From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 2025-02-07 16:03, David wrote:

On 06/02/2025 23:31, Java Jive wrote:

On 2025-01-23 22:48, David wrote:

On 23/01/2025 22:43, David wrote:

Your memory is slipping! This Dell laptop has /never/ had any sound
as far as I can recall.

I haven't been following this thread at all, and not all of it seems
to be available anyway, so it's possible that someone else might have
suggested this already, but Dells sometimes have function <Fn> key
combinations that control the sound.  On this one in front of me, a
Precision M6300, they're as follows ...
     <Fn+End>       Mute/Unmute sound
     <Fn+PageUp>    Increase Volume
     <Fn+PageDown>  Decrease Volume
... while other Dells here have other such <Fn> key combinations
marked but none appear to be for sound.  If you haven't already done
so, examine the keyboard for any <Fn> markings that look relevant,
usually they're loud-speaker-like markings in a non-white colour such
as orange or blue.

Also, it may be worth trying to find a manual for it to see if there
are any 'magic' key combinations documented for it.

Also, if you plug some headphones or an amplifier into the headphone
socket, do get sound then?  If so, most probably someone has
previously dismantled the PC to fix something or other, and forgotten
to reconnect the internal speakers when re-assembling it.

Hello Charles 🙂

How kind of you to step in to try to help. *Thank you*!

You may like to review the situation from beginning to end, here:-

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-can-i-regain-sound-from-the-speakers-on-my/6a7dfbdf-98e7-4be7-b9e0-ca878c633132?page=1

If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all, that
seems like a hardware problem.
--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website: www.macfh.co.uk

--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 2025-02-07 17:04, Java Jive wrote:

If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all, that
seems like a hardware problem.

One last chance, what happens when you run the Dell Diagnostics?
Formerly these were runnable from a CD, whence you could copy them to a bootable USB, nowadays usually available via a boot option similar to
<F2> taking you into the BIOS - I'm not sure what actual key it would
be, but you should be able to find out from the Dell site, especially as
you have the laptop's service tag.

If you get no sound via the Diagnostics, then the sound is dead. I have
an Inspiron model here, but it's a different model and Dells are
horribly confusing in that radically different hardware can share the
same model line name, so it wouldn't really be worth my while suggesting anything based on this one, and I'm not familiar with yours at all.

What I'm getting around to suggesting is that you obtain a service
manual for the laptop and try to find out where the audio hardware is
located. If it's on the mainboard then you'd have to swap the mainboard
to fix it, probably not worth while, but if it's on a daughterboard,
then that may be worth the effort.

A lot will also depend on how easy it is to dismantle the laptop to
repair, because the same brand names can vary a lot. Of the ones I have
here, the Inspiron is the worst of all, but I mainly have Precisions,
and, of those, the M6300s are nearly but not quite as bad as the
Inspiron, whereas with the M6700s and M6800s you just remove the bottom
plage, two screws, and maybe the keyboard, a few more, and almost
everything is accessible, a huge improvement on previous models.

So, if you're minded to investigate further, try the Dell Diagnostics
first, and if you can't hear any sound there, try to obtain a service
manual to get a sense of how difficult or easy (chance would be a fine
thing) it might be to repair with a used part from eBay.

NB: With Dells, the 'service' manuals are often called something that
sounds more like a manual instructing use rather than dismantling or
repair, for example, my Inspiron's Service Manual is simply called the "Owner's Manual". You'll have to download everything you can and open
each up to find which one is what you want.
--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website: www.macfh.co.uk

--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 2025-02-07 17:39, Java Jive wrote:

remove the bottom plage

... or even 'plate' ...
--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website: www.macfh.co.uk

--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:

On 2025-02-07 16:03, David wrote:

[...]

If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all, that
seems like a hardware problem.

I don't know about the OP's computer, but IIRC my UEFI has a
diagnostic for sound, so that can be used to try to rule out any OS
issues.

