Dear Dell users.
I have had this problem slowly progressing for the past year and a half but as a recent upgrade to SSD and a subsequent re-install of my WIN7 did not seem to solve my problem, I feel the necessity to rethink my tactics.. and after countless nights on google I turn to you guys for advice. :) Ok I admit a lie here.. I can count them but they are still many :)
My device: Dell XPS L502, with WavesMaxxAudio03, two headphone jacks and a mic jack. Although I travel a lot, my laptop is always turned off during my travels(due to battery problems) and there is no visible mark from any kind of mistreatment or other damage. Never has any liquid been spilled over this computer. I use VLC player for most media but usually I keep the volume below 100%.
The short story: I first noticed my JBL subwoofer stopped working and as the sound obviously became quite dull, I mostly reverted to using headphones for my computer work. I didnt give it that much thought at the time. Later my right front speaker seized working and I was left with LEFT front speaker only. Then a few months back my LEFT speaker gave up on me as well and being the only remaining audio source I clearly noticed some times my RIGHT speaker kicked in and worked for a few minutes usually on first playback file after a restart and then just silence. Headphones never been a problem from either jack.
When I say "then just silence" again, that is not entirely true, because I can hear a very faint sound through my RIGHT speaker but then I have to be in a very quiet place to hear it. Then after a while my right speaker stopped kicking back in and is now always "near" silent :)
My troubleshooting:
I tried reinstalling windows on a fresh SDD, and I managed to reinstall all drivers that I could find for my system, although there seems to be one "unknown device" under "other device" in my device manager that has some driver problems.. I dont really know what device that might be because the only thing I have noticed for not working properly is my audio and both Intel display Audio and Realtek HD Audio drivers are installed. With the computer opened up a visual inspection of the speakers from above didnt reveal anything suspicious.
I ran Dell System Scan from PC checkup and all was passed.
I followed the workaround for XPS L502 as given in Headphone Jack FAQ forum, part 5, without success.
I ran the 32bit Dell Diagnostics and I did not hear any sound whatsoever. Error Code 4C00: 0619. Hovever as google revealed there should be many audio tests available from this tool, but only the one appeared to me. Another google search indicated that some dell users have some kind of audio settings and testing from BIOS, but my BIOS has nothing about Audio anywhere. It might also be worth mentioning that during initialization of the test you can choose which test to complete, by selecting option 1, 2, or 3. ...and I was only able to select number 2 I think.. The others came back with "test(s) failed" result
Then I followed the workaround for models with realtek audio where I used the regedit feature.. also without success. :( I only found 2 entries with the word Pin04 in it and I changed the value from 02 00 00 00 to 01 00 00 00..
Now I think I have done what I can do, so my faith is in you my dear fellow dell users.. Is there anyone out there with a tip that might help me get my music back. I find it hard to believe that this could be a hardware issue but still, everything is possible I guess. ;)
Have a good night (or day) everybody
Regards
Robert