Onboard audio isn't working

[jaqen]

Hey guys,
Recently I moved my build from one case to another. The only thing in the build that changed is my psu (520w->420w) and I'm not running very much stuff on it so I figured it'd be fine. It's a a8n-sli motherboard, nvidia 9800gt, 3gb ram, a hard drive, and a dvd drive. I'm wondering if I shorted out the onboard audio somehow while making the transfer. Would going to a weaker psu cause the onboard audio to not get enough power? Are there any things I can do to potentially fix the problem if it is an issue with the onboard audio and nothing else? Wondering if I'll have to order a cheap sound card to replace it.

I've tried countless different drivers and even did a fresh format to windows 7 to see if that'd help. Windows detected the proper drivers and installed them right away, and I even see activity in the sound icon in the system tray when stuff is playing yet I don't hear anything. And I've tested different speakers and headphones.

Would doing something like discharging or grounding the motherboard help?


Thanks!

 

[Petrofsky]

It's unlikely that you fried just the sound without damaging anything else, and Windows sees the sound chip. I feel comfortable ruling out fried sound hardware. Your power supply has plenty of watts for the stuff you list (which comes to 240 at Cooler Master). What you describe sounds like "mute" is on.

 

[jaqen]

It's definitely not mute.

Here's a picture of device manager/sound settings...

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/637/soundc.png

And I have no idea what the two unknown devices should be but I don't think they'd have anything to do with the sound.

 

[Petrofsky]

I looked at your pics, and I see your problem. (You can link inside a message here and display the pics in the message directly. Like this:

They would need to be bigger, of course, so we could read them.)

I see your problem, but I don't see a solution. Just on general principles, if it was me who swapped cases like you did, I'd be thinking, "something's plugged in wrong." I'd double- and triple-check my wiring.

 

[jaqen]

Okay... you just said you see my problem but don't say what it is? I've looked inside the case several times and I'm not seeing anything... what is it that you see? You're just thinking something's not plugged in right?

 

[Petrofsky]

Sorry, I meant that if I was seeing what you're seeing in those pics, I'd be here asking for help, myself. I don't actually see a problem in the pics, per se. They look OK, but there's no sound, and that's the problem of yours that I see. I hear how stupid I sound. Forget I said anything about a problem.

Yes, by all means, check your wiring.

 

[jaqen]

Okay, my bad. After I posted my last reply I realized you probably meant, "I see the trouble you're having [but don't know how to fix it]," so then I felt stupid.

But I mean what could the wiring possibly be? It's not like there's a power source directly for the onboard audio, right? Just the two mobo power hookups (or somethings one if it's combined).

This is driving me nuts. Might just order a $7 sound card...

 

[Petrofsky]

That's a good idea. I've done that before. About the wiring, I mean that just looking at the problem logically, if nothing changed but the PSU, and that's OK, then you changed something inadvertantly. Maybe you dislodged a jumper or a plug. Maybe there's something you thought wasn't important that really is. If I was there with you, we'd take it apart and put it back together at least once to be sure there isn't a pinched wire or something different about the power supply. I hope somebody with a better idea chimes in soon.

 

[r_manic]

Best answer selected by r_manic.

 

[KCvale]

Check the motherboard connections for front panel audio.

If the old case had them and new one doesn't, or vise-versa, the problem could be there.

There is a connection to turn off the motherboards mic and speaker ports if a mic or headphones are connected to a case front panel.

In many motherboards, these two connection pin pairs need to be jumpered or connect to a front panel port or the on-board sound ports won't work.