The OP's computer is apparently a Dell, but it might have something
similar to HP's 'Support Assistant' which has a 'Fix audio issues' troubleshooter.

And, don't know about Windows 10, but Windows 11 has an 'Audio' troubleshooter (Settings -> System -> Troubleshoot -> Other
trouble-shooters). A little akward to use, but maybe it does the trick.

--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On Fri, 2/7/2025 1:42 PM, Frank Slootweg wrote:

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:

On 2025-02-07 16:03, David wrote:

[...]

If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all, that
seems like a hardware problem.

I don't know about the OP's computer, but IIRC my UEFI has a
diagnostic for sound, so that can be used to try to rule out any OS
issues.

The OP's computer is apparently a Dell, but it might have something
similar to HP's 'Support Assistant' which has a 'Fix audio issues' troubleshooter.

And, don't know about Windows 10, but Windows 11 has an 'Audio' troubleshooter (Settings -> System -> Troubleshoot -> Other trouble-shooters). A little akward to use, but maybe it does the trick.

Part of the troubleshooting, could profit from the use of headphones.

That removes the two laptop speakers (Itchy and Scratchy) from the equation.

Paul
--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 07/02/2025 19:18, Paul wrote:

On Fri, 2/7/2025 1:42 PM, Frank Slootweg wrote:

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:

On 2025-02-07 16:03, David wrote:

[...]

If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all, that
seems like a hardware problem.

I don't know about the OP's computer, but IIRC my UEFI has a
diagnostic for sound, so that can be used to try to rule out any OS
issues.

The OP's computer is apparently a Dell, but it might have something
similar to HP's 'Support Assistant' which has a 'Fix audio issues'
troubleshooter.

And, don't know about Windows 10, but Windows 11 has an 'Audio'
troubleshooter (Settings -> System -> Troubleshoot -> Other
trouble-shooters). A little akward to use, but maybe it does the trick.

Part of the troubleshooting, could profit from the use of headphones.

That removes the two laptop speakers (Itchy and Scratchy) from the equation.

Paul

I did post (somewhere!) that I found some iPhone wired ear-buds which
are surely much the same as headphones, but heard no sound from them
using the Dell's headphone jack.

They DID work, though, when I used them in the USB Plug-In device:-
(7J Channel Sound) https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/bn_6364124
--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 07/02/2025 17:39, Java Jive wrote:

On 2025-02-07 17:04, Java Jive wrote:

If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all, that
seems like a hardware problem.

One last chance, what happens when you run the Dell Diagnostics?
Formerly these were runnable from a CD, whence you could copy them to a bootable USB, nowadays usually available via a boot option similar to
<F2> taking you into the BIOS  -  I'm not sure what actual key it would
be, but you should be able to find out from the Dell site, especially as
you have the laptop's service tag.

If you get no sound via the Diagnostics, then the sound is dead.  I have
an Inspiron model here, but it's a different model and Dells are
horribly confusing in that radically different hardware can share the
same model line name, so it wouldn't really be worth my while suggesting anything based on this one, and I'm not familiar with yours at all.

What I'm getting around to suggesting is that you obtain a service
manual for the laptop and try to find out where the audio hardware is located.  If it's on the mainboard then you'd have to swap the mainboard
to fix it, probably not worth while, but if it's on a daughterboard,
then that may be worth the effort.

A lot will also depend on how easy it is to dismantle the laptop to
repair, because the same brand names can vary a lot.  Of the ones I have here, the Inspiron is the worst of all, but I mainly have Precisions,
and, of those, the M6300s are nearly but not quite as bad as the
Inspiron, whereas with the M6700s and M6800s you just remove the bottom plage, two screws, and maybe the keyboard, a few more, and almost
everything is accessible, a huge improvement on previous models.

So, if you're minded to investigate further, try the Dell Diagnostics
first, and if you can't hear any sound there, try to obtain a service
manual to get a sense of how difficult or easy (chance would be a fine thing) it might be to repair with a used part from eBay.

