Why the front panel of the computer does not work. Front panel audio does not work. Audio outputs on the front panel do not work.

A front panel with audio and USB ports is an integral part of any modern computer. This is a very convenient thing that allows you to connect removable media, headphones or a microphone without unnecessary movements. However, it is often with the front panel that problems arise, as a result of which the sound stops working and you can no longer use the computer as usual. In this article we will try to understand the possible causes of such malfunctions.

Before you start troubleshooting problems with the front headphone and microphone jacks, you need to make sure that all drivers are installed correctly and the sound is working properly on the back panel of the computer. If there is no sound when you connect headphones to the back of the system unit, then the problem is more global and, therefore, requires a different approach to the solution and a separate conversation. We will devote this article entirely to the front panel.

Why doesn't the sound on the front panel work?

We begin diagnostics by remembering at what point the inputs stopped functioning. For example, if the computer was only recently assembled and you have never used headphones with a microphone, then perhaps during assembly the connectors were incorrectly connected (or not connected at all) to the motherboard, i.e. The front panel is simply not connected properly. If the panel worked properly before, then try to determine the action after which the problems probably began. Perhaps some settings were made in the Control Panel or BIOS. If nothing comes to mind, follow the recommendations below.

Checking the headphone and microphone input connections

This item will be relevant for those cases when the computer was disassembled/assembled and after that the sound on the front panel stopped working. You need to make sure that the panel is really connected - the connector is connected to the correct contacts on the motherboard, and the integrity of the supply wires is not damaged. To connect the front panel, either a solid block of two types – AC’97 and HD Audio, or separate connectors with markings can be used.

The AC'97 format is obsolete and is now rare. At the same time, the HD Audio (High Definition Audio) standard is now used everywhere. On the motherboard, the connector for connecting the front panel HD Audio plug usually has a letter designation, for example, F_Audio.

If you are still not sure where to connect the header, use your motherboard manual. Below we provide the AC’97 and HD Audio pinouts.

Connection diagram of individual connectors to AC’97:

Front Panel Configuration in BIOS

Sometimes it happens that the front panel works according to the old AC’97 standard, but the motherboard provides the new High Definition Audio specification. By the way, both connectors are similar, and the user may not notice this discrepancy. However, no problems should arise when connecting a panel with AC’97 to a motherboard with High Definition Audio. True, in some cases you will have to change the operating mode through the BIOS.

We go into the BIOS by pressing the F2 or DEL key when booting the computer. Next, go to the “Advanced” section and look for the “Onboard Devices Configuration” item. Just below is the “Front Panel Type” parameter (it can also be called High Definition Front Panel Audio or Legacy Front Panel Audio). Switch it from the HD Audio position to the AC97 position. If your front panel uses the HD Audio standard and the BIOS is set to AC97, then switch back.

Some motherboards do not provide the ability to change the operating mode of the front panel, but only allow you to disable or enable the sound controller. The Onboard Audio Function parameter (may have a different name) is responsible for this function, providing only the “Enabled” and “Disabled” values. In such a situation, you do not need to reconfigure anything in the BIOS, and the sound should work without additional manipulations.

Setting up sound devices in the Windows 7/10 Control Panel

If you are one hundred percent sure that the front inputs for headphones and microphone are connected correctly and everything is set correctly in the BIOS, it’s time to move on to the sound settings in the Windows 7/10 environment itself. First of all, go to the Control Panel, and then to the “Sound” section. On the “Playback” and “Record” tabs, make sure that the default devices are installed.

To display all devices, right-click anywhere in the window and check the “Show disconnected devices” and “Show disconnected devices” checkboxes.

On the “Playback” tab, click the same right button on the active device and select “Properties”. In the “General” section, look at the list of connectors - the item “Front panel 3.5 mm connector” should be present.

In the same way, we check the microphone properties on the “Recording” tab.

Front Panel Configuration Using Realtek HD Manager

If all the steps done did not produce results and the front panel for headphones and microphone still does not work, try playing with the Realtek HD settings. If the drivers are installed correctly, this sound configurator must be present on your computer. We launch it using the icon on the taskbar or, if there is none, by following the path Control Panel - Realtek HD Manager.

In the program window, select the “Speakers” section and click on the yellow folder in the upper right corner.

