Realtek HD Audio front panel jack not working

[Goldfile]

Hi there!

I have always used my 3.5mm front panel jack on my PC. However, my graphics card broke recently and I had to remove it. From that day onward, I have only been able to get (from onboard graphics) sound through HDMI, and the front panel jack not working. I have gone through the Realtek HD Audio manager and went through the usual troubleshoot/recovery plan (Disable notifications and auto detection etc.) With no luck. Has anyone ever experienced this before/know a solution?

Kind regard,

 

[boju]

Please list your hardware including the graphics card you removed.

Front panel audio is usually connected to HD audio header pins on the motherboard. Since removing your graphics card, check that wire hasn't been dislodged. Chase the audio wire from the front audio jack and see where it leads.

I assume you know how to change devices in audio playback as default etc?

 

[MarkW]

In the taskbar, right click the speaker icon. Select Playback Devices.
On the panel that comes up, select the Front Panel, and then make it the default on the same page.

 

[Goldfile]

Please list your hardware including the graphics card you removed.

Front panel audio is usually connected to HD audio header pins on the motherboard. Since removing your graphics card, check that wire hasn't been dislodged. Chase the audio wire from the front audio jack and see where it leads.

I assume you know how to change devices in audio playback as default etc?

CPU: Pentium g3258 anniversary
GPU: Radeon HD 6850 (Has been removed)
PSU: Coolermaster Thunder 500W
MOBO: ASROCK z97 Anniversary
RAM: 2 x 4gb Kingston HyperX Fury Blue
CPU Cooler: Deepcool Lucifer V2
HDD: 1 x 80gb (OS) and 1 x 1TB
Case: Corsair Spec-01

I tried tracing the headphone jack wire, with no results. Could not find the header.

And yes, I know how to change devices etc. ticked disabled devices, headphones would not come up.

MarkW:

No result. There is no 'front panel' nor 'headphone' tab/device for me to make default.

 

[boju]

Not headphone jack, front panel audio will look like this;

I suggest you look at your motherboard closely and look for HD audio printed with a port similar to taking the above plug.

Also refer to your manual as well and youtube guides on how to connect front panel audio.

 

[Goldfile]

Not headphone jack, front panel audio will look like this;

I suggest you look at your motherboard closely and look for HD audio printed with a port similar to taking the above plug.

Also refer to your manual as well and youtube guides on how to connect front panel audio.

Found that part, it's plugged in the correct way etc. Nothing is unplugged from it.

 

[boju]

Ok cool, yea that would have been the most obvious thing to look at, oh well. Must be software then.

Try in HD audio manager:

Connector settings:

- If using the HD Audio header in picture above, set it to HD Audio, AC'97 if using the other header.
- Enable popup dialog - this should enable a popup message when you first connect your headphones with a list of connection types ie front's rear's etc, choose headphones.

If your Audio manager is the same as mine (Black) Older versions will have similar not sure where the settings would be.

See those icons above microphone effects, check speaker has a tick as being selected so HD audio manager is set to use analog and not digital.


If all that doesn't work, can update drivers from here, it may reset whatever the problem is: http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsCheck.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=14&PFid=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false

 

[Goldfile]

Ok cool, yea that would have been the most obvious thing to look at, oh well. Must be software then.

Try in HD audio manager:

Connector settings:

- If using the HD Audio header in picture above, set it to HD Audio, AC'97 if using the other header.
- Enable popup dialog - this should enable a popup message when you first connect your headphones with a list of connection types ie front's rear's etc, choose headphones.

If your Audio manager is the same as mine (Black) Older versions will have similar not sure where the settings would be.

See those icons above microphone effects, check speaker has a tick as being selected so HD audio manager is set to use analog and not digital.


If all that doesn't work, can update drivers from here, it may reset whatever the problem is: http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsCheck.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=14&PFid=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false

Thanks for the reply.

I have re-installed the drivers 4 times already, hoping the problem would be fixed. However, no luck. I checked all the settings in mine (I have a ALC887 chip) according to your specifications and did not work either, no message popped up when my front panel jack was plugged in... Strange.

 

[boju]

Okie dokie, what you might want to try if you haven't done this already is;

Read here first: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2763685/stop-windows-automatically-updating-device-drivers.html

Then uninstall - going through the same process you did 4 times over. It might be Win10 automatic device driver install setting you back.

Good luck.