NB:  With Dells, the 'service' manuals are often called something that sounds more like a manual instructing use rather than dismantling or
repair, for example, my Inspiron's Service Manual is simply called the "Owner's Manual".  You'll have to download everything you can and open
each up to find which one is what you want.

"In the old days" I surely would have tried, but it isn't worth the
effort when my grandson has already replaced it with an Apple MacBook
Air and I've got more computers than I can shake a stick at!

It's been nice to meet you, Charles! Come to ACW!

--
David
--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 07/02/2025 17:53, Java Jive wrote:

On 2025-02-07 17:39, Java Jive wrote:

remove the bottom plage

... or even 'plate' ...

👍
--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On Fri, 2/7/2025 2:52 PM, David wrote:

On 07/02/2025 19:18, Paul wrote:

On Fri, 2/7/2025 1:42 PM, Frank Slootweg wrote:

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:

On 2025-02-07 16:03, David wrote:

[...]

If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all, that
seems like a hardware problem.

   I don't know about the OP's computer, but IIRC my UEFI has a
diagnostic for sound, so that can be used to try to rule out any OS
issues.

   The OP's computer is apparently a Dell, but it might have something >>> similar to HP's 'Support Assistant' which has a 'Fix audio issues'
troubleshooter.

   And, don't know about Windows 10, but Windows 11 has an 'Audio'
troubleshooter (Settings -> System -> Troubleshoot -> Other
trouble-shooters). A little akward to use, but maybe it does the trick.

Part of the troubleshooting, could profit from the use of headphones.

That removes the two laptop speakers (Itchy and Scratchy) from the equation. >>
    Paul

I did post (somewhere!) that I found some iPhone wired ear-buds which
are surely much the same as headphones, but heard no sound from them using the Dell's headphone jack.

They DID work, though, when I used them in the USB Plug-In device:-
(7J Channel Sound) https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/bn_6364124

Then the sound just isn't working.

You've proved your headphones work, and when plugged
in, the headphones don't detect anything. They should be
32 ohm headphones, and a match for an HDAudio headphone
widget output.

And you're using the OEM MaxxAudio driver, and I don't know
what else would be more appropriate than that driver.

Check for a speaker shaped icon, in the tray. If the
RealTek is installed, there should be a Speaker icon.
The speaker is sort of on a 45 degree angle, so it's partially
an "angular view of a speaker" icon. That could be the
RealTek icon.

When you click the Speaker Icon (if it is visible of course),
make sure your headphones are plugged in. The control panel
only goes to full-sized dialog, if headphones are in usage.
(The control panel needs to see at least one jack is being
used, to open up to full size.)

Paul
--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 2025-02-07 20:03, David wrote:

On 07/02/2025 17:39, Java Jive wrote:

On 2025-02-07 17:04, Java Jive wrote:

If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all, that
seems like a hardware problem.

One last chance, what happens when you run the Dell Diagnostics?
Formerly these were runnable from a CD, whence you could copy them to
a bootable USB, nowadays usually available via a boot option similar
to <F2> taking you into the BIOS  -  I'm not sure what actual key it
would be, but you should be able to find out from the Dell site,
especially as you have the laptop's service tag.
"In the old days" I surely would have tried, but it isn't worth the

effort when my grandson has already replaced it with an Apple MacBook
Air and I've got more computers than I can shake a stick at!

I can understand readily enough that you may not be bothered enough to dismantle an old laptop to repair it, especially if it turns out to be
one of the ones that's a PITA to dismantle and reassemble, but there's
no reason not to run the Dell Diagnostics. That should be pretty easy
to do.
--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website: www.macfh.co.uk
--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 07/02/2025 22:03, Java Jive wrote:

On 2025-02-07 20:03, David wrote:

On 07/02/2025 17:39, Java Jive wrote:

On 2025-02-07 17:04, Java Jive wrote:

If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all,
that seems like a hardware problem.