Make sure that the checkbox next to “Disable detection of front panel sockets” is checked; if it is not there, be sure to check it.

Save the settings and check if the sound on the front panel is now working. In most cases the problem should be resolved.

Here in the Realtek HD manager you can make additional device settings. Follow the corresponding link in the upper right corner of the window.

Using switches we achieve the required sound configuration.

We tried to talk as fully as possible about how to act in a situation where the microphone and headphones on the front panel do not work on the computer. If none of the above helps, try reinstalling or updating your sound drivers. As a last resort, seek help from specialists.

Recently, a friend contacted me asking why her front sound panel wasn’t working. She recently purchased a computer, everything works, she’s happy with everything, she connected it and set up the Internet. But a problem arose.

She bought headphones with a microphone so she could talk on Skype. After she connected them to the front panel, she discovered that neither the headphones nor the microphone were working. Moreover, if you connect them to the rear panel, then everything works. And there are many such cases. What's the problem? Maybe this is a defect and I need to use warranty service?

Not everything is as bad as it seems. In fact, in almost every case, users simply do not look carefully at the settings. The connectors located on the front are in working order and rarely break down!

What to do if there is no sound on the front panel

In the lower right corner of the monitor you need to click on the speaker icon. We are looking for a driver designed to play sound on a computer. I call it “Realtek HD”. If suddenly it is not there, then we turn to the control panel and look for it on it. If it is not there either, then you simply have a different driver.

Launch the found driver. The sound settings window will appear on the monitor. Select the “Speakers” tab (if you are the owner of Windows XP, then this will be the “Sound inputs/outputs” tab)


Once you do this, sound will appear on the front panel.

All of the above applies to Windows 7. Therefore, if you are the owner of the XP version, then your control panel will be slightly different. When you go to the “Audio Inputs/Outputs” tab, you will see that next to “Analog” there is a small wrench in a blue circle. You need to click on it, then a window will appear on the screen, as for the Windows 7 version. And then follow the instructions.

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Most modern computers have additional USB, IEEE1394, and 3.5 mm minijack ports on the front panel of the case. connectors for headphones and microphone. This was invented specifically for convenience, so that users do not have to climb behind the system unit to connect a flash drive or audio speakers. Unfortunately, sometimes it can happen that a careless PC assembler forgot or was too lazy to connect them when assembling the system unit. And now the front headphone jacks don't work. What to do? Call a specialist and pay money? No! You can do everything yourself.

Disconnect the system unit from the electrical network. Unscrew the right side wall of the case and remove it.
We look at what cables go from the case to the computer’s motherboard - usually this is a small bundle of wires that are responsible for the power button, reset button, USB ports, etc. Among them will be a cable from the front headphone and microphone connectors. They are usually signed as "AC'97" or "HDAudio".

Now you need to carefully inspect the motherboard - you need to find the socket marked as “F-Audio”:


On some models the socket may be labeled as “FP_Audio”:


Or "HDAudio":


Now you need to connect the front headphone and microphone connector to the socket:


Please note that the plug and socket are connected only in one position due to the special location of the pins - the key. There is no other way to connect them.

We assemble the computer case, put it in place and turn it on. Now you can connect speakers or headphones to the front panel ports and check operation.

I recently assembled all my hardware into a new case. The case is equipped with a front panel with USB outputs and jacks for a microphone and headphones. But here's the problem: The sound on the front panel does not work! USB works, the "rear" connector (on the motherboard) plays sound, but there is silence on the front panel. It’s not convenient to crawl under the table every time, so through trial and error I found all the possible reasons why the sound might not work!

Causes, Why the sound may not work:

If the sound on the front panel of the case does not work, there may be several reasons for this and, accordingly, solutions:

Solution 1: Check if the front panel connector is properly connected to the motherboard.


Note:
There are 2 audio standards:

AC"97 (short for Audio Codec "97) is an audio codec standard created in 1997. This standard is commonly used in motherboards, modems, sound cards, and cases with front-panel audio output. AC"97 supports sampling rates of 96 kHz when using 20-bit stereo resolution and 48 kHz when using 20-bit stereo for multi-channel recording and playback. In 2004, AC"97 was replaced by Intel® High Definition Audio (HD Audio) technology.

