Solved Sound Playback not reconginizing headphones at all?

[NismoZ32]

Sound Playback not recognizing headphones at all?

I cannot for the life of me figure out what is wrong with my laptop. I'm running on a basic Windows 7 premium 32bit and have no programs or anything out the ordinary installed.

Whenever I plug headphones in, the sound icon on the task bar shrinks the swoops off to the right side down and changes from the volume of the speakers to the volume of what my headphones should be at. Though when I go look in playback it doesn't show headphones as an option. The speakers work fine but as soon as I try to plug headphones in I get no sound from anything, but the green bar to the side of the speaker option in playback still moves with headphones in.

I know I'm not plugged into the mic jack as I checked that first though if I plug in a mic it will recognize that.

I've tried literally 8 different pairs of headphones so I know it isn't that.

I know nothing is muted, and in playback if I right click to show disabled devices nothing still shows up.

I ran a check for updates and nothing comes up and says I am up to date. I also ran a check in sound which turned up no errors at all for missing drives or anything like that.

Even tried a system restore to an earlier date but my headphones still won't work.

I did notice just starting today that my mouse I have connected in a USB would disconnect and reconnect for a split moment or at least make the little noises though I never had any issues with it actually not working/stopping.

I also had the headphone issue happen for a few moments a little earlier but pulling out and trying to put my headphones in a few times got it to work. But instead of leaving it alone I decided to try pulling out and back in again to see if it was just some glitch or something as I'm not the most tech savvy person on the planet. So this is where I am now where they don't work at all.

Does anyone know what's wrong or what to do from here? I've searched online and while there has been similar issues I haven't found this exact issue being addressed. I'm not really looking to contact customer support just to be told all the things I've tried already.

Thank you in advance for any and all responses.

 

[TVeblen]

Hello NismoZ32. Welcome to the forum.

You need to determine whether the problem is software related (OS) or hardware.
From the tests you have done so far it sounds like hardware.

Just be sure to double check your OS settings. With the headphones plugged in, go to Control Panel > Sound > Playback Tab > click to select the Headphones

• Click Configure Button > run through the routine
• Right click > Click TEST
• Right Click > Properties > Levels Tab > check volumes

Also check the sound chip control panel, usually Realtek. You are looking for anything out of the ordinary or obvious. Test to see if you get sound. If the software shows that test sound is playing but you don't hear it on the headphones then you can safely assume that the problem is in the hardware.

You know the headphones work so that would leave the motherboard (sound chip) or the headphones jack. The problem being in the sound chip only for the headphones but not the speakers is far fetched. So I would focus on the jack. These do break from time to time.

First look for the obvious: crud inside the jack. Blow it out with compressed air.

If you are not technically savvy then I would not recommend taking the laptop apart to inspect, test, and/or replace the jack. You would be best advised to bring it to a repair shop for that.

 

[boohbah]

when you right click the speaker icon on the systems tray, (right corner of taskbar), then click playback devices,
in the window that opens can you right click an empty area and select show disabled devices and show disconnected devices,
if your headphones show then you can set them as default

 

[NismoZ32]

Thanks for the responses. Ended up moving all my precious documents to an external hard drive and nuking the hard drive on the laptop then reinstalling windows 7. Works wonderful again. I have no clue what caused it but I'm all up to date again with updates and reinstalled all my programs.

Had to of been some sort of software error.
Fingers crossed I never have an issue as random as that again.
Thanks!

 

[TVeblen]

Holy sha-wow! That is hardcore.

Glad to hear you got it solved!

 

[boohbah]

at least you can hear again