Question No sound need help trouble shooting

[jamesdsimone]

So finally got around to finishing configuring the Lenovo P520. But not getting any sound. I have an ASUS Xonar DG. Device manager shows it to be working. I have tried 2 sets of speakers just in case that was the problem. I have on board audio disabled in BIOS. I tried disabling AMD sound as well. When I go into sound properties the speakers seem to be set as default and when I do a sound test the icon shows "sound" but nothing comes out. Also, I get no feed back sound when I connect/disconnect the 3.5mm jacks. Bad card? It was working last time I used it but that was a while ago.

 

[Paperdoc]

You have not mentioned how your VIDEO output is created, but I gather from the Lenovo website that you must buy an optional NVIDIA graphics card with it. So I assume you have such a card, probably connected to your monitor using an HDMI cable. One feature of the HDMI system is that the cable carries stereo sound signals to the display device (monitor) so that can be your sound playback device. Now, there never was any standard way for SOUND created by a sound card OR by an on-board audio chip to be passed to a VIDEO card so it could be sent out on the HDMI cable. So these days ALL video cards with HDMI outputs also include on them their own AUDIO chip, and that card also comes with its own audio chip device drivers. To make life simple for users, by default almost all installation routines for these cards include installing both the video and audio device drivers AND changing a setting in Windows so that the VIDEO card becomes the default sound output device, and the signal goes from that card via the HDMI cable to your MONITOR.

No matter how many sound output devices you have installed in your system, Windows normally can use only ONE of them for sound output. This is a choice YOU set. In the lower left window type in sound settings to open the selection window. At the top of Sound Output there is a selection window for your Default Sound Output Device. Click the down-arrow to see all your devices, and I bet there are three: the Realtek chip on your mobo, the chip on your NVIDIA graphics card, and the ASUS sound card. Choose to use the ASUS card for sound output. While you are there, also note there is a similar chooser for the Default Sound Input Device. If you plan to use the jacks on the ASUS card for that, choose that for this function. When done, back out of this system. Now you should get audio signals coming out of your ASUS card jacks, instead of going through the HDMI cable to your monitor.

 

[jamesdsimone]

It sounds like you've already taken several troubleshooting steps to address the issue with your ASUS Xonar DG sound card, but you're still not getting any sound output. Here are a few additional suggestions you can try:

Update Drivers: Ensure that you have the latest drivers installed for your ASUS Xonar DG sound card. You can download the latest drivers from the ASUS website or use a driver update utility to automatically update your drivers.

Using the latest drivers

Check Connections: Double-check all connections between your speakers and the sound card to ensure they are securely plugged in. Sometimes loose connections can cause sound issues.

checked the cables serveral times.

Test with Different Ports: Try plugging your speakers into different ports on the sound card to see if there's any difference in sound output. This can help determine if the issue is with a specific port on the sound card.

Using a 2.1 set so using the green output

Test with Headphones: If possible, try connecting headphones directly to the sound card to see if you get any sound output. This can help determine if the issue is with the speakers or the sound card itself.

Don't have any headphones.

Check Sound Settings: In your computer's sound settings, ensure that the correct playback device is selected and that the volume levels are not muted or set too low

I have checked the sound settings several times. The system behaves like everything is working but I get no sound.
Now it's working when I boot giving the start up sound but then stops working. I tried reseating the card but that did not work. I can get it to work for a few seconds when I try playing an MP4 but then it stops. I'm thinking bad card. Could it be the PCI slot and if so how do I check that?

 

[jamesdsimone]

You have not mentioned how your VIDEO output is created, but I gather from the Lenovo website that you must buy an optional NVIDIA graphics card with it. So I assume you have such a card, probably connected to your monitor using an HDMI cable. One feature of the HDMI system is that the cable carries stereo sound signals to the display device (monitor) so that can be your sound playback device. Now, there never was any standard way for SOUND created by a sound card OR by an on-board audio chip to be passed to a VIDEO card so it could be sent out on the HDMI cable. So these days ALL video cards with HDMI outputs also include on them their own AUDIO chip, and that card also comes with its own audio chip device drivers. To make life simple for users, by default almost all installation routines for these cards include installing both the video and audio device drivers AND changing a setting in Windows so that the VIDEO card becomes the default sound output device, and the signal goes from that card via the HDMI cable to your MONITOR.

I'm using an RX6800 XT. I tried disabling the AMD HDMI audio output.

