# HP Mini: no sound from built-in speakers, but headphones working



## btobey (Jul 14, 2011)

A few days ago, I lost all sound from my built-in speakers of my HP Mini Notebook 2140 (running Windows XP, 32-bit; updated via automatic updates). I have no idea what caused the problem; the only thing I had done differently was to update the latest version of Flash Player (which I have uninstalled many times).

I actually got sound back twice, but I'm not exactly sure how! And both times, it went away again--both times it was after the computer had been in sleep for a period of time. I later discovered that I WAS getting sound through the headphones (I had never used headphones before, but someone suggested that I try them out). The sound works fine in the headphones.

Here are some other things I have already tried to solve the problem:


reloaded sound drivers from HP's web site
restored the system to several days ago, when the sound was working fine
checked to make sure the volume was up and nothing was muted
reviewed that speakers are selected for output and checked various audio/device manager properties
used text-to-speech test
ran Microsoft Fixit for audio
performed various troubleshooting routines for sound
tested audio settings within Windows Media Player

Nothing above worked! With the audio tests, again, I am able to get the sound through the headphones, but still, nothing through the built-in speakers. 

Can anyone help? What else can I do??? One thing to note is that my netbook does NOT have a CD/DVD drive, so I can't try playing a CD or anything like that.

Thank you in advance for any assistance that anyone can provide!!! ray:


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

Hi btobey and welcome to TSF,

You've certainly covered most of the software troubleshooting steps, i'd only like to ask you to boot into safemode and see if the problem persists there (Hold down F8 during startup). If it still works here, it's still a software issue.

If not, your speakers has most likely broke. If you have a warranty left, hand it in to the store/manufacturer. If not, you could take it apart and make sure the connections are properly attached/solded (if you know what you're doing).


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## btobey (Jul 14, 2011)

Thanks, aciid; safe mode is one thing I haven't tried yet.

Could the speaker problem really come up so suddenly/randomly? And is it likely to be the speakers if the sound came back twice? (Although that was on the first day; I haven't had any sound through them at all since then.) 

If it _is _the speakers, I'll have to take it in somewhere; I'm not savvy enough to start taking the machine apart myself. :4-surrend


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

Well yea the connectors might be loose, causing it to be intermittent. Just try safe mode first though


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## btobey (Jul 14, 2011)

Okay, I'm in safe mode now. I have NO sound--not even through the headphones, but here's why--I have no sound card! When I choose "Sounds" from my Control Panel, it shows "no audio device." Everything is grayed out--even the volume control--and I can't change anything. ON the other hand, when I go to the device manage, it says that my sound card/audio drivers are all enabled.

I don't know what this means...


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

Safemode only loads limited drivers, perhaps it wasn't such a smart idea of me to tell you to test it in safemode 

Do you have access to an Ubuntu LiveCD/USB, or the possibility to make one?


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## btobey (Jul 14, 2011)

That's okay, Aciid--I do appreciate you trying!



> Do you have access to an Ubuntu LiveCD/USB, or the possibility to make one?


I don't think so--not only don't I have a CD drive on my netbook, but also since I don't even know what Ubuntu is, I think we are starting to get a bit beyond my skill set at this point. (I am pretty good with the basics, but I'm really not a technical person...)

How might that help? Would it be an important step for me to take before I broke down and took my computer in somewhere? I am starting to think that I may have to do the latter if it is a hardware issue.


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

It is important, so that we can find out if it's software related or hardware related.

Ubuntu is a Linux operationg system that can be created and booted from an USB drive. All basic drivers are included, and so is the sound, so if the sound works there, it's a software issue. If not, its a hardware fault.

You can find more information on this site.


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## btobey (Jul 14, 2011)

Do you know how big a flash drive I would need for it? Thanks.


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

A 2GB drive should cover it, But if you're buying a new one go for a 4 GB just in case. The price difference is barely noticeable.


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## btobey (Jul 14, 2011)

Alright, this is REALLY bizarre: I was upstairs, talking to my husband about making a Ubuntu drive (which he is against; he wants me to just take the netbook in for servicing) with the netbook closed on my desk downstairs, and I heard the beep for my email notification! When I came down, I DID have a new email message, but sound is still not working when I tested it.

Is there some weird reason why the speakers would work with the laptop closed but not with it open? This is definitely sounding like hardware to me...


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

It is sounding more and more like a hardware issue yea. However to confirm the best thing you could do is booting it in another OS (Ubuntu LiveCD being easist) and make sure its not working there.


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## btobey (Jul 14, 2011)

Get this--I have music playing through the speakers right now! I didn't do the Ubuntu thing. What happened was, I got _another _email notification with the lid of the netbook closed, so I knew something odd was up. So, I opened Windows Media Player, turned on a song, and slowly started closing my machine--at about halfway down, the speakers started playing sound! When I opened it back up all the way, the sound stopped, but if I fiddled with it, I could get it to play again. At this point, I do have sound with it open at 90-degrees.

So, definitely hardware--a loose connection or something like that? I guess I'm going to wait & see if I can live with the issue as is; if it gets worse, I'll have to have someone look at it (I really don't feel comfortable opening up the machine myself).


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## aciid (Jul 18, 2008)

Hehe yea it's definitely a hardware issue  I'd recommend you handing it in for a repair!


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## fong (Aug 28, 2011)

I had similar situation with my Dell 710m, i.e. sound from headphone jack, but not from speakers. I find out the cause by turning (open) up and down the lcd screen while laptop is on and playing music. In certain angle. I got the sound from built-in speakers. It's the loose contact inside. By the way, the built-in speakers of Dell710m are built at the lcd screen side. I see you've done the best with drivers/software. It's the hardware issue inside. 
Some people solved the problem by plugging in/out several times at headphone jack, though.


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## daniel_73 (Jan 19, 2013)

I had my hp mini 1035nr for about 1.5 years before the speakers stopped working Headphones worked. Tried to install new drivers but no luck. I decided I needed to check the hardware. 

I disassembled the netbook. It appeared the speaker wires got loose and would move with the lid hinge every time the lid opened and closed. Over time this caused all 4 speaker cables to tear. I soldered them back together and speakers are now working. Yay!...


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