Inspiron 17 5000 series audio jack buzzing noise

I have an Inspiron 17 5000 series, having static sounds when I plug in my speakers or earphones.  Problem happened "overnight"  one day all was well, next afternoon, static.   Did a system restore, thinking some auto update messed up the driver, but that did not help.  Internal speakers still sound really nice, but need to have the audio jack work correctly

If I cannot get a fix for this, will have to send it back.  Got too much data, pix, and music  loaded and too many programs to reinstall.  Really Really don't want to do this.   

Please help!   and Thanks!

JB

If I cannot get a fix for this, will have to send it back.

Hello. If you got it from Dell don't wait too long because the return period is very brief, and after that Dell won't take it back.

Got too much data, pix, and music  loaded and too many programs to reinstall.

If you decide to return it you are going to wipe the hard drive anyway, so perform a system recovery (return it to the original factory configuration) and check for the noise. If the noise does not go away then it is caused by hardware failure, and in that event you should be able to return it without paying a restocking fee.

If the noise goes away after a system recovery (test before getting on the internet), then it was caused by software. In that event you might be able to prevent it from happening again by setting Windows Updates to notify you before performing any updates, so if the noise comes back you will know which update caused it. However if you have Win10 you might not have the option of disabling automatic updates.

There is a test you can perform to rule out the audio driver as the cause of the noise -- switch from the Realtek audio driver to the Windows native driver.

1. Open the Device Manager (find it in the Control Panel, or type devmgmt.msc into the search box).
2. Expand the "Sound, video & game controllers" and right click on "Realtek High Definition Audio".
3. Select to "Update Driver Software".
4. Click on "Browse my computer for driver software".
5. Click "Let me pick from a list of drivers on my computer".
6. Put a check in the box "Show compatible hardware" if not already checked.
7. In the list of devices, click "High Definition Audio" (the native driver).
8. Click "Next".
9. On the Update Driver Warning box, click "Yes" (install the driver).
10. Restart the laptop if prompted. If not prompted, then no need to restart.
[To get back to the Realtek driver, do it again but reverse the names in steps 2 and 7.]

If you only have the symptoms with one of the drivers, then the other is at fault. If you have the same symptoms with both audio drivers, then it is very probably not a driver issue.

Thanks, will try your suggestion and see what happens,  I bought through Costco last November, so it is less than 6 months old. 

OK tried that still loud static coming from the audio jack.  is there something else I should try? 

OK tried that

Tried the audio driver test? If you have the same symptoms with both audio drivers, then it is very probably not a driver issue. That means that the hardware, Windows, or some other software is causing the noise. I can't think of what software would cause the noise in the jack but not through the internal speakers, so I would perform a system recovery and then test it after every update and other change to the system configuration.

You could get a cheap usb audio jack and use that with the headphones.

It looks like the Costco return period on electronics is 90 days.

Thanks Jimco, Changing to the High Definition Audio fixed my ticking noise!!! All is good in the world again.

-- Russ

Will keep the usb audio jack in mind.  Backed up all my data and called Costco Concierge again.  needed the express code which was on the bottom.  Turned the laptop upside down while it was still booted up, got the number.  Got through all the prelims with all the numbers, plugged my speakers in so the tech could hear the static.  NO static!!  obviously there is an electronic issue near my audio card that goes to the speaker jack.   Costco said to call back ASAP when it happens again, which i am sure it will.  

Meanwhile, do you remember Dilbert comic strip from the mid 90s?.  The two techs had given their boss an etch a sketch as a "computer". They instructed him to  hold it upside down and shake it to "reboot".  That memory provided a good laugh regarding this  issue. 

Interesting thread, with one of the laptops having a hardware issue and other seeming to have a driver fault. One would expect both to have symptoms of the driver fault. This illustrates why it is so hard to diagnose issues.

Dilbert is still a favorite of mine -- read it every day. I remember the Etch A Sketch one.

Both were sound issues, but... The driver default issue produced a "ticking" noise;  the hardware issue produced plain old static.  Static like you have tuned the radio to a spot  that is not a station or one that is not coming in clearly.  Of course, people often describe the same event in different ways.  It is hard to provide insight without being hands on.

Thanks for your input .

JB

Both were sound issues, but...

But you posted in this thread and linked both together. Also, it was a "buzzing ticking", a description that left ???? in my head.

Sorry if I have not approached this correctly; thought the thread was "sound" issues with Win 10.  Picked one that was closest to the problem I was having.  

JB