No sound after installing new GPU

[mickeborg72]

I have a problem after installing a new GPU. I dont have any sound from either front or back jacks. I do however have sound using USB speakers. But sometimes i can hear VERY VERY low sound in my headphones if the sorundings are very quiet and all the volume is at 100%. I have tried just about everything in forums and things. Next step would be to buy a new motherboard. But my kids would NOT like it if i have to install a new windows. So im open to any input in this case. I have reinstalled drivers several times as well and check the setting in BIOS. Im out if ideas.

All the sound indicators saying it playing sound. When i plug the headphones in is do change to that. But no metter what i set as default sound nothing.. Except for the USB speakers

Please Help me

 

[Paperdoc]

You can fix this with a setting in Windows. But first the why?

Most video cards these days also contain an audio chip. That is so that it can send sound on some of the lines of an HDMI output port to your monitor or TV that has its own speakers. VERY often when you install one of these cards and it also installs its device drivers, it installs the driver for that sound chip and then changes a setting in Windows to make it the default audio output device. Now, Windows can only use ONE audio output device at a time, so this action turns OFF windows' ability to use any sound system on your motherboard. Thus, those front and back jacks no longer have any signal coming out of them.

To Fix, go into Start (bottom left corner) ... Control Panel ... Sounds and Audio Devices and to the Audio tab group. There you will find a drop-down menu of all the audio output devices in your machine, and there will be at least two. One will be on your mobo, often made by Realtek. Another will be the new one on your video card. Choose the m0otherboard sound output device and tell Windows to make it the Default Sound Output device. Back out of these windows and test. You should have sound from your front and back panel jacks now.

 

[mickeborg72]

Hi.. Thanks for the answer.

But the solution you gave me was one of the first thing i did check. I have tried every option, set every different output option to default just to try but still nothing. How ever, when i set Realtek High Defenition Audio as default Output i do hear VERY VERY low sound if i have the volume set to 100% in my headphones using the front jack. But i can bearly hear anything, its really really low. I starting to suspect if there is a hidden volume controle somewere i dont know about?? But that sounds very weird if that would be the case, but who know. I would be happy if you could give me another suggestion what to check.

I upload a picture showing i have the default output and that it indicates it plays sound

 

[Paperdoc]

Maybe go through the Realtek tools that is used to configure its outputs and inputs, and ensure that it is set with volume levels up near the top.

There is another thing I'll detail, in case it is involved. The Realtek system I have (and many are this way) is designed to allow you to re-assign certain output jacks to do different functions. But the way it works can cause your sound to disappear. So, with the Realtek system set as your Default Sound Playback device, follow this sequence.
1. Arrange your system so you can plug in and unplug speaker items from your back panel, and see your monitor screen and keyboard at the same time.
2. Unplug all the things on the back panel jacks for sound output, and any headphones plugged into the front jack. Now reboot your system so it realizes it has NO devices connected to output jacks.
3. Go into the Realtek system and set it for your speaker system - I will write as if you have a system like mine - 5.1 surround sound, plus headphones at the front panel.
4. Start with ONE speaker plug - say, the front left / right speakers. Plug that into its correct jack - usually green. Now check your monitor right away. It should pop up a little window saying that Realtek has detected something was plugged into that jack, and asking for what. It will suggest a default possibility, like the front left / right speakers. If you ignore that, the screen will disappear after a short time, and it will NOT use the suggestion it showed you. Instead, it will send out NOTHING on that jack! So, before the little window closes, answer it and tell it - even if only confirming its suggestion - exactly what you just plugged in.
5. On to the the next - say, the front middle / Subwoofer pair into the orange jack. Follow the same process - answer the little window.
6. Same again (if you have them) say, rear speaker pair into the grey jack, and answer the window.
7. Lastly, plug your headphones into the front and see if you need to answer for that new item, too.

Once this is complete, go to your Realtek configuration utility and use its test tools to output sounds to your speakers. Mine offers various moving sound patterns to check that all speakers are performing, and help you balance their volumes.

This process is necessary to get the mobo Realtek system to actually send sound out of its jacks. Maybe it will help your problem.

