Windows 7: Front jack not working for Realtek HD Audio on Windows 7

to complete the setup you need to check/change a couple of settings.

1 open the CONTROL PANEL.
2 click on the hardware and sound option
3 at the bottom of the list Find the Realtek HD Audio Panel.
4 click on this option.

5 on the right of the display, you will see a graphic of the Audio connection sockets. Analog shows the rear panel. there will be a new set called FRONT Panel.
this isn't present if you don't do the BIOS change above.

6 there is a little yellow folder near the Analog channels.
7 click it and TICK the Disable front panel detection. then close it.

{I did not need these steps - Jecid}
8 on the top right of the Audio Panel just below the EXIT X, you will see the text Device Advanced Settings underlined.
9 Click to open and check the dot is in the Mute rear output device when front headphone plugged in and not in the other one (the other one allows both channels to play sounds at the same time).

This is how i did mine hope it helps someone else, i'm not sure if this will work with laptops, i would suspect there will be something in the bios to this effect on many newer laptops.

NOTE not everyone will need to do the bios settings, you can tell easy enough once the driver has installed. open the audio panel and if there is no support for front panel or the yellow folder and you have no sound from you phones, you need to do the bios part.

This is how i got the headphones working under windows 7.

My System is no particular make with an Asrock motherboard and on board HD audio by Realtek.

If a previous version of the driver is installed.

1 download the latest driver from the motherboard manufacturers site.
2 extract the new driver to a file.
3 Run the driver setup, It will carry out an uninstall of the old driver first.
4 reboot as instructed when uninstall has completed.

To install the new driver and set up the bios.

1 open the folder you extracted the driver too and run the setup.exe.
2 when the driver has installed allow the system to restart.
3 when the system is restarting press whichever key takes you into the bios, before windows starts.
4 in the bios (typically a blue, keyboard controls menu system) right arrow across to the ADVANCED tab.
5 in this tab you are looking at a list of settings.
6 down arrow until you see FRONT PANEL, it should be set to [AUTO]
7 The selection should be Hilighted, Press ENTER to open the menu.
8 arrow down to select [ENABLE] and press enter.
9 Now goto the exit tab click the SAVE & EXIT option.

Your computer should now restart and boot into windows as normal.

to complete the setup you need to check/change a couple of settings.

1 open the CONTROL PANEL.
2 click on the hardware and sound option
3 at the bottom of the list Find the Realtek HD Audio Panel.
4 click on this option.

5 on the right of the display, you will see a graphic of the Audio connection sockets. Analog shows the rear panel. there will be a new set called FRONT Panel.
this isn't present if you don't do the BIOS change above.

6 there is a little yellow folder near the Analog channels.
7 click it and TICK the Disable front panel detection. then close it.
8 on the top right of the Audio Panel just below the EXIT X, you will see the text Device Advanced Settings underlined.
9 Click to open and check the dot is in the Mute rear output device when front headphone plugged in and not in the other one (the other one allows both channels to play sounds at the same time).