M18x R2 No Audio

Just got an used M18x R2 for a friend and everything seem to be working fine, except that there is no audio coming out of the speakers. The laptop was brought used and came in a deplorable condition (cosmetically), however, after a deep cleanup and disassembly, I was able to make it look like new, except for the audio.

The laptop seems to recognize the speakers as they appear in Playback Devices, and the green bar goes up and down according to the music, but no audio will came out. Also, only one of the audiojack works, the first one gives no audio while the second one works fine.

The laptop was given in factory default settings and drivers. I have already tried to uninstall all the drivers in order to check if the window's default make it work, but nothing. Uninstalling in Device Manager also did not did the trick. Is there anything else to check software-wise? I do not believe that there is a motherboard problem (at least for the speakers) since the speakers are at least getting recognized, so maybe there is a problem with the cables or speaker itself?

Thank you in advance.

 

probably cables/speakers themselves. Or, it could be the sound card being its flaky self, as some M18x R2s came with defective sound chips. Update to latest driver, courtesy of windows update, and check to see if something happens.

 

Try making sure you power settings are set to put the computer to sleep when you close your screen. Then close your screen and let to computer go to sleep complete and then open the screen and wake it up and see if the sound starts working. I've done that to three 18xr2's and the sound started working.

 

Well known issue for many systems using Sound Blaster Recon3Di

See this possibly permanent solution:
Sound Blaster Recon3Di Defect Discussion Thread - Find Solutions and Ask Questions Here [M18x R2, M17x R4 Audio]

 

Thank you for all the advice. I will take a look at all of them and report back if something happen.

 

Sounds like a loose speaker cable, possibly a defective speaker cable or speakers. Although I'd assume it's the first. If the card is still shows up under playback devices, it shouldn't be a defective sound chip, although it could be.

 

I accidentally posted a link to the wrong thread. The trigger pin in the first output jack (closest to the front of the laptop) may be stuck, which will cause the symptoms mentioned in the opening post. See this thread:

*M17xR3 & M18x* Internal Speakers not working after using S/PDIF (TOSLINK) Optical/external audio out

 

Yes, the laptop detect the sound card and speakers, I can also install and uninstall drives just fine, I do not have the headphones as the main output, red light from the S/PDIF port is always on just like my R1. The only weird stuff that I have seen are: one of the headphones input doesnt work, microphone shows as if someone is talking (green bar always at max... Ghosts?), and speaker's green bar moves with the music but no sound.

I finally have some free time this weekend, I will try all of the solutions then.

 

Ok, I was able to open the laptop today in order to reset the speaker cables and no dice, so I have been reading that last thread with the pins problems and I am assuming that one is my problem. I have tried the plug/unplug method on the jack in the front but also nothing. I am attaching a picture of the pins so maybe someone can identify the one that it is stuck.

The broken audio jack (the one closer to the front) and the microphone look really similar, while the second audio (this one works fine) jack looks different, maybe that one is the problem? In order to make the first audio jack work I have to push the headphones up.

Here are the images.

 

Found out the closest to the front audio output is the one jammed. Semi-fixed it by installing Dell's Soundblaster drivers and selecting the built-in speakers option from the control panel. All good now, thanks!

 

That's the same one that has given me fits in the past with the M18xR1 and M18xR2. I use headphones only in the second port and haven't had any issues like this resurface since avoiding the first port. That first port is the one with TOSLINK support.