No matter how many sound output devices you have installed in your system, Windows normally can use only ONE of them for sound output. This is a choice YOU set. In the lower left window type in sound settings to open the selection window. At the top of Sound Output there is a selection window for your Default Sound Output Device. Click the down-arrow to see all your devices, and I bet there are three: the Realtek chip on your mobo, the chip on your NVIDIA graphics card, and the ASUS sound card. Choose to use the ASUS card for sound output. While you are there, also note there is a similar chooser for the Default Sound Input Device. If you plan to use the jacks on the ASUS card for that, choose that for this function. When done, back out of this system. Now you should get audio signals coming out of your ASUS card jacks, instead of going through the HDMI cable to your monitor.

I disabled the onboard audio in BIOS. Not using a NVIDIA card.

 

[BoomerD]

Just for clarification...you're plugged into the jack for the sound card, not the motherboard?

https://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/Audio_Card/Xonar_DG/E7802_Xonar_DG.pdf

 

[Paperdoc]

My notes above on where the sound comes from applies no matter whose video card you have. I only said NVIDEA because that's what the Lenovo site offered. Also note that disabling a sound chip system (wherever it is) in BIOS Setup or in the video card configuration utility is NOT the same as setting the Windows choice of Default Sound Output device. You may still have to do that setting manually.

 

[jamesdsimone]

Just for clarification...you're plugged into the jack for the sound card, not the motherboard?

https://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/Audio_Card/Xonar_DG/E7802_Xonar_DG.pdf

Yup plugged it into the sound card.

 

[jamesdsimone]

My notes above on where the sound comes from applies no matter whose video card you have. I only said NVIDEA because that's what the Lenovo site offered. Also note that disabling a sound chip system (wherever it is) in BIOS Setup or in the video card configuration utility is NOT the same as setting the Windows choice of Default Sound Output device. You may still have to do that setting manually.

As far as I can tell everything is manually set correctly. Disabling the AMD HDMI audio removes those choices from the list. The Xonar DG option has a big green check mark which indicates that it's set to default right?

 

[Paperdoc]

I would hope so. Check this also. I don't know that card, but many have a possible output on an OPTICAL port intended to send the signals to a external amplifier etc. Make sure that output is through that card to a set of SPEAKERS connected via the 3.5 mm output sockets, and not to an optical or coaxial cable output port.

 

[jamesdsimone]

I would hope so. Check this also. I don't know that card, but many have a possible output on an OPTICAL port intended to send the signals to a external amplifier etc. Make sure that output is through that card to a set of SPEAKERS connected via the 3.5 mm output sockets, an not to an optical or coaxial cable output port.

Good thought. It does have an optical out.

 

[jamesdsimone]

It is not set for the optical out.

 

[jamesdsimone]

So I replaced the card and rebooted and the Windows start up sound played just fine so thought that must have been the problem. Tried testing the speakers and one played then the second speaker failed to make any sound when I tested. I got no sound from the ASUS software test either. I tried reinstalling the drivers from the original install disk. I have no idea what the problem could be. I have this system all configured and ready for media/gaming and it's a giant paperweight. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Paperdoc]

There may be a driver problem, and changing the card may not have eliminated that. Try this sequence.

1. Make sure before starting that you do have the proper driver for this sound card somewhere you know so it can be installed later.
2. Boot up (and no sound, of course). In lower left window type Device Manager. In that app find your sound card by ASUS. RIGHT-click on it and UNINSTALL it. Back out to the basic screen and shut down.
3. Unplug your system from the wall and open the case. REMOVE that card from the PCIe slot. You can leave the case open while you plug it back into the wall and boot up. You may get some error message that there is no sound output device since you have disabled the on-board system in BIOS Setup. That is OK. Now your system (and Windows) knows there is no sound card to deal with. Shut down and unplug from the wall.
4. Re-install the sound card in the PCIe slot. IF it needs any power cable connection, do that. Pug into its jacks the speakers as you would normally.
5. Boot up, and Windows should pop up a window telling you it has found a new device and is installing its driver for you. Once that is done, you can try for sound. If it works perfectly now, you don't need to do more.
6. If sound is still wrong, go back into Device Manger. FIRST check that the sound card IS there! If it is NOT, the go to the top line and click on it. Then click on the Action tab and choose to Scan for Hardware Changes. That should find the card so it shows down below.
7. RIGHT-click on the card and choose to Update Driver. Make sure you direct it to install the correct driver you know you have, and not just whatever it finds somewhere.
8. When done, back out to your main screen.
9. Now you need to ensure that the card IS set as your Default Sound Output Device. Follow the instructions of the SECOND paragraph in my post of Apr 3/24 above. Once you're back to your main screen, try sound again.

