Connecting the computer's front panel connectors. Connecting the front panel jacks of your computer How to connect the front headphone jacks
After switching to the “ten” or its next update, many users are faced with a problem due to which the headphones do not work on the computer in Windows 10 or the system cannot see the sound playback device.
In most cases, the source of the problem is the sound driver - the software responsible for the functioning of the sound card. Why does it suddenly stop working with installed drivers after updating Windows?
Most likely, in the process of receiving the update, the driver itself was updated, and it was downloaded from no other place than Microsoft servers. This means that instead of official software, a product created by a software corporation was downloaded to the user’s computer, and third-party software has never been stable and 100% compatible.
The reason that the laptop does not see the headphones is, first of all, an outdated or foreign sound driver. Let's look at how to get rid of it and get official software.
Headphone Setting Options
When faced with a problem, you should not immediately blame the drivers for everything. You may just need to adjust your headphones. Let's start with this.
1. If the device is connected to the PC via a connector on the speaker system (speakers), you should make sure that this port is functioning by connecting, for example, another audio-playing device.
2. We check the headphones by connecting them to another laptop or smartphone; perhaps they themselves do not function.
3. Make sure the plug is connected to the correct socket (colored green).
4. Try using a different audio input; perhaps the front one is not functioning, for example, it is not connected.
5. Make sure the pinout is correct, because the AC’97 connection type will not work on Windows 10; it should be replaced with progressive HD Audio.
6. Go to Device Manager and check for the driver for the motherboard chipset.
Updating the driver from the developer's website
It is necessary to download device management software only from official resources, despite Microsoft’s recommendations to update drivers using the Windows 10 toolkit.
1. Find out the manufacturer of the sound card (most likely it is Realtek).
3. Download the installer with a package of libraries and applications for managing the sound device.
4. Launch the installer and follow a couple of instructions, removing the old software.
5. Restart the computer and check if installing the driver helped solve the problem.
1. Open Device Manager by holding Win+X and clicking on the item of the same name in the drop-down menu.
2. Open the context menu of the sound device and click “Update drivers...”.
3. We choose the Internet as the source of content.
4. Upon completion of the update, reboot and check if our device is working.
Setting up headphones
If installing the latest version of the software does not solve the problem, it means that the speaker configuration is incorrect. Let's look at how to enable headphones for audio playback in the Control Panel.
1. Call the “Realtek Manager” or “Sound Manager” applet through the context menu of the tray icon.
2. Go to settings.
3. Next to the option responsible for dividing the sound into two streams, each of which will be played through its own device connected to the front and rear jacks, check the box.
After this everything should fall into place.
Windows headphone front panel not working, identifying problems and finding solutions.
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The front panel with a headphone jack is an important element of any computer. But it also happens that its work suddenly stops, listening to sound files becomes impossible.
There may be several reasons why the front panel for the headphones has stopped working.
Among the most common faults are the following:
- The required drivers are not installed;
- Assembly defects;
- The control panel is not configured;
- Parameters not set;
- Input not connected;
- The sound mode is not set.
And now about everything in more detail.
Let's figure out how to solve this problem. First of all, you should find out the cause of the malfunction.
Drivers
Before you begin solving the problem, you need to make sure that the drivers on your device are installed correctly. To do this, try playing the audio file using the rear panel.
If the file does not play, the problem is serious. It is better for you to seek help from a qualified specialist. If there is sound, then we proceed to solve the problem with the front panel.
When the panel malfunctions
Remember how long ago the front panel stopped working. You may not have connected it since purchasing the device. Then most likely the problem is in the assembly. In this case, you can contact the store where you purchased the device (or a service center) for help.
If the panel was working properly and the breakdown occurred recently, remember what settings you have made recently. Perhaps something was configured in the Control Panel.
Due to incorrect installation, a failure could occur, resulting in a malfunction of the front panel of the computer.
Control Panel
Now let's move on to checking the sound settings. Open the control panel, find the sound section there.
Please note that in the “Play” tabs
and “Record” devices were set by default.
To view all installed devices, right-click on any free space and check the box next to “Show disabled devices.”
Now go to the “Play” tab. On the device that is working, right-click and launch “Properties”. In the window that opens, check that the list of connectors includes an item with a front panel.
The same needs to be done in the “Record” tab. Only here we open the microphone properties.
Realtek HD
If all the drivers on your computer are installed correctly, then you have the Realtek HD configurator. You need to check its settings. You can find it in the Control Panel.
Open the “Speakers” tab, select the yellow folder icon on the right. Make sure the “Disable front panel jack detection” option is enabled.
If the parameter has not been set, install, save and check the functionality of the panel. You also need to go to additional settings (the corresponding item is in the window on the right, at the top).
Set the options here that you want: “Separate all output jacks as independent input devices” and “Disable front panel jack detection.”
Connecting the inputs
If you have recently disassembled your computer, it is important to check that the panel was connected correctly and the wires were not damaged.
The panel can be connected in the following ways:
- Using a solid block (AC'97 and HD Audio). Nowadays the most common type is HD Audio. AC'97 is already outdated and comes across very rarely.
- Using separate connectors with markings.
If you don't know if everything is connected correctly, use your motherboard manual. It will help identify the problem.
The sound is not working properly
It also happens: the connectors on the panel are AC’97 type, and the sound is played back in HD. Your task is to change the way sound is played in the BIOS.
It should be displayed on the AC’97 panel. Or try turning off HD.
