I have tried plugging in headphones, speakers (both 3.5 mm jack and usb) but nothing. It's a fresh installation of Vista, the hard drive is formatted, so there are no backups and there is nothing to be restored. Strange, and it's driving me crazy, but I'm helpless.
TeamViewer is remote desktop connection utility, so I use it to connect to my other computers (using the same keybord, mouse and monitor). When I am connected via TW to my laptop and open the YouTube on it, and play any video, the volume indicator shows that the sound is reproducing and I can hear it on speakers of my desktop PC (because I've checked the option "Play computer sound and music"). That means, or at least I hope so, that there is no hardware failure. But there is no sound from my laptop speakers. Or from headphones if I plug them in. Sorry for my English, but it's not my native language.
Regarding audio, after installing Vista follow the order of installation. That would be Dell System Software, restart, Chipset driver, restart, then the audio driver.
I have tried plugging in headphones, speakers (both 3.5 mm jack and usb)
Usb speakers contain their own DAC, and as such are a separate audio device from the Sigmatel audio system, so in effect 2 different audio systems are not working. The usb system doesn't have anything to do with the Sigmatel audio driver or anything like that. Other than Windows the 2 systems don't have much in common. So that's interesting.
I have never used TeamView. It works like this? From your desktop computer you can control something like Windows Media Player on the laptop and make it open an mp3 from the laptop's hard drive and play it through the Sigmatel audio system?
That means that your desktop's audio hardware, the DAC, is okay, but the laptop's audio hardware might not be. Try to run the audio tests in Dell 32-bit Diagnostics. The diagnostic partition will no longer be on the hard drive but the tool can be run from the resources cd that shipped with the computer.
It is a hardware test so if you cannot hear music during the test then the hardware has failed.
If you do not have Dell 32-bit Diagnostics then try running Linux Live operating system from a flash drive. That will eliminate Windows as being the cause of failure. If audio will not work with Linux Live either it points to hardware failure.
I have reinstalled Vista, and followed the order of installation. There is no sound again. I have tried to run Dell Diagnostic Tool, but it doesn't work for me, it freezes the pc. Is SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC the right device? Browsing different forums I have seen somewhere that it should be uninstalled and I should try installing new device until I get something like IDT sound card, or something like that. Unfortunately, I can't find this page anymore.
Did you also listen through headphones to test if audio was getting to the headphone jack?
Is SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC the right device?
Yes, the audio chip in your laptop was manufactured by the Sigmatel company, and the correct driver for it is Sigmatel. That company later went out of business and was bought by the IDT company, but IDT did not make IDT drivers for the existing Sigmatel chips.Some of the IDT drivers do work in some of the old Dell laptops, but finding a particular IDT driver that would work with an Inspiron 1501 would be a matter of luck. There is no need to look for an IDT driver for your laptop when Dell supports you with the correct Sigmatel audio driver.
Also, there is no need to install even the Sigmatel driver. Even without installing an audio driver you would still get audio, assuming the hardware is working, because Vista would use its native audio driver. (Vista and later Windows operating systems have it, but XP did not have it.)
If you want to try the native audio driver, this thread has screen shots of how to install it in Windows 7. It should be about the same method in Vista. However I would be surprised if your audio works even with the native driver because the indications are that you have audio hardware failure. When was the last time the audio worked and what were the circumstances at the time it stopped working?
I had been trying to find a way to wirelessy transfer files from my laptop computer to my android tablet. I am new to using android. I had tried a couple of things that did not work. After our discussion yesterday I installed TeamViewer in both devices and established control over the laptop with the tablet. I tried your audio experiment. Using the tablet as the controller, I made the laptop play wma and mp3 audio files with Windows Media Player. The sound came through the laptop's speakers and also through the tablet's speakers.
I have ordered an USB sound card, and I will try to use it to make the lap top reproducing the sound. If this will be the case, that will confirm that the problem is in hardware failure. In any case I'll post here the result. @JIMCO Thank you for your advices and for your time.