One last chance, what happens when you run the Dell Diagnostics?
Formerly these were runnable from a CD, whence you could copy them to
a bootable USB, nowadays usually available via a boot option similar
to <F2> taking you into the BIOS  -  I'm not sure what actual key it
would be, but you should be able to find out from the Dell site,
especially as you have the laptop's service tag.
"In the old days" I surely would have tried, but it isn't worth the

effort when my grandson has already replaced it with an Apple MacBook
Air and I've got more computers than I can shake a stick at!

I can understand readily enough that you may not be bothered enough to dismantle an old laptop to repair it, especially if it turns out to be
one of the ones that's a PITA to dismantle and reassemble, but there's
no reason not to run the Dell Diagnostics.  That should be pretty easy
to do.

I thank you for prodding me into action, but I have already run all the
tests I could find at Dell.

Here's one result:- https://i.ibb.co/kgqwBLbG/IMG-3158.jpg
--
Kind regards,
David
(Devon)
--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 2025-02-07 23:04, David wrote:

I thank you for prodding me into action, but I have already run all the tests I could find at Dell.

Here's one result:- https://i.ibb.co/kgqwBLbG/IMG-3158.jpg

So why did you waste our collective time with this thread???!!!

Plonk!
--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website: www.macfh.co.uk

--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On Fri, 2/7/2025 8:16 PM, Java Jive wrote:

On 2025-02-07 23:04, David wrote:

I thank you for prodding me into action, but I have already run all the tests I could find at Dell.

Here's one result:- https://i.ibb.co/kgqwBLbG/IMG-3158.jpg

So why did you waste our collective time with this thread???!!!

Plonk!

But that's just the history of diagnostic tests.

What I see in that picture, is the "typical result
of a coder not caring about their work".

One thing to check, is whether the diagnostic is running
as Administrator. Perhaps it is failing because it lacks
access to hardware registers.

There might be expectations about what kind of runtime
environment should be provided. Does it run from WinPE ?
Does it run from Safe Mode ? Are they using something
entirely different (not even Linux) for the test ?

The only diagnostic test that has ever impressed me,
was the diagnostic tests on a Sparc, in response to
flipping the switch to Test on the faceplate. When
that thing told you something was busted, it was
really busted.

I've purchased a couple diagnostics
a long time ago (for desktop computers), which looked
like "busy work" for some dev, and no clear picture that
they were intent on testing anything.

Any time a diagnostic test purports to test something
on the "critical path" for hardware, that path was
tested purely by the ability to be able to POST and boot
the computer. If you find such test items in a test list,
that tells you what percentage bullshit is in the test
suite.

Summary: Be suspicious of diagnostics. Use your head and
analyze what they propose to test. It's pretty easy
to spot the "busy work" versions where they threw
in test cases that have no business being there.

Also, be suspicious of tests which technically cannot
be safely conducted. The SMBUS has no industry-wide
accepted semaphore, to protect usage. Only one program can use
the SMBUS at a time. If two programs try to use it, and
a bus transfer is interrupted (and corrupted), that will
invalidate the results. To safely carry out such a test,
you need sufficient control of the runtime environment,
so that no second program can make accesses while the
"diagnostic" runs. Other buses, like LPC, don't have that
characteristic.

Sound should be test-able, as it is off to the side.
The HDAudio bus, you could likely give that a whack, without
side effects (this assumes there isn't a dialup networking
chip as a second item on the bus). You would still need a
runtime environment that is not doing register-level access
to some HDAudio codec chip.

Part of my job as a hardware guy, was writing enough
tests to prove hardware worked. My programming efforts
are a fly-speck compared to this stuff, but I've had to
think about the isolation aspects, and preventing system
activity from invalidating a test. Seeing as my hardware
was brand-new, there was usually no driver competing with
me for control. I could write my own interrupt handler
if I wanted.