HD Audio
Intel® High Definition Audio is based on a specification released by Intel in 2004 that delivers more channels at higher quality audio than was possible with integrated audio codecs like AC"97. Hardware based on HD Audio , support 192 kHz/32-bit audio quality in dual channel and 96 kHz/32-bit multi-channel (up to 8 channels).

Microsoft Windows Vista only supports High Definition audio peripherals (such as front panel audio solutions).

Solution 2: Update your audio driver.

Download the driver from the official website of realtek or your motherboard manufacturer.
You can also use the automatic driver update program.

The sound may not work because there is simply no driver for your sound card. Or the software is not installed correctly on your audio device.

Solution 3: Correctly configure the software (driver) for your audio device.

If sound doesn't work on Windows 7, try the following:
Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Sound -> Select Digital Audio as default.


Realtek HD Manager --> Connector Settings --> check the box next to "Disable front panel socket detection"


Check the box to disable front panel socket detection.

4. Other solutions:

BIOS setup

In BIOS, you can try to enable AC"97 instead of HD Audio, or vice versa.


Replacing (soldering) the front panel

You can try connecting the audio output directly to the motherboard.

pinout on the motherboard (from Intel, usually standard)


Each case manufacturer's pinouts vary, so check the manufacturer's websites for details.

Alternatively, find a front panel from another manufacturer :)

Change case

A radical way is to change the case to a company from another manufacturer. On Thermaltake cases, the sound on the front panel always works! Confirmed by practice.

Few users of modern devices do not know how to connect headphones to a computer, but not everyone can solve problems that arise during connection. Let's look at some of the nuances of connecting and setting up headphones for their high-quality operation on various operating systems.

Connecting headphones to a computer is not a difficult matter, but sometimes difficulties arise directly when setting up the equipment. Almost all PC models have sound card. It can be built into the motherboard, or you need to connect to it through a special connector. In any case, the gadget can be connected either to the back panel of the computer or to the front (if there are appropriate sockets).

By looking at the figure below, you can understand how to connect headphones with a microphone to your computer.

The headset output is always green, and the microphone input is pink. Since the plugs of gadgets are also painted in corresponding colors, it is very difficult to make a mistake and insert them into other connectors. You need to insert the green plug into the green socket, and the pink plug into the pink socket. The pink jack can be used to connect both a headphone microphone and a third-party microphone to the computer. After which the connected equipment is configured using special software (in Windows 10, as well as versions 8 and 7, the configuration should take place automatically).


On a laptop, gadgets are connected in the same way. The manufacturer may place the connectors on front panel device or on the left.


Sometimes laptop headset jacks are made tighter to increase their lifespan. Therefore, do not be afraid that the plug does not fit into the socket well.

It should be noted that the plugs of headsets intended for computers are color-coded if there is a microphone on the headphones. The plugs of the rest of the headset do not have any color differences. There is a headset, for example, for phone, which has not 2 plugs, but one, which combines contacts for the microphone and audio channels. It clearly shows 3 stripes separating the contacts. Two contacts are used to connect audio channels, and one is for a microphone.


New laptop models have combination socket, to which you can connect headphones with a microphone that have one plug.


A special marking is placed near such a connector. If there is no such jack, but there are 2 standard ones, then such a headset can be connected via special adapter.


Thus, it becomes clear how to connect headphones from your phone to your computer. Headphones on the front panel are connected according to the same principle: if there is a microphone on the headphones, then it is connected to the pink jack, and audio channels to the green one.


Connecting the headset to a PC

Now you know how to connect headphones to your computer. But this action is not enough for the gadget to work properly, although most often it starts working right away and you don’t need to configure anything. But there are times when the connected gadgets do not work, so some actions need to be taken.

Connecting a headset on Windows 7

Before setting up headphones on a Windows 7 computer, you need to connect them on the back or front panel of the device to the appropriate connectors (you already know how to connect correctly). Then you need to start playing the music file. If there is sound in the headset, then the connection can be considered complete. If there is no sound, do the following using headphones on your computer (this instruction is also suitable for setting up the gadget on a laptop).

The above settings can also be applied to the Windows 10 operating system (Windows 10), if you do not know how to enable the gadget directly in it.

Microphone settings

Before you can use the microphone in Windows 7 or 8, as well as in Windows 10, you need to configure it.

