Now I realise there is no audio from the speakers, audio 3.5 socket ok.

Hello. Test the speakers using the "Quick Audio Check" in the ePSA diagnostics.

> Re-start the computer and tap the F12 key as soon as it starts to boot up. If the computer boots to Windows re-start the computer and try again.

> Select 'Diagnostics' from the boot menu, then press the Enter key.

> Look for a "Perform Quick Audio Check" button on the bottom right side of the ePSA main menu screen (see screen shot below). Press the button and listen for the beep tones from the speakers.

> If you don't hear the beep tones that means that the speakers have become disconnected or have failed. Sorry but you have to get tech support to try once again to fix it correctly.

> If you do hear the tones that means that the speakers are working and are connected. In that case probably the reason that audio is not coming through them is either a bad driver, or  the sensing circuitry in the headphone jack has failed.

Hi Robin,

Latest driver has been installed, audio does work with external ear phones.

Hi Jimco,

The PSA on my Dell does not have audio check

If you do not have the "Perform Quick Audio Check" button then do this. Start the PSA tests and when it performs the color test it will ask you if you see the color bars on the screen. Deliberately fail the test by answering no (press the "n" key) instead of yes. When you do that the PSA test will emit a series of beeps. Listen for the beeps.

If you don't hear the beep tones that means that the speakers have become disconnected or have failed.

Service agents introducing faults...

Yep.

I'm on an Inspiron 7568, had to factory reset completely last week for separate problem and I was running the dell bios & driver updates when I restarted and realized I had lost all sound.

Are you saying that the audio worked fine until you updated the BIOS? If so it would seem to be the fault of the BIOS. See if the version you have allows you to revert to the previous version. And/or look in the current BIOS to see if it has a setting for audio -- most don't but some do.

Note that the BIOS is firmware that resides on the motherboard. Resetting Windows has no effect on the BIOS at all. You would have had the same BIOS after the reset as you did before, until you upgraded the BIOS.

I tried this with Dell tech support last night when I was on the phone with them for 5 hours! Got the beep. I was passed around through 5 techs they all tried a system restart saying it would take it back to factory programing and everything should work. No Go, so frustrating!

I'm on an Inspiron 7568, had to factory reset completely last week for separate problem and I was running the dell bios & driver updates when I restarted and realized I had lost all sound.

Any other ideas would be gladly appreciated, I have lost all faith in dell tech support fixing it.

Thank you for the reply Jimco, that is exactly what happened.

I'm not sure where to look for the bios files. But that would make sense to me.

I'm not sure where to look for the bios files.

Go to the Inspiron 7568 support page. Click on "drivers and downloads" if not already selected.

Use the blue "Change OS" arrow to select your operating system. Expand the BIOS category.

Click on "other versions" to see older revisions. Select an older one than the one you are currently using.

Sometimes you can overwrite a newer BIOS with an older one and sometimes you can't. Note that a failed BIOS attempt can brick the motherboard, but if that happens it is covered under the warranty. Here are Dell's instructions for installing an older BIOS revision. The first 3 steps will get you to the 7568 support page if my link above does not work.

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2. How to Download and Downgrade the System BIOS

Follow the instructions below:

1. Browse to the www.dell.com/support/drivers page.

2. If you are asked to "Identify your product", then either enter your Service tag, or select "Browse for a product" to select manually.

3. If the system shown is incorrect, click on "View a different product" and again either enter your Service tag or Browse manually.

4. If the correct system is already selected, then in the pull-down menus, choose the BIOS Category.

5. If a different version of the BIOS is required from the one shown, click Other versions available, a box will open below.

6. Select the required BIOS version then click Download File.

7. Save the file to the Desktop for or a preferred location.

8. When ready, right-click the downloaded file and select "Run as administrator", follow the on screen instructions.