Laptop audio has stopped after 5 years

ChochoYubi · 25 Jan 2020

Dell XPS 13 running the latest update of 64-bit Win 10.

I've had this computer for 5 years. Now I can't get any audio out of it.
The volume control appears normal, but it doesn't make the usual beeps when I adjust it, and no sound comes out of the laptop's built-in speakers, or headphones attached to the headphone jack, or USB speakers.
I don't see any conflicts in the Device Manager.
I ran the Windows Audio Troubleshooter, and it just ran for hours with no outcome until I finally stopped it.
Also ran the Dell diagnostic tool, and I think all drivers are up to date.
Any ideas of how to diagnose it?

Don't know if this is relevant:
The problems with audio began when I attached a USB amp to the computer--audio programs would eventually freeze up and not output to the amp anymore. But audio would always return to normal when I switched to the built-in speakers. Now all the audio is gone, no matter what is selected for output and no matter how many times I restart the machine. So I don't know if the USB amp is a key clue or a read herring.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

dalchina · 25 Jan 2020

Hi, please state your Windows build as per the forum prompt you received when creating your post.
Latest is not the same for all.

Please post a screenshot like this:

Laptop audio has stopped after 5 years-1.png

I ran the Windows Audio Troubleshooter, and it just ran for hours with no outcome

This is unexpected, of course.

Do you have either a System Restore point you can try to use, or a recent disk image you can restore?
(tenforums members tirelessly recommend the routine use of disk imaging to give you a second chance and easy and quick recovery from difficult circumstances without technical help e.g. Macrium Reflect (free-paid) )

If you create a new user for test purposes, log in as that user, do you then hear sound?

ChochoYubi · 25 Jan 2020

Thank you very much for the response.

Here's the Sound Devices panel:

Laptop audio has stopped after 5 years-annotation-2020-01-25-210608.png

The OS language is set to Chinese, but hopefully the situation is clear. My internal speakers and USB amplifier are showing up as normal, while the headphones are not. The amplifier says "Default Device" and the internal speakers have something like "Default signal device".
The Windows 10 version is 18362.592.
I set up a test account on the same machine, and it also gets no sound.
No, I have not backed up my system, except the system restore USB I created when I first set up the computer 5 years ago.
(I have a lot of software installed and would prefer not to restore to the state the computer was in 5 years ago).

Any ideas?

dalchina · 25 Jan 2020

What happens if you remove everything related to the DAC, including its driver- completely- and make sure your speakers are then set as default?

If you play some media file, do you see the volume bars move in that dialogue?

(I have a lot of software installed and would prefer not to restore to the state the computer was in 5 years ago).

Entirely understandable- but absolutely begs the question as to why you're not using disk imaging to hopefully protect that state.

(Given that this also occurs with the other user account, you will have the option of an in-place upgrade repair install which keeps all progs and data, should it come to that).

Bree · 25 Jan 2020

ChochoYubi said:

Here's the Sound Devices panel:

Any ideas?

The green tick against Line says that it is currently selected as the default. Click on Speakers then set it as default.

dalchina · 25 Jan 2020

.. same recommendation as my post except I suggested uninstalling the DAC.

ChochoYubi · 25 Jan 2020

I've made some progress. I unplugged the USB amplifier and uninstalled its driver. Also deleted a lot of stuff from the drive so that free space is above 10% (don't know if that makes any difference).
Now:
- Audio files and sites are working fine, for now.
- The sound test in the Sound Control Panel works, BUT no sound comes out when I adjust the Windows volume control or use the 'Manage Audio Devices' Settings panel.

Entirely understandable- but absolutely begs the question as to why you're not using disk imaging to hopefully protect that state.

I didn't know that was recommended for ordinary users. Certainly I'll start doing it now!
The next question will be whether audio will still work when I use the USB amplifier again...

badrobot · 25 Jan 2020

Right-click on "Speakers" and select "Set as Default Device".

Laptop audio has stopped after 5 years-image.png

dalchina · 26 Jan 2020

Good.. check 'Default Beep' here:

This has to work to get the notification sound when adjusting the volume slider. Note you only get the sound if you drag that with the mouse- not with the scroll wheel. Which are you doing?

I didn't know that was recommended for ordinary users. Certainly I'll start doing it now!

- disks fail, PC's become unbootable- even for ordinary users.. backing up only personal files means should a problem arise with your PC that can't be corrected by various technical repairs, you then have to do a clean install.

If you have a disk image, you both have a full backup from which you can extract files, and the means to restore your PC to a previous good state.

Of course, if the problem's origin was earlier than your earliest image, then it still won't help. Plus restoring earlier images means restoring all data on the restored disk/partition to an earlier state too, suggesting keeping personal data off C: and a data backup.

Laptop audio has stopped after 5 years

Laptop audio has stopped after 5 years

System Info

We have progress!