There are also headphones with a microphone that can be connected to a computer via a USB connector. In most cases, after connecting them, the configuration occurs automatically.

Microsoft's new operating system is good. Compared to previous versions, Windows 10 is faster and more stable. You quickly get used to good things, so users react painfully to new problems with this OS. One of these troubles is the lack of sound in the headphones after installing or updating the operating system. Usually the reason lies in damaged or incompatible drivers, so you shouldn’t blame the developers of the new OS. Let's look at how to set up headphones on a Windows 10 computer and return music to the headset speakers.

Checking physical connection parameters

Sometimes no special action is taken to eliminate the problem. It is worth checking the primary causes of the problem - perhaps the solution lies on the surface.

Attention! After installing the chipset software, reinstall the audio driver.

Methods for setting up headphones

There are two methods for setting up headphones.

Driver update

This is the main way. 90% of all audio playback problems are caused by a problematic driver package.

Setting up Realtek Manager

If driver updates do not help, move on to the second method.

  1. Lack of codecs for playing high quality music files. You can download them.
  2. Physical damage to the connectors or sound card. In this case, you need to contact the service center.

That's all. Now you know how to set up headphones in Windows 10 and diagnose the causes of the problem.

Very often I encountered a situation where on the front panel of the system unit there are connectors for connecting headphones and a microphone, but there is no sound there and they do not work. It seems that manufacturers of system units deliberately forget to connect these connectors, forcing the user to climb into the system unit on their own. Although, it would seem, what do they have to lose - since they made these headphone jacks to increase the competitiveness of their product, then they can connect them! But this doesn't always happen. That is, it happens that these connectors are for headphones on the front panel connected to the motherboard, and the reason is in the settings.

Naturally, after Googling and finding different solutions to the problem, I came to the following conclusions:

The most common reasons for the lack of sound in the headphones on the front panel:

However, there is a universal solution to this problem - buy a headphone extension cord with a 3.5mm jack, connect it to the back instead of using the front panel, and alternately plug speakers and headphones into it. Place the output of this extension cord somewhere behind the monitor so that you can reach it with your hand at any time.

Also, these days, bluetooth headsets already exist and are inexpensive, which allow you to completely abandon wires when using headphones. I bought myself a Sony-Ericsson MW-600 and am very pleased.

In the comments you can ask a question or describe your case, this way you will help other users.

  • Please explain why, after reinstalling Windows 7, I have a Realtek sound card, installed sound drivers from the motherboard CD, Realtek manager is installed and there is sound in the operating system. But I connect the headphones to the front panel and there is no sound, before reinstalling the operating system there was sound. Georgy.
  • Letter No. 2 Answer this question, I recently reset my BIOS settings to default (default) and now I have Front soundbar not working, online they say you need to install the Realtek manager, but I’ve never had it, so it’s something else, probably in the BIOS settings. Anton.
  • Letter No. 3 Why do I have no sound in headphones in Windows 7 when connecting them to the front panel? Realtek sound card. On one of the forums on the Internet, I was advised to go to Playback devices and just turn on the headphones, but I can’t do it, because it says High Definition Audio device Not connected and if you right-click on them, this menu will appear and as you can see, they can be Disabled, not Enabled. I also read on one site that you need to go to Start->Control Panel->Sound - in the tabs Playback or Record, select the correct device and click Default, but that doesn’t help either. Christina.

Front soundbar not working

This article, friends, is suitable for both the Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows XP operating systems, if there is a difference, I will definitely show you where.
The answer to the first question. Let's deal with the front soundbar not working, firstly, in most cases, for it to work, you must have Realtek Manager installed. If you have it installed, then there should be an icon for it on the taskbar,

if it is not there, go to Start - Control Panel- Realtek dispatcher. On Windows 7


if it is missing there too, try to find it in the folder

C:\Program Files\Realtek\Audio\HDA file RtHDVCpl.exe and run it, you should see the main window of the Realtek manager, if you do not have a Realtek folder in the C:\Program Files folder, then you need to download the updated version of the driver for your sound card on the Realtek website and install it as to do this is written in detail in our article.
When you launch Realtek Manager in Windows 7, click the Speakers button, then click on the yellow folder in the upper right corner and a window will appear Connector parameters,


we see a warning If front panel jack detection does not work properly, check this box under Disable front panel jack detection, put a tick on this item and click OK.


