# [SOLVED] Front headphone jack permanently disabled.



## krickit (Aug 11, 2011)

Hi.
http://i.imgur.com/oFhoV.gif
My headphones are plugged in.
Taking them out and putting them back in again does nothing.
The front jack microphone does not do anything either.
I am pretty sure it's not a hardware issue, as it happened when I was playing around with the audio settings in the same window.
It isn't disabled and according to device manager, it's fine. But from my experience with device manager, it's probably wrong.


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

Hello krickit,

Is this a desktop or laptop?
Does the same issue appear if you connect external speakers and/or other headphones?

Also try booting into Safemode (Press F8 during startup) and see if the issue is the same here. First suspicion goes to either broken headphones or headphone jack, but to rule out all software causes, let us know some more information.


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## wc00 (May 3, 2007)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

If your computer's optical drive has a port / jack for your headset, plug the headset into that port. Play an audio CD. Do you hear the audio? 

If your computer lacks such a jack, plug your headset into the green speaker port on the back. Do you have sound? 

RIGHT click "computer".
Left click "properties".
Left click "device manager".
Maximize the screen. 

Provide a screen shot. 

wc00


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## shawnpb (May 30, 2010)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

Check this to see if it's enabled.


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## krickit (Aug 11, 2011)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

imgur: the simple image sharer
Mr. Bauer, in case you did not notice it was shown in my original screenshot, yes the device is enabled.
I have a desktop computer, my headphones are fine, they do not reach the back of the computer in any possibly comfortable way to use it, so anyway it's not the headphones.
I have my stereo plugged into the green jack on the back of my computer with an auxiliary cord, so that works fine.
I will now attempt aciid's safe mode idea, brb.


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## krickit (Aug 11, 2011)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

imgur: the simple image sharer
^^ Is what I got in safe mode.
Not really helpful though.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

The first picture you attached with the Headphone properties, shows the Headphones _not_ plugged in. Safe Mode loads with minimal drivers, so the audio driver doesn't load in Safe Mode. It also looks like an Audio device is missing from the *Sound/Video and Game Controllers *in Device Manager. If this is a name brand computer (HP, Dell etc) go to the manufacturers* Support/Download Drivers *site and type in your service tag # or your make and model # and download the specific audio driver for your machine. If you have a custom built, you can run Speccy and after it scans go up to* File/Publish Snapshot*. Copy the URL to the Clipboard and paste it in your next post.


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

Go to Start > Search.
Type "devmgmt.msc" > Hit ENTER.
Look up your audio card in the list > Properties > Driver-tab > Uninstall.
(Do this to all of them if you have more than 1).

When done, right click on the Computer (First item in the list, at the top of the list) > Choose "Scan for hardware changes". Windows will then reinstall your audio driver.


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## krickit (Aug 11, 2011)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

Before I ruin everything, High Definition Audio Device, right?
And last time I clicked that little button (After my computer BSODed) everything disappeared and wouldn't come back.
I am not installing speccy.


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

You can uninstall any unit from the device management containging the word 'Audio'. You will not remove any drivers stored on the machine, just that installed instance of that driver. In other words, when it's re-established its connection, it will reinstall with the same driver, or better; the driver Windows feels suits this unit. Which is what we want it to do.

So just uninstall the audio instances > Scan for hardware changes > Wait.


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## krickit (Aug 11, 2011)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

Yeah, I did that. Didn't work, so I opened the computer up.
The plug leading from the motherboard with the label "F_AUDIO or something (Can't remember) went to the right place. That's all I could discern.


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

Seems to me like your front jack is broke. Just crawl down behind the PC and try the headphones in that slot instead. It's either the jack or the cables leading to it, considering it's connected to the right socket on the motherboard.


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## krickit (Aug 11, 2011)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

I did say that the rear jack worked!
**** this, lets take the computer in to get fixed!


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: Front headphone jack permanently disabled.*

I must've misunderstood you, sorry for the confusion.
Mind the language though!


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