Issues with Laptop onboard 2.1 Audio

[xcalibre88]

Afternoon!

Literally pulling my hair out with this one...

I'm having issues getting the on-board 2.1 audio on my laptop working again. The 2 front speakers work fine, but the laptop also has a 3rd Subwoofer-like speaker located underneath the chassis which is what I can't get working.

A bit of backstory; Laptop running slowly so decided to upgrade the old HDD to a hybrid SSD/HDD from Seagate. Couldn't find the original windows 7 discs anywhere so used a friends copy of windows 8 (including the 8.1 update). Installed this and updated all the relevant drivers directly from Samsung's website ensuring I was using drivers strictly for windows 8. Since then, despite many hours of troubleshooting, I cannot for the life of me figure out why I cant get the sub working! I've tried managing the speakers through the Realtek HD Audio Manager software with no success, it doesn't even show a 2.1 option. I've spoke to Samsung support who after a few emails with some things to try, gave up and asked me to send it off to a specialist (at my expense ofc, so that's the LAST resort).

Can anyone please shed any light on how to resolve this issue? As it is now, I have re-installed windows 7, fresh, re-downloaded all the drivers again from Samsungs website and even still, have the sound issue.

The laptop in question is a Samsung NP550P7C-S02UK, with all default specs (except the HDD which has now been upgraded). Again, there are no other programs installed other than what's been obtained from Samsungs Drivers webpage.

Thanks in advance for any advice offered!

 

[rvcjew]

If you go to playback devices in windows and hit configure on the device does it say 2.1 under its options? Normally that kind of hardware has a set crossover frequency it will use to create the LFE channel for the sub by itself. Turn up your speakers and use this to see if you can get anything out of the sub. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8gjsefNYpE

 

[xcalibre88]

Nope, nothing but a default, grayed out option labeled "Speakers".

On the Youtube link, and other music I have played during testing, there are no sounds coming from the Sub.