you've tested them on a different device)?
- The headphones are confirmed working (you've tested them on a different device)?
- Do the speakers work when plugged into the speaker jack at the back? (dont have the headphones connected while doing this)
- Do the speakers work when plugged into the convenient jack at the front? (dont have the headphones connected while doing this)
- Do the headphones work when connected to the front jack (dont have the speakers connected while doing this)
- Do the headphones work when connected at the back? (again, dont have the speakers connected while doing this)
- Is your playback device set the proper sound device? Lots of motherboards now come with multiple sound devices (even though theres only one sound controller). To check this, go to Control Panel, Select "Sound" and see which device is being used by default. This is the tab you should be looking at.
- Check for volume levels, muting etc both in software and hardware.
- When u are playing something in, say, windows media player, does the volume bar in the playback device (see picture) show? (it's the green bar I have under SPDIF interface)
HippieGirl
New Member
@ Praetor - You are definitely a magician. You asked me to recheck everything again and I thought "ugh! Got to crawl under that desk again!" But I did and go figure, they work perfectly! Thank you so much!
And thank you to SirKenin and PC eye for everything
Actually I am. But at my age, it's called gorgeous ...
And thank you to SirKenin and PC eye for everything
Are you sure?
(Lorand, where's you're witty comment now?)
Actually I am. But at my age, it's called gorgeous ...
@ Praetor - You are definitely a magician. You asked me to recheck everything again and I thought "ugh! Got to crawl under that desk again!" But I did and go figure, they work perfectly! Thank you so much!
And thank you to SirKenin and PC eye for everything
Actually I am. But at my age, it's called gorgeous ...
I believe the only person you need thank is Stranglehold.. As PC eye was having you send it back to Dell and believing that your port "went bad".....and I assumed you'd already made sure it was plugged in properly..
Buzz1927
Digaredd
So you were wrong then?
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