Question PC Audio completely fried?

[FunkyDunky]

Hello, for the last few days I've been having trouble with my audio.

When I booted up my PC a few days ago after re-seating my GPU as it was sagging slightly, the audio was completely fried and could only product ear piercing static similar to a dial up modem. As anybody would do, I spent hours troubleshooting what I figured was a software error. I set default sound settings, re-installed audio drivers (Including a clean install on my GPU drivers), and even factory reset my PC. It got to the point where I knew my audio issue was either my case, my headphones or my motherboard so I started some hardware experiments.
I figured the obvious culprit had to be the headphones but after trying to plug in multiple different pairs into not only my front 3.5mm headphone jack, but my motherboard headphone jack too, I realized the problem is not the headphones. The next culprit would be my HD Audio connectors my case which I replugged, and there was still static. I'm honestly just baffled at why my audio has just been awful and was also wondering if wireless headphones could fix this? I'm hoping this isn't a hardware error, but something that can be solved through the software.
The oddest thing is that I can't get ANY audio for the PC to come through, no matter which default device I'm set to. It's just static.

My specs are

Gigabyte DS3H (Cheapest B450 board so wouldn't be shocked if the audio was dead in it)
Gigabyte RTX 2060 OC
Corsair CX550M
Corsair Vengeance 2x8 3200Mhz
OKN Network Card
Crucial P1 NVME M.2
Toshiba 1tb HDD
Aerocool Cylon (Another cheap product so wouldn't shock me either)

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

How did the audio get fried due to a sagging GPU? Which BIOS version are you currently on? Which OS version are you currently working on? That OKN network card, is that wired or wireless? If an Ethernet card, what's wrong with the Ethernet port on the motherboard?

Age of the PSU?

 

[FunkyDunky]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

How did the audio get fried due to a sagging GPU? Which BIOS version are you currently on? Which OS version are you currently working on? That OKN network card, is that wired or wireless? If an Ethernet card, what's wrong with the Ethernet port on the motherboard?

Age of the PSU?

Alright, the audio was not fried because of a sagging GPU but started to happen shortly after I re-seated my card. Could just be a coincidence in timing though.
I'm on bios version F50 and Windows 10
The OKN network card is a wireless card that lets me connect to wifi. It does have a cord going into my motherboard usb port though. Here is the card https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X462KRK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

PSU is only 3 months old as I built my PC in June

 

[hang-the-9]

If you unplug the case audio connection, do the rear ports still have the issue? You can try a USB or PCIe sound card.

 

[FunkyDunky]

If you unplug the case audio connection, do the rear ports still have the issue? You can try a USB or PCIe sound card.

If I unplug my HD audio connection, and plug my headphones into my motherboard, there is still static, yes.
Does this mean It's my motherboard then?
As a side note, my motherboard doesnt support room for another PCI connection as I am already using one for my GPU and one for my Network Card.

 

[FunkyDunky]

Update: Gigabyte offered to RMA the board so once I buy a new board I will tell you if everything works.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

If they are going to rma, they are probably replacing it. But you may have to wait a while. In which case you could buy another board and sell the repaired/replaced board or keep it as a spare.