Hi everyone
I have been using an audio lead to connect my laptop to my hifi to play
sound on its speakers for months now. It is a lead with a single
connector for headphone port and 2 connectors one red, one yellow for
the back of the hifi. It all worked fine, but i tried the same lead
into the tv one day and ever since i have no sound on my laptop. Volume
control there is nothing muted or greyed out, device manager in control
panel says everything is ok, i even went to the dell website and
downloaded the correct and installed but still nothing.
Can anyone please help!!!??? Without sound a computer is 50% useless to
me. ANy help is greatly apprteciated

"jackarot" <jacroc@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1142940195.165154.235960@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...

If the 'only' thing you did was plug them into the TV sockets the obvious
conclusion is there was a voltage difference between them that caused the
sound chip inside the Laptop to fry.
Get a multimeter and test for voltages, not only between the inside and
outside connections of the socket but between the Laptop and TV.

Alternatively you may have a broken the laptop's socket. Most of them
include a 'mute' switch activated when you plug the lead in.
Have you tried listening throught headphones plugged into the socket?

Cheers
Paul.

thanks paul
yeah i tried with headphones still nothing.
How much would a mulimeter be? i wouln't know what to do with it. Am i
looking at having to buy a new soundcard? can't believe i was so
stupid! maybe the best thing is to get professionally fixed

"jackarot" <jacroc@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1143048258.783222.76830@i40g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...

Jackarot

Reading between the lines it would appear you don't own a multimeter, I
wouldn't buy one as all it 'may' tell you is what caused the problem, not
actually fix it.
Though if you wish to plug the Laptop into the TV again it may well pay to
check ($10 - $30 for a basic Volt/Ohms/Current digital meter)

I would suggest you obtain one of the Linux distibutions that run from a
bootable CD (Ubuntu, Knoppix.....) boot the laptop from that, and see if the
sound works
Most of these Linux distro's have quite good hardware detection these days
and should pick up your sound chip OK.
If the sound works under one of these circumstances then you most likely
have a driver or software issue, a clean install of your OS though drastic
should fix it in the end.

If there is no sound under Linux then I would suggest the best course of
action is to take it to the Brand's repair agent.
Most sound chipsets are mounted on the main motherboard these days so being
'unplugable' it means serious repairs, well beyond the scissors and kitchen
knife sort of repair.

Cheers
Paul.

cool man thanks?? i'll try the linux thing. if it comes to reformating
hard drive and installing windows. where could i obtain a windows
reinstall disk because 1 didnt come with my laptop. do you know if dell
can provide one

"jackarot" <jacroc@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1143141609.693889.241940@t31g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
Three possibilities

1 Dell supplied a Restore 'Disk' (or disks) which is an image of a fully
installed Laptop as it left the factory. They will usually be labeled 'Dell'
though the fine print may say what each CD Contains. You usually 'Restore'
by placing one of the CD's in the drive and booting from it. Just follow the
prompts (that means "READ" the instructions on the screen)

2 Dell created a Restore 'Partition' that is accessed by pressing an F key
at bootup (look at the screen) eg F10 key. Again press the key indicated,
'READ' the instructions, follow them to 'Restore' your machine back to
factory fresh.

3 A combination of the two where they supplied the Restore CD's as a hidden
image files on the hard drive. In this case you have to run a utility to
burn the CD's before you can use them.

For accurate advice on which method your laptop uses 'read' the manual that
came with it.

Cheers
Paul.