The front panel for Windows headphones does not work, summary
We looked at the most common problems with the front panel. If none of the methods help you, contact a specialist. The problem may be more serious than you think.
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- 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 means 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
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.
On Windows 7
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.
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.
Since the release of Windows 7, almost all users have had problems related to the lack of sound from the speakers or headphones on the front audio panel, and the microphone does not work.
It is quite convenient for users to connect headphones or a microphone in front, for example, to communicate via Skype. In this case, there is no need to crawl under the computer and look in the back of the system unit, among a bunch of wires, for a headphone jack, pulling out the main speakers. And sometimes the wire length for headphones may not be enough to connect them from the back of the computer.
As a result, the front panel remains an indispensable addition to the computer.
There may be a number of reasons for the lack of sound on the front panel:
- The front panel is not connected to the motherboard.
- The sound card driver is not configured (for Windows 7, 8, 10).
- The audio driver is not installed.
- The audio driver is not compatible with the sound card.
Connecting the front soundbar to the motherboard
Open the side cover of the system unit and look for the front (front) panel connector on the motherboard - Fig. 1.
Figure 1 — Connector for front audio panel
Please note that one pin is missing from the connector (marked with a small red square).
Similarly, the soundbar cable plug is also missing one hole - Fig. 2
Figure 2 - Front panel plug. A red square indicates that there is no hole
This is done to ensure that it is impossible to connect the panel incorrectly. Be careful when connecting the connector, orienting it correctly, according to Figures 1 and 2, so as not to bend the connector pins.
So. We connected the connector.
We connect headphones to the panel. Let's turn on our favorite song. The player is playing. But there is still no sound.
Setting up an audio driver using the example of the manufacturer Realtek HD
If there is no sound from the back, then the driver is simply not installed in the system or is damaged (for example, due to viruses).
How to find out the brand and version of the driver will be described below.
If there is sound from the back, but not from the front, then we configure the driver.
NOTE: In the Windows XP operating system there were no problems with sound on the front panel. The sound card driver did not have to be configured.
Open the sound card manager Fig. 3.
Figure 3 - Realtec HD Manager (brown speaker)
A large window appears (Fig. 4), in which, according to the arrow, click on the icon.
Figure 4 - Click on the yellow icon
Then we find ourselves in another small window, where we check the box as in Fig. 5.
Figure 5 - check the box as shown
Congratulations!!! Now our panel is working.
Setting up a sound driver using a VIA sound card as an example
Setting up the VIA audio driver is practically no different from setting up the Realtek HD driver. The front panel settings in the program interface are just located a little differently.
Open the sound card software Fig.6.
Figure 6 — VIA sound card settings program window
Click on the icon indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, and we find ourselves in a window where, according to Fig. 7, install the switch.
Figure 7 - Select the item that is marked in orange
The front panel audio settings have been successfully completed. Connect your headphones and enjoy the sound.
If there is no Realtek HD or VIA Manager program. What to do?
The absence of the "Realtek HD Manager" or VIA program is if you have installed unofficial version audio drivers.
Often, when installing Windows 7, the sound driver on many motherboard models is automatically selected by the operating system and is compatible with the sound chip. But at the same time, the settings program itself (Fig. 4 and 6) is not installed. In this case, the front panel cannot be configured. At the same time, all ports on the rear panel work perfectly.
In order to download the necessary driver for your sound card, we must find out the manufacturer of the sound chip and its model.
This can be done using the Everest program.
Download the program as shown in Fig. 8.
Figure 8 - Download Everest
This is a portable version that does not require installation. Open the downloaded archive and run the everest.exe application. The program window will appear Fig. 9, in which you can learn a lot of useful and interesting things about the hardware of your computer.
Figure 9 — Everest program interface
But for now we are interested in how to find out the model of our sound card.
We do everything as in Fig. 9 - open the “Multimedia” item, and then the sub-item “Audio PCI/PnP”. If in this sub-item you see a blank window, then select the “HD Audio” sub-item.
On the right side of the program we see a list of sound devices. Yours may differ in both quantity (there may be only one sound device) and name.
We are interested in the device marked as in Fig. 9 - Realtek ALC 888. This is our sound card. It is for this that we will look for the necessary driver, according to the name.
On the Internet, by searching for Realtek ALC 888, or for example Realtek662, depending on what sound card you have, you can find a driver with a settings program for it.
In order not to look for a driver for a specific model, I am giving you a link to a universal audio driver installer that is suitable for almost all models of Realtek sound chips.
If you are the owner of a VIA sound card, you can download the driver and program for this audio card on this site.
Connecting the front panel to an additional sound card, using the example of ASUS Xonar DX 7.1
Figure 10 — ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 sound card
Owners of additional sound cards, such as ASUS XONAR or Creative, can also connect the front panel, customize it and enjoy high-quality sound in games, movies or when listening to music.
If you have the front panel connected to the motherboard, then you need to disconnect its plug and connect it to a similar connector on the sound card (in our example, ASUS XONAR DX 7.1) - Fig. eleven.
Figure 11 — Connector for connecting the front panel of the ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 sound card
Connect the plug into the connector, similar to the motherboard, and also align their pins with the holes.
Figure 13 - Application for setting up sound and the front panel
The sound settings program will open in front of us Fig. 14.
Figure 14 — Setting up sound for headphones
Expand the “Analog input” list and select FP headphones.
- 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
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.
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 broken. 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...