I have disabled integrated sound card, and now with an USB sound card and external speakers my Inspiron can play the music. In other words, it was a hardware failer, or I guess so. Once again, many thanks JIMCO. Cheers!
Jim Coates
4 Operator
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13.6K Posts
1
July 23rd, 2014 05:00
Have you tried plugging in headphones and checking to see if audio is getting to the headphone jack?
If this is a recent problem have you tried Windows System Restore?
PCradionicaCybe
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0
July 23rd, 2014 05:00
PCradionicaCybe
6 Posts
0
July 23rd, 2014 06:00
Jim Coates
4 Operator
•
13.6K Posts
1
July 23rd, 2014 06:00
Regarding audio, after installing Vista follow the order of installation. That would be Dell System Software, restart, Chipset driver, restart, then the audio driver.
Usb speakers contain their own DAC, and as such are a separate audio device from the Sigmatel audio system, so in effect 2 different audio systems are not working. The usb system doesn't have anything to do with the Sigmatel audio driver or anything like that. Other than Windows the 2 systems don't have much in common. So that's interesting.
I have never used TeamView. It works like this? From your desktop computer you can control something like Windows Media Player on the laptop and make it open an mp3 from the laptop's hard drive and play it through the Sigmatel audio system?
Jim Coates
4 Operator
•
13.6K Posts
1
July 23rd, 2014 07:00
That means that your desktop's audio hardware, the DAC, is okay, but the laptop's audio hardware might not be. Try to run the audio tests in Dell 32-bit Diagnostics. The diagnostic partition will no longer be on the hard drive but the tool can be run from the resources cd that shipped with the computer.
It is a hardware test so if you cannot hear music during the test then the hardware has failed.
If you do not have Dell 32-bit Diagnostics then try running Linux Live operating system from a flash drive. That will eliminate Windows as being the cause of failure. If audio will not work with Linux Live either it points to hardware failure.
PCradionicaCybe
6 Posts
0
July 24th, 2014 00:00
Jim Coates
4 Operator
•
13.6K Posts
1
July 24th, 2014 05:00
Did you also listen through headphones to test if audio was getting to the headphone jack?
Yes, the audio chip in your laptop was manufactured by the Sigmatel company, and the correct driver for it is Sigmatel. That company later went out of business and was bought by the IDT company, but IDT did not make IDT drivers for the existing Sigmatel chips.Some of the IDT drivers do work in some of the old Dell laptops, but finding a particular IDT driver that would work with an Inspiron 1501 would be a matter of luck. There is no need to look for an IDT driver for your laptop when Dell supports you with the correct Sigmatel audio driver.
Also, there is no need to install even the Sigmatel driver. Even without installing an audio driver you would still get audio, assuming the hardware is working, because Vista would use its native audio driver. (Vista and later Windows operating systems have it, but XP did not have it.)
If you want to try the native audio driver, this thread has screen shots of how to install it in Windows 7. It should be about the same method in Vista. However I would be surprised if your audio works even with the native driver because the indications are that you have audio hardware failure. When was the last time the audio worked and what were the circumstances at the time it stopped working?
I had been trying to find a way to wirelessy transfer files from my laptop computer to my android tablet. I am new to using android. I had tried a couple of things that did not work. After our discussion yesterday I installed TeamViewer in both devices and established control over the laptop with the tablet. I tried your audio experiment. Using the tablet as the controller, I made the laptop play wma and mp3 audio files with Windows Media Player. The sound came through the laptop's speakers and also through the tablet's speakers.
PCradionicaCybe
6 Posts
0
July 25th, 2014 00:00
Jim Coates
4 Operator
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13.6K Posts
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July 26th, 2014 07:00
Thanks for letting me know.
PCradionicaCybe
6 Posts
0
July 26th, 2014 07:00