After these steps, the front soundbar should work.
In the Windows XP operating system, Realtek Manager looks a little different, but the essence is the same. Left-click on the button with the wrench


and in the window that appears, check the box Disable front panel jack detection and OK,


The front soundbar should work.

We can also press the button Additional settings devices in this window and adjust everything as we need, for example, check the item - . This means that when you connect headphones to the front sound panel, the speakers connected to the motherboard at the back will immediately turn off.



Now I am answering the second letter. It happens, friends, that the drivers for the sound card are installed and sound is present in the system, but the front sound panel does not work, there are usually two reasons for this.

Firstly: your front sound panel works according to the slightly outdated AC"97 standard and the cable coming from it is connected to the connector on the motherboard AAFP analog audio front panel ( designed specifically for connecting front panel audio connectors).

  • Note: AC’97 is an already outdated standard audio codec, a veteran, one might say, it was developed by Intel in 1997, it is used in motherboards, as well as cases with a front-panel audio solution. But the sound subsystem built into your motherboard operates according to a newer standard - High Definition Audio or HD Audio. This may cause the front soundbar to not work. Intel High Definition Audio is a relatively new specification for audio codecs, developed by Intel in 2004, characterized by improved digital sound quality, an increased number of channels, and a higher bandwidth compared to AC"97.
You can solve this problem using BIOS, where you can set the operating principle of the front sound panel. Usually there are two options: default HD Audio and more.
Reboot and go into BIOS. Go to Advanced, then Onboard Devices Configuration


and finally the option responsible for the front sound panel Front Panel Type, it can also be called like this:
Front Panel Support Type High Definition Front Panel Audio, Legacy Front Panel Audio, it is in the HD Audio position by default,


move it to position, save the changed settings and exit the BIOS. After rebooting, the front soundbar should work.



Also, if your front panel works in HD Audio, then in the BIOS you need to switch it from position to HD Audio. In any case, experiment.
Friends, if you connect the AC"97 front soundbar to the AAFP connector on the High Definition Audio specification motherboard,

Then everything will work fine for you, only in some cases, when connecting headphones to the front sound panel, in sound speakers the sound will not be muted, even if you disable the item in the Realtek manager settings Mute rear output device when connecting front headphone output device.


All this is due to the fact that front sound panel manufacturers use a simplified wiring diagram for the AC97 front panel cables and outputs.
There are two ways out here, the first is to re-solder (not so easy), the second is to buy a new case, with support for the front HD Audio sound panel, and if you purchase a new computer, check with the seller, don’t be surprised if, when buying a new system unit in a non-specialized supermarket, You will be faced with complete ignorance of consultants on this issue.
Well, the last thing you need to check if your front sound panel does not work is whether it is connected to the motherboard using a cable; sometimes they simply forget to connect it when assembling the computer, as in this screenshot.

They forgot to connect the AC"97 front sound panel cable to the AAFP analog audio front panel connector on the motherboard.


Well, from the third letter to Christina, we installed a new version of the driver from the official website and configured the front sound panel in the Realtek manager, everything is written in our article How to install a sound driver in detail.

Why doesn't the computer see the headphones?

It is impossible to work on all modern computers without an audio system. Basic notifications of system operation are expressed in the form of sound signals. So, you can use speakers or headphones. However, it is not always convenient to listen to music on speakers if there are people sitting next to you who do not want to listen to your music, or other various sounds made by your computer. In this case, it is appropriate to use headphones.

Today you can find many different models of headphones that have different functionality. In addition, there are not only wired headphones, but also wireless devices. Often users encounter a problem when headphones do not work on the computer. So why doesn't the computer see the headphones? Typically, each computer comes with specific sound card software. Sound card outputs can be on the front panel of the system unit or the rear panel, and when connecting headphones, the sound card software must be set with the appropriate connection parameters (headphones, rear speakers, line output). Almost all headphones on computers have microphones. Using this headset you can talk on Skype, as well as other programs. As a rule, when you connect headphones with microphones to your computer, the latter is reflected on the panel. But many people ask the question: why doesn’t the computer see the microphone on the headphones?