Paul
--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 08/02/2025 01:16, Java Jive wrote:

On 2025-02-07 23:04, David wrote:

I thank you for prodding me into action, but I have already run all
the tests I could find at Dell.

Here's one result:- https://i.ibb.co/kgqwBLbG/IMG-3158.jpg

So why did you waste our collective time with this thread???!!!

Plonk!

I'd thought you were a decent bloke, not a plonker!

Sad. :-(
--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:

On 2025-02-07 23:04, David wrote:

I thank you for prodding me into action, but I have already run all the tests I could find at Dell.

Here's one result:- https://i.ibb.co/kgqwBLbG/IMG-3158.jpg

So why did you waste our collective time with this thread???!!!

Plonk!

I think his attempts to drag you/us to alt.computer.workshop are
telling us that he's trolling. Is this by any chance the infamous
"boater Dave"?

And why does he call you "Charles"?
--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 07/02/2025 21:31, Paul wrote:

On Fri, 2/7/2025 2:52 PM, David wrote:

On 07/02/2025 19:18, Paul wrote:

On Fri, 2/7/2025 1:42 PM, Frank Slootweg wrote:

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:

On 2025-02-07 16:03, David wrote:

[...]

If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all, that >>>>> seems like a hardware problem.

   I don't know about the OP's computer, but IIRC my UEFI has a
diagnostic for sound, so that can be used to try to rule out any OS
issues.

   The OP's computer is apparently a Dell, but it might have something >>>> similar to HP's 'Support Assistant' which has a 'Fix audio issues'
troubleshooter.

   And, don't know about Windows 10, but Windows 11 has an 'Audio'
troubleshooter (Settings -> System -> Troubleshoot -> Other
trouble-shooters). A little akward to use, but maybe it does the trick. >>>>

Part of the troubleshooting, could profit from the use of headphones.

That removes the two laptop speakers (Itchy and Scratchy) from the equation.

    Paul

I did post (somewhere!) that I found some iPhone wired ear-buds which
are surely much the same as headphones, but heard no sound from them using the Dell's headphone jack.

They DID work, though, when I used them in the USB Plug-In device:-
(7J Channel Sound) https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/bn_6364124

Then the sound just isn't working.

You've proved your headphones work, and when plugged
in, the headphones don't detect anything. They should be
32 ohm headphones, and a match for an HDAudio headphone
widget output.

And you're using the OEM MaxxAudio driver, and I don't know
what else would be more appropriate than that driver.

Check for a speaker shaped icon, in the tray. If the
RealTek is installed, there should be a Speaker icon.
The speaker is sort of on a 45 degree angle, so it's partially
an "angular view of a speaker" icon. That could be the
RealTek icon.

When you click the Speaker Icon (if it is visible of course),
make sure your headphones are plugged in. The control panel
only goes to full-sized dialog, if headphones are in usage.
(The control panel needs to see at least one jack is being
used, to open up to full size.)

Paul

Everything works just as you describe, Paul!

However - TODAY - I *CAN* hear proper music sounds through the ear-buds
which are plugged directly into the laptop 3.5mm headset socket!

This device has gremlins!
--
David

--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.ubuntu

On 8 Feb 2025 15:22:45 GMT, Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid>
wrote:

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:

On 2025-02-07 23:04, David wrote:

I thank you for prodding me into action, but I have already run all the >> > tests I could find at Dell.

Here's one result:- https://i.ibb.co/kgqwBLbG/IMG-3158.jpg

So why did you waste our collective time with this thread???!!!

Plonk!

I think his attempts to drag you/us to alt.computer.workshop are
telling us that he's trolling.

Bingo! In other circles, David is very well known for trying to get
people mobilized while he sits back and contributes nothing. He gets a
kick out of it.

Is this by any chance the infamous "boater Dave"?

The same, unfortunately.

And why does he call you "Charles"?

Sadly, I could write a book to answer that question.

--- Synchronet 3.20c-Linux NewsLink 1.2