f13.net forums - Computer speaker problem?

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April 27, 2024, 08:59:30 AM

we're back, baby

Okay I havent been around in awhile so for those who missed me...HI!

Interesting problem Im hoping someone can help me with. A couple of days ago (4 or so) the sound from my computer stopped coming out of the left side of my headphones (built in laptop speakers still functioned normally). At first I assumed that one of my idiot roommates had blown the speaker in the left side out by having the volume up to high.

Tonight though I plugged in a different set of headphones and the problem was still there. I checked the obvious culprit thinking that maybe one of the roomies had somehow slid the balance slide all the way to the right in the sound volume/settings area. But everything seemed normal there.

So I went and restored the computer to a date of 10 days ago. Yet, amazingly, the problem was still there.

So anyone know why using the built in laptop speakers I get normal stereo sound from both sides, but when I used headphones through either the headphone jack or the USB port I only get sound from the right side? Any help would be appreciated.

You probably have another mixer running or you have multiple sound devices (e.g. built-in sound and a plug-in card) and aren't adjusting the right one.

Even though it very tempting to tell you to back everything up and re-install windows, just for my own personal amusement, I bet re-installing your sound driver will magically sort it out for you.

Soundblaster drivers? Those things have a pretty assy control center. You might want to check it out.

Yeah check that your soundcard software doesn't install some asstastic application that overides windows sound control panel. Many do and they're always crappy in my experience. How it got changed from your previous setting is another question but hey...

Well its not a problem of competing sound devices. I am only using the onboard sound. No other card installed.

And I have no other driver type installed in my computer. I guess I will try re-installing the base sound driver and see if that accomplishes anything. I will update you and let you know what happens.

Edit-
I also used the speaker test function under the AC97 Audio Configuration utility program. Once again the sound tested fine for both left and right channels with built in speakers. It would not play the left channel for either my USB or standard jack head phones.

This probably has nothing to do with you but... my sound was all buggered up in games with Realtek AC97. It is the crap that all crap aspires to be. I bought a sound card and all my sound issues, of which there were many and some were very, very odd, disapoofed.

Okay updated the AC97 drivers and nothing has changed. Still no sound from left channel when using either set of headphones. Im completely out of ideas at this point.

Signe,

Well for myself the AC97 and built in sound on the mobo has been working fine for years now. Then all the sudden about 5 days ago this problem started up. Also its not just games but any sound...system sounds, CDs, videos, games, anything.

I do have a laptop sound card for the PCI slot which I could try plugging in and see if the problem continues. But this would keep me from using the USB headset I have. Just wish I could figure out what caused this to begin with........damn roommates and their meddling.