 

[mickeborg72]

I really appreciate all your effords to solve this weird problem.

i have never used the pack panel for sound sinse im using a USB speaker system that is working fine.. the problem is that my kids use headphones and microfone in their games and nothing if that works now. However i do have a 5.1 system im not using i can try to plugin and confirm like you said and see if anything happens.. i will get back with a result asap and THANKS again

 

[Paperdoc]

Here's another thought to consider.

On some mobos with built-in audio chips, there is an option in BIOS Setup for what happens when you plug headphones into the front panel. Some let you choose whether or not using headphones in the front automaticaly shuts off the rear speaker outputs.

But more pertinent to your situation: I realize now that, since you are using a "USB Speaker system", what it likely going on is that the system you talk about really is another and different sound output device. That is, when you tell Windows to use it (and it probably did set itself this way when installed), as your default sound output device, then NO other audio output is being used by Windows. Now, normally the front panel headphone jacks connect to a mobo header that gets its audio signals from the mobo's built-in system. But if Windows has been told NOT to use that, and use the USB system instead to send sound out through your speakers, then there will NOT be any signal from the mobo audio chip to the front panel.

Re-read my first post. You can check for this possibility. Go into Window's system to specify the Default Sound Output Device, and see if that is set to use your USB system. If so, change that to make the mobo Realtek system your default output device. THEN see whether the front panel headphone jacks work. While you're there, note another related item, which is relevant IF your kids are using the microphone of the headset. Just as you can set only one default sound output device, you also can set a default sound recording device separately, and this should be set to the mobo Realtek system if you want the front panel microphone jack to do that job.

 

[mickeborg72]

Here's another thought to consider.

On some mobos with built-in audio chips, there is an option in BIOS Setup for what happens when you plug headphones into the front panel. Some let you choose whether or not using headphones in the front automaticaly shuts off the rear speaker outputs.

But more pertinent to your situation: I realize now that, since you are using a "USB Speaker system", what it likely going on is that the system you talk about really is another and different sound output device. That is, when you tell Windows to use it (and it probably did set itself this way when installed), as your default sound output device, then NO other audio output is being used by Windows. Now, normally the front panel headphone jacks connect to a mobo header that gets its audio signals from the mobo's built-in system. But if Windows has been told NOT to use that, and use the USB system instead to send sound out through your speakers, then there will NOT be any signal from the mobo audio chip to the front panel.

Re-read my first post. You can check for this possibility. Go into Window's system to specify the Default Sound Output Device, and see if that is set to use your USB system. If so, change that to make the mobo Realtek system your default output device. THEN see whether the front panel headphone jacks work. While you're there, note another related item, which is relevant IF your kids are using the microphone of the headset. Just as you can set only one default sound output device, you also can set a default sound recording device separately, and this should be set to the mobo Realtek system if you want the front panel microphone jack to do that job.

Thanks again

I know what screen you are talking about. I have i tried to change the default output to Realtek but i still dont get any sound (also tried all the others output, i get sound on the USB speaker and the NVIDIA HDMI output, but not from realtek) I have "played" with realtek controlcenter and change just about every setting i can think of (of cource i set it back to default when done). When i set the USB speakers to default i got sound. The weird thing is that there was no problem at all before i installed a new GPU.. from a GTX 660 to a GTX 1070. i could listen to the sound via my USB speakers. but as soon as i pluggen in the headphones, it change to that.. And the mic was working. Now it still say that i plugin the headphones. I sometimes have to change to the reltek to be the default but even when i do so i still dont get any sound. I will try this week to plugin a 5.1 system using the jacks on the back just to see what happens and i will let you know

regards/ Micke

 

[Paperdoc]

I suspect that, when you installed the new GPU, it also installed its own audio system and made that the Windows Default Sound Output device. That was the start of your problems. After that, one thing you have done is re-installed all the audio device drivers. In doing that, you probably also reset all of them to their default settings, and that may have been why the old settings for your USB speaker system were changed and the front headphone jack no longer works as it used to. I suggest you connect the USB Speaker system and make it your default sound output device. After that is working, look through its settings carefully to see if it has something for enabling the front panel headphone jacks.