Microphone not working on headphones

The first thing you need to do is visually assess the condition of the headphones. Check cable integrity. If the device does not work on your computer, try checking its functionality on another device. But it's best to use a regular MP3 player. It will definitely not have any installed drivers necessary for the headphones to function properly.

If they do not work on other devices, then it is obvious that something is wrong with them. Some people are able to find the problem in the wire. Here, armed with a soldering iron, insulation and scissors, you can repair the headphones yourself. When the speaker itself does not work, it cannot be accurately repaired. But it’s better to contact specialists so as not to completely break your headphones.

If the computer does not see headphones plugged into the jack, then the reason may be in the jack itself. Most often the problem lies in the sound card. Obviously, headphones and even speakers will not work this way.

The computer does not recognize the device

What to do if the computer does not see the headphones? There are even such trivial situations when the Windows panel simply has minimal sound. However, if everything is in order here, then you need to start checking the drivers. In the “device manager” we find the sound settings and check the status of the drivers. If there are no red exclamation marks next to the installed programs, then everything is in order.

When the computer does not see the microphone from the headphones, then you need to accurately look for the appropriate drivers. Expensive headphone models come with a CD on which the drivers are recorded. If the disk was not present when you purchased it or it was lost, then the software can be found on the Internet. You just need to download them only from official websites to ensure full compliance of the devices.

Some users have a problem with bluetooth headphones. If your computer does not see bluetooth headphones, then obviously there is a problem with the drivers. Changing the player you use to listen to music also helps. Or perhaps the bluetooth module is damaged. When Bluetooth headphones are synchronized with a laptop, Bluetooth is already built into it. On desktop PCs, Bluetooth is an add-on in the form of a small chip, similar to a flash drive. A very common reason for Bluetooth headphones not working is the lack of correct settings. Computer doesn't recognize bluetooth headphones? You shouldn't take them for repairs. Try the settings again carefully according to the instructions.

Modern Monster Beats headphones, which have a microphone, are equipped with two plugs, as well as a USB connector. If the microphone jack is not connected, the headset will not work. Check the quality of the connection between the plug and the socket. Perhaps the contacts have oxidized or you simply mixed up the plugs. To be on the safe side, there are special connectors on the computer panel for headphones and a microphone separately. There are corresponding notes. Don't confuse them when connecting.

So, when your headphones and computer are checked, but there is no sound from the speakers, you need to contact a specialist. Visually it will not be possible to find a breakdown. Only with the help of special equipment can you determine why the headphones do not work, and perhaps the reason is not in them at all, but in the PC or phone.

How and where to troubleshoot

Practice shows that it is headphones that cause the lack of sound. You only need to purchase headphones that have a warranty period. If you find defects or discrepancies in parameters, you can always return the device to the seller. You exchange non-working headphones for new ones or withdraw funds.

Do not try to repair expensive headphones yourself. Please remember that tampering with the device automatically voids the warranty period. If you are not confident in your own knowledge to help repair your headphones, contact a service center.

Main problems

Often, each of us, when connecting our gadget to our home computer, is faced with the problem that the device does not work normally or does not work at all. It goes without saying that the user has a question about why the computer does not see the headphones. There are a lot of situations that lead to this, ranging from incorrectly installed drivers to damage to the device itself.

Basic faults

In this article we will answer the question of what to do if the computer does not see the headphones. The first thing to start with is to check the functionality of the device itself. To do this, you should connect the headphones to another sound-reproducing device that is known to work normally. It is best to choose a regular MP3 player for this purpose, which has virtually no software, including drivers, that could not work properly.

If your headphones don’t work here either, the problem is with them, and the situation becomes clear. There are only two options here: if the breakdown is in the gadget’s wire, you can try to change it, armed with scissors, electrical tape or tape and another cord taken from some similar device. But if the speaker itself fails, nothing can be done and the headphones need to be replaced.


PC problems

The next reason why the computer does not see headphones plugged into the jack may be that it is broken, because if the sound card on your PC is faulty, the device naturally will not work. To check it, use other headphones or speakers.