 

[jamesdsimone]

Went through steps 1-4. When I rebooted I did not get Windows telling me there was a new device. I have an LG monitor which apparently has speakers. Windows made that the default output device with the AMD audio as the sound device. The Xonar shows up in Device manger as an unknown multimedia device. I tested the LG and get no sound from that either even though everything reads as working. AMD audio is in device manager and the LG is set as default device. So what now?

 

[Paperdoc]

Do you have the p[roper device driver for that ASUS card in a known place? If yes, then continue with steps 6 through 9. From your last post it seems that Windows CAN "see" the card, but does not know what to do with it. In fact, that may be why it does NOT have a device driver loaded for it and it cannot be used. Step 7 should allow you to install that correct driver you have.

EDIT: Sorry I forgot to add this important sub-step that should be part of Step 8. AFTER you have installed the driver, back out of Device Manager to your home screen and REBOOT. This will get Windows to load that new driver. To verify, go back into Device Manager. If that all worked as it should, the display in Device Manger will show the card with NO Yellow triangle flag to warn of a problem. Back out of Device Manger to your home screen. Now go into Sound Settings.

Assuming that you now DO have the card recognized, steps 8 and 9 will get you out of Device Manger and into the Windows Sound Settings app. Following my post of Apr 3/24, you can use it to set the ASUS card as your Default Sound Output Device and ensure it is set to use the SPEAKERS plugged into it. Similarly you can set your Default Sound Input Device to whatever Mic you may have plugged in.

 

[Paperdoc]

NOTE I added an EDIT to my last post to correct a missing step.

 

[jamesdsimone]

Do you have the p[roper device driver for that ASUS card in a known place? If yes, then continue with steps 6 through 9. From your last post it seems that Windows CAN "see" the card, but does not know what to do with it. In fact, that may be why it does NOT have a device driver loaded for it and it cannot be used. Step 7 should allow you to install that correct driver you have.

EDIT: Sorry I forgot to add this important sub-step that should be part of Step 8. AFTER you have installed the driver, back out of Device Manager to your home screen and REBOOT. This will get Windows to load that new driver. To verify, go back into Device Manager. If that all worked as it should, the display in Device Manger will show the card with NO Yellow triangle flag to warn of a problem. Back out of Device Manger to your home screen. Now go into Sound Settings.

Assuming that you now DO have the card recognized, steps 8 and 9 will get you out of Device Manger and into the Windows Sound Settings app. Following my post of Apr 3/24, you can use it to set the ASUS card as your Default Sound Output Device and ensure it is set to use the SPEAKERS plugged into it. Similarly you can set your Default Sound Input Device to whatever Mic you may have plugged in.

I disabled the AMD audio to simplify things. I went into to BIOS and reenbled the onboard audio just to see if it worked. Rebooted and Windows installed drivers without even asking and onboard audio works fine. Unfortuately, it's only 2.0. Tested it multiple times and the tests were all ok. I installed the Xonar drivers through Device manager instead of the using the ASUS setup.exe. Installation went fine. Retested the onboard 2.0 and both speakers tested fine. I switched to the Xonar and plugged in a 5.1 set. Tested and the first speaker tested fine, produced sound but as soon as it went to the second speaker it stopped and retesting produced no sound. This looks like a driver issue? All the hardware reads as working fine. I'm using the most up to date drivers. The card is 10 years old.

 

[jamesdsimone]

Well it looks like either a bad PCI slot or some driver conflict. I pulled the Xonar DG and replaced it with a Xonar DGX which is the same card just PCI- E X1. Installed the drivers and everything worked just fine.

 

[Paperdoc]

Hooray! You got it beat!

 

[jamesdsimone]

Hooray! You got it beat!

Thanks for the help. I thought there might be some kind of driver conflict but never seen anything like it before. It's just a basic sound card that has been around for 10 years. Still could be something wrong with the PCI slot but I don't see needing it so not worth worrying about. I have been using onboard sound for my builds since 2016 but workstation sound was not going to cut it. A few more tweaks and I'll get this thing running, W-2145/RX6800XT should handle pretty much anything for a while.