 

[mickeborg72]

I suspect that, when you installed the new GPU, it also installed its own audio system and made that the Windows Default Sound Output device. That was the start of your problems. After that, one thing you have done is re-installed all the audio device drivers. In doing that, you probably also reset all of them to their default settings, and that may have been why the old settings for your USB speaker system were changed and the front headphone jack no longer works as it used to. I suggest you connect the USB Speaker system and make it your default sound output device. After that is working, look through its settings carefully to see if it has something for enabling the front panel headphone jacks.

Hello again..

Sorry for my late responce but i have been a bit busy with work and family latley.

So what can i say?? First of all BIG thanks for the effort you guy have made to solve my problem.

I have done all the tings you have told me to try (even if i had try all of them several times before).
And just to make shure no missunderstanding been done i told you about my USB speakers. Just to be clear, i have never had any problem with my USB speakers. I can make them my default speakers and i can hear everything loud and clear.. Even with the headphone. I just cant use the mic in that.

And back to what i was suppose to try, to set up a 5.1 sound system using the jacks in the back.
Setting it up as just as i expected. Everythins show just like it should do. Everytime i plug in something in the different jacks (3 of them - Green - Black - Orange. ) i get a pop-up question. Just as you expect it to do. I answer and just accept the suggestion it had made. I know i told this in the past. But turning the volume up to MAX on everything i can can find.. i Do however hear VERY low sound from teh speakers when i run the test sound. But its like the volume is almost to nothing, even when i have turned everything up to MAX.

If i change the default sound output to my USB speakers again its very loud and clear again.

im so very close to reinstall my comuter, but my kids would proably kill me but i really want this to work

I wish it was so simple that i have forgot to choose a default output or anything like that.

 

[mickeborg72]

Another update. Now i tried the Realtek Digital Output(Optical) and that works just fine. But the biggest issiue is still that i cant use the regular jacks so get any sound.

 

[Paperdoc]

Wow! What a frustrating puzzle!

 

[Vic 40]

All the sound indicators saying it playing sound. When i plug the headphones in is do change to that. But no metter what i set as default sound nothing.. Except for the USB speakers

Please Help me

Can you post a picture of that? Probably rightclick the sound icon in the system tray and choose the playing devices.
Can use Imgur to post a picture here,use the "img" link.
Click "new post" ->choose "upload images" -> "browse" ->choose the picture and click "open" ->put cursor on the picture that you uploaded->choose "share links" and copy the img link.

Just to see for ourselves what is the default playing device.

 

[mickeborg72]

Wow! What a frustrating puzzle!

I know.. And i have tried just about everything. Sometimes im thinking there must be a "hidden" volume controle somewere in the system or in a active program/service i dont know about.

i am quite a excperience user so i do know my way around the computer, but not saying im a real expert at all, but i would say im above average

Next step for me is consider to reinstall the comuter and cross my fingers. But i would feel defeted if i still have the same problem after that.

i will still try some basic stuff yet again, just incase i did miss anything. But it is as you say a realy frustrating puzzle

So beg you guys.. HELP.. were can i find the "hidden volume" control haha

cheers

 

[jdlech2]

If I may, I would like you to check something. The extremely low volume is a clue. It's possible that your Realtek output has defaulted to digital format - which would sound super quite in headphones. Worse, is that Realtek configuration software often hides alternatives when it thinks there is no alternatives plugged in. So it sometimes hides the option you want.
My recommendation is to uninstall all audio device drivers, (not codecs), and reboot. Install the latest Realtek audio driver and it should ask you what kind of speakers you have plugged in (headphones, 2.1, 4.1, etc.). This should solve the problem.
Even after you're done, check your devices list to make sure your OS didn't try to install more than one set of drivers. Especially with Windows - Windows seems to love installing duplicate audio drivers that makes a mess of everything.

 

[Bighanzee]

I realize this is a few years old but I'm having the exact same issue. Tried it all and still super low volume.
I'm hoping by bringing this one back there may have been a fix since.