Also, if there is no sound in the headphones, check whether the playback volume in the music player or Windows system is set to minimum. The next step in the troubleshooting chain is to check the drivers. To do this, you should go to the so-called “Device Manager” and make sure that your gadget is displayed normally, without question marks and with the correct name. What is needed for this, right-click on the Computer icon, and click properties, then, going to the item - equipment, select the device manager and see if the personal computer sees yours correctly. If they are displayed incorrectly, you should look for the cause of the problem in the drivers.


Software setup

Usually a disk containing original drivers is supplied with the device. After using it, reinstall the software and check again if there is sound. If there was no disk or it was lost, you should download the driver from the Internet; it is important that you download the software only from the official website. After downloading and installing the drivers, reboot your machine.

If after this the computer does not see bluetooth headphones or regular wired ones, try changing the music player you are using, since today there are dozens of excellent free alternatives. For example, Winamp, Jet Audio, Aimp, etc. If the computer does not see the Bluetooth headphones, the reason should be looked for in the Bluetooth module installed on the machine. When using a laptop, this node is built-in; in desktop computers it is usually presented in the form of a small device attached like a flash drive. In both cases, the modules require the correct installation of drivers for them to work correctly.

For Bluetooth headphones to work correctly on a PC, you need to pair them, for which you need to search for available devices in the Bluetooth control panel and connect the ones found. Next, again check in the task manager whether the newly added device is displayed correctly. After all the manipulations have been completed, sound reproduction and voice transmission should not cause problems.

Microphone

Most often, the computer does not see the microphone from the headphones if such a device is connected incorrectly. Headphones with a microphone equipped with a wired plug have a different type of connector. An additional ring has been added to it - a contact that is not compatible with the socket of the PC itself, since a personal computer has two sockets for connecting headphones and a microphone separately. To eliminate this inconvenience, there are special adapters, which are tees, one input of which has a four-section structure for connecting headphones with a microphone, and the other two are connected to the corresponding connectors of a personal computer.

The next reason why the computer does not see the microphone on the headphones is, as mentioned above, incorrectly installed device software (drivers), because the microphone in Windows is a separate independent device that requires its own drivers. The situation can be easily resolved by installing the missing driver package.

A front panel with audio and USB ports is an integral part of any modern computer. This is a very convenient thing that allows you to connect removable media, headphones or a microphone without unnecessary movements. However, it is often with the front panel that problems arise, as a result of which the sound stops working and you can no longer use the computer as usual. In this article we will try to understand the possible causes of such malfunctions.

Before you start troubleshooting problems with the front headphone and microphone jacks, you need to make sure that all drivers are installed correctly and the sound is working properly on the back panel of the computer. If there is no sound when you connect headphones to the back of the system unit, then the problem is more global and, therefore, requires a different approach to the solution and a separate conversation. We will devote this article entirely to the front panel.

Why doesn't the sound on the front panel work?

We begin diagnostics by remembering at what point the inputs stopped functioning. For example, if the computer was only recently assembled and you have never used headphones with a microphone, then perhaps during assembly the connectors were incorrectly connected (or not connected at all) to the motherboard, i.e. The front panel is simply not connected properly. If the panel worked properly before, then try to determine the action after which the problems probably began. Perhaps some settings were made in the Control Panel or BIOS. If nothing comes to mind, follow the recommendations below.

Checking the headphone and microphone input connections

This item will be relevant for those cases when the computer was disassembled/assembled and after that the sound on the front panel stopped working. You need to make sure that the panel is really connected - the connector is connected to the correct contacts on the motherboard, and the integrity of the supply wires is not damaged. To connect the front panel, either a solid block of two types – AC’97 and HD Audio, or separate connectors with markings can be used.

The AC'97 format is obsolete and is now rare. At the same time, the HD Audio (High Definition Audio) standard is now used everywhere. On the motherboard, the connector for connecting the front panel HD Audio plug usually has a letter designation, for example, F_Audio.


If you are still not sure where to connect the header, use your motherboard manual. Below we provide the AC’97 and HD Audio pinouts.


Connection diagram of individual connectors to AC’97:

Front Panel Configuration in BIOS

Sometimes it happens that the front panel works according to the old AC’97 standard, but the motherboard provides the new High Definition Audio specification. By the way, both connectors are similar, and the user may not notice this discrepancy. However, no problems should arise when connecting a panel with AC’97 to a motherboard with High Definition Audio. True, in some cases you will have to change the operating mode through the BIOS.

