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30252
July 12th, 2011 21:00
(un)mute/automatic headphone switchover vostro
I've had my laptop for about 2 years now. haven't used it much. i have had this problem with the audio since I got it, but haven't had the time to contact tech support while it was in warranty.
Basically there is an intermittent problem with the audio unmuting and the audion switching between headphone and main speakers when the headphone jack is plugged in. Very annoying... Sometimes it won't unmute, sometimes both the main speakers and the headphones are on when the jack is plugged in (all the way). Other times I'll plug the headphones in, the sound will switch to headphones OK, but when i remove the headphones, it won't switch back to main sound. The only way to fix the problem is to reboot.
I've updating the driver, rollling back the driver, updating the codec. Haven't had much time for anything else.
Running windows 7. Vostro 1520. IDT high definition audio CODEC.
NB: when I say it won't unmute, the mute symbol and status does change in windows.
KalyanGutala
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July 13th, 2011 01:00
Jim Coates
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July 13th, 2011 06:00
I believe that your headphone jack is faulty. You can confirm that by restoring the computer to the original factory configuration. If the problem persists after that then it is the jack. But I think that if you have re-installed the audio driver and still have the problem, that is close to a confirmation.
It is unfortunate that you are out of warranty. I believe that on your model you have to replace the mother board to replace the jack. A laptop tech could tell you if that is correct. A workaround would be to use a usb audio interface that you can plug the headphones into, and not use the jack at all, and hope that the symptoms stabilize in such a way that the speakers remain on (they will shut off whenever you enable the usb device).
n8th8n
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July 14th, 2011 03:00
Possibly, but doesn't explain the mute / unmute situation... The headphone jack doesn't crackle or anything. it's either one of the other, and sometimes if you play with the windows volume it works. Sometimes the windows sounds work, but movies and music don't. Meah...
Won't be buying a dell again...
You'd think most people would expect a laptop to last more than one year. One year warranty seems a bit lame.
Jim Coates
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13.6K Posts
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July 14th, 2011 04:00
My thinking is that there is an intermittent problem with the sense pin in the jack. Sense pin failure presents as a software failure so it is tricky to diagnose. You can read more about it in the Headphone Jack FAQ, the section entitled Newer Laptops with HD Audio on the System Board.
If the problem is not the jack then restore to the original factory configuration and it will be fixed.
n8th8n
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July 14th, 2011 06:00
That's kinda why i didn't want to contact tech support.
I don't have time to restore to factory configuration. I would have to back everything up, format the HDD, reinstall windows. load all the software back on, download all the windows updates...
Perhaps when I have a day to kill...
Jim Coates
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13.6K Posts
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July 14th, 2011 06:00
It doesn't matter. The point of it is to confirm that the problem is in the hardware. If it is then the restoration will not fix it anyway.
It is true that you would have to bring your backups up to date, which you should do anyway when you have a day to kill because the hard drive will die sooner or later if you own it long enough. The restoration itself only takes a few minutes -- it just loads the image from the hidden partition. The rest of it is optional. The only updates I let Windows perform are the security ones.