We go into the BIOS by pressing the F2 or DEL key when booting the computer. Next, go to the “Advanced” section and look for the “Onboard Devices Configuration” item. Just below is the “Front Panel Type” parameter (it can also be called High Definition Front Panel Audio or Legacy Front Panel Audio). Switch it from the HD Audio position to the AC97 position. If your front panel uses the HD Audio standard and the BIOS is set to AC97, then switch back.


Some motherboards do not provide the ability to change the operating mode of the front panel, but only allow you to disable or enable the sound controller. The Onboard Audio Function parameter (may have a different name) is responsible for this function, providing only the “Enabled” and “Disabled” values. In such a situation, you do not need to reconfigure anything in the BIOS, and the sound should work without additional manipulations.

Setting up sound devices in the Windows 7/10 Control Panel

If you are one hundred percent sure that the front inputs for headphones and microphone are connected correctly and everything is set correctly in the BIOS, it’s time to move on to the sound settings in the Windows 7/10 environment itself. First of all, go to the Control Panel, and then to the “Sound” section. On the “Playback” and “Record” tabs, make sure that the default devices are installed.

To display all devices, right-click anywhere in the window and check the “Show disconnected devices” and “Show disconnected devices” checkboxes.

On the “Playback” tab, click the same right button on the active device and select “Properties”. In the “General” section, look at the list of connectors - the item “Front panel 3.5 mm connector” should be present.

In the same way, we check the microphone properties on the “Recording” tab.

Front Panel Configuration Using Realtek HD Manager

If all the steps done did not produce results and the front panel for headphones and microphone still does not work, try playing with the Realtek HD settings. If the drivers are installed correctly, this sound configurator must be present on your computer. We launch it using the icon on the taskbar or, if there is none, by following the path Control Panel - Realtek HD Manager.

In the program window, select the “Speakers” section and click on the yellow folder in the upper right corner.


Make sure that the checkbox next to “Disable detection of front panel sockets” is checked; if it is not there, be sure to check it.


Save the settings and check if the sound on the front panel is now working. In most cases the problem should be resolved.

Here in the Realtek HD manager you can make additional device settings. Follow the corresponding link in the upper right corner of the window.

Please explain why, after reinstalling Windows 7, I have a Realtek sound card, installed sound drivers from the motherboard CD, Realtek manager is installed in...

Whether you decide to assemble the computer yourself or just the USB ports, the headphone output on the front panel of the computer system unit does not work - you will need information on how exactly the connectors on the front panel are connected to the motherboard, which will be shown below.

We will talk not only about how to connect the front USB port or get headphones and a microphone connected to the front panel to work, but also about how to connect the main elements of the system unit (the power button and indicator, the hard drive indicator) with the motherboard and do it right (that's where we'll start).


In order to connect the front USB ports (as well as a card reader if available), all you need to do is find the corresponding connectors on the motherboard (there may be several of them), which look like the photo below and plug the corresponding connectors into them , coming from the front panel of the system unit. You can't go wrong: the contacts here and there correspond to each other, and the connectors are usually labeled.

Usually, there is no difference in where exactly you connect the front connector. But for some motherboards it exists: since they can be with or without USB 3.0 support (read the instructions for the motherboard or carefully read the labels).

Connecting headphone and microphone output

To connect audio connectors - headphone output on the front panel, as well as a microphone, approximately the same motherboard connector is used as for USB, only with a slightly different pin arrangement. As a signature, look for AUDIO, HD_AUDIO, AC97, the connector is usually located near the audio chip.

As in the previous case, in order not to make a mistake, it is enough to carefully read the inscriptions on what you are plugging in and where you are plugging it into. However, even if there is a mistake on your part, you most likely will not be able to connect the connectors incorrectly. (If, after connecting, the headphones or front microphone still do not work, check your playback and recording device settings in Windows.)

Additionally

Also, if you have fans on the front and rear panels of the system unit, do not forget to connect them to the corresponding SYS_FAN connectors on the motherboard (the label may be slightly different).

However, in some cases, like mine, the fans are connected differently, if you need to be able to control the rotation speed from the front panel - here the instructions from the computer case manufacturer will help you (and I will help if you write a comment describing the problem).

Continuing the topic:
Modems

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