T410s, speakers randomly cut out

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smartypantscom · #1 Post by **smartypantscom** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 4:35 pm

I have a T410S that about 14 months old. Until recently, the built in speakers had worked fine - but about a week ago, they started randomly cutting out/muting on their own. If I change the volume using either the Windows volume control or the physical controls (or if I kill the "audiodg.exe" process), the speakers start playing sound again, but then they cut out again within 30-60 seconds. Initially this only seemed to occur with audio playback from Flash embedded in webpages, but now it happens with any audio playback regardless of what software I'm using it - VLC, Windows Media Player, Audacity, etc.

It only seems to occur with audio playback through the built-in speakers - it doesn't occur with audio playback through the headphone jack (which I'd be using instead, if the headphone output weren't unbearably noisy, but that's another story).

I've tried everything I could think of. I've changed the "When Windows detects communication activity" setting to "Do Nothing" - no change. I've fully removed the drivers (with the "Delete Driver Files" option in device manager) and then let Windows detect/reinstall from Windows update - no change. I tried fully removing the drivers, and then downloading & installing the latest driver from Lenovo's support page - no change. And last I tried a registry tweak that supposedly disables the headphone jack sensing/automatic muting of the speakers when headphones are plugged in - and you guessed it, no change.

Has anyone else had this problem and found a solution?

rschaefe · #2 Post by **rschaefe** » Thu May 03, 2012 8:28 pm

My ThinkPad X201 started behaving in the same way in the last few weeks. I haven't found a fix for it yet.

jhcrowman · #3 Post by **jhcrowman** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 8:33 am

I have a year old T410 that just last week started doing exactly the same thing. I have the Conexant 20585 sound in a 2516-F9U T410. I updated the bios to the latest - the sound drivers were already up to date and still no difference. Like smartypantscom, the speakers will start playing again if you press any of the hardware sound buttons. I had the Sound Control Panel window open, and the level meter on the Playback tab would continue to go up and down even when the sound would cut out on the speakers. I could click on a different tab on that window and the speakers would start playing again for a little while, then cut off again. I also can listen through headphones and the sound doesn't cut out there. I also tried all the different settings under the Communications tab for reducing volume, etc. with no change. I also tried all the different settings on the Conexant Properties windows - Exclusive mode on the Advanced tab and all the settings on the Enhancements tab with no change.
This site is the only place I could find this problem being reported using Google.
Has anyone else experienced this and has anyone found a solution?

jgwendt · #4 Post by **jgwendt** » Sat May 28, 2016 12:37 pm

I have exactly the same issue and am looking for an answer also. I have a 10+ year Lenovo T410, 4 GB RAM, Win7 Pro 64 bit, Conexant 20585 sound controller. I've tried the balance control to zero out one speaker at a time and both work. Sound starts, but cuts out after a few seconds. Changing the volume level repeats this process. The Lenovo toolbox tests say everything is fine.

Hans Gruber · #5 Post by **Hans Gruber** » Sat May 28, 2016 5:56 pm

I have two suggestions. Reinstall your OS and do a clean install. If you don't want that invest in some headphones. Refreshing the OS with a clean install usually does wonders. The other suggestion would be to check your speaker connections and wires to make sure they are not loose or disconnected.

brchan · #6 Post by **brchan** » Sat May 28, 2016 7:31 pm

Before touching the OS, burn a linux "live" distro to removable media (ie. usb) and boot from it. Linux Mint Debian and lubuntu come bundled with pretty much all drivers. Use the browser to play youtube or music videos. If you get the same problem, the issue most likely hardware related.

If replugging the speakers don't do anything, then your speakers are probably bad.

jgwendt · #7 Post by **jgwendt** » Wed Jun 01, 2016 1:27 pm

Many thanks for your wise suggestion, brchan. I got a 32 GB USB 3.0 flash drive and have installed Lubuntu on it. At first it wasn't booting up my T410. I checked the BIOS boot order and #1 was "USB FDD", which I thought was a flash drive. Turned out it meant "floppy drive", ha! No wonder! Once I moved #6 (USB HDD, which I thought meant "hard drive") to #1, the laptop booted from the flash drive.

New question: Lubuntu on the flash drive was in the process of installing the software on the laptop hard drive, so I canceled the install. I thought the software would stay on the flash drive and was concerned about having 2 OS's on the laptop. Should I be worried about this?

Thanks

brchan · #8 Post by **brchan** » Wed Jun 01, 2016 4:19 pm

Depending on the distro, when you boot off of the flash drive you will either boot directly into 'live' mode and be running linux from the usb stick (you should see a GUI), or be presented a menu to either install or 'test drive' the distro.

I have never seen Lubuntu install automatically without user prompt. You might try Linux Mint Debian to see if you get a different result.

jaspen-meyer · #9 Post by **jaspen-meyer** » Wed Jun 01, 2016 6:02 pm

If all of you are getting this problem at the same time it's surely due to a windows update.

During boot, click F12 and pick your usb stick. Lubuntu will ask whether you want to install (no you don't) or try (yes, you do) Lubuntu.

Click 'try' and it'll just boot from the usb stick. Once booted, you'll probably want to connect to the internet - there is an icon on the top right some place...

jgwendt · #10 Post by **jgwendt** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 7:08 am

brchan wrote:Depending on the distro, when you boot off of the flash drive you will either boot directly into 'live' mode and be running linux from the usb stick (you should see a GUI), or be presented a menu to either install or 'test drive' the distro.

I have never seen Lubuntu install automatically without user prompt. You might try Linux Mint Debian to see if you get a different result.

Brchan, I thought I might have missed something and therefore tried again. Yep, the Lubuntu startup screen did give the option of "Try ... without installing", I just missed it. I was able to listen to a music CD on headphones just fine. The external speakers didn't work at all. Some I've concluded the software is probably OK and will disassemble enough to look at the speakers. I'm thinking disconnecting and reconnecting and cleaning as a first step, replacement if that doesn't work. Thanks for your help.

jgwendt · #11 Post by **jgwendt** » Wed Jun 15, 2016 6:33 am

Latest developments. I've had the T410 apart twice, once to check and clean the speakers, the second time to replace the speakers. The problem is unchanged. I can play a CD or listen on the web with headphones, but the built-in speakers still play well, but cut out after about 5-8 seconds.

I'm wanting to reinstall the OS (Win7 Pro/64bit), but am stuck. the unit came without discs. I want to download an ISO image from Microsoft to reinstall. I have the product key from under the battery on the laptop. Digital River is no longer a source of the images. When I go to the Microsoft Software Recovery website, I have to verify the product key. When I do, I get a message that this key appears to be one used by the OEM manufacturer (Lenovo) and to contact them. I have found updates on the Lenovo website, but nothing that looks like a reinstall. I'm afraid to use the Win7 feature to return to factory settings for fear of needing the product code with Microsoft and ending up with a non-functioning laptop.

Anyone got suggestions on what to do now? I supposed I could take the free upgrade to Windows 10, but my wife (the user) likes what she has. Thanks for any help.

arcturius · #12 Post by **arcturius** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 9:18 am

Windows10 upgrade did not help my T510. It also cuts out randomly when playing through the internal speakers. I was able to use the headphone jack for probably 30-40m yesterday without issue.
I also note there doesn't seem to be any correlation to the volume level and the amount of time before audio stops.

jgwendt · #13 Post by **jgwendt** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 4:02 pm

arcturius wrote:Windows10 upgrade did not help my T510. It also cuts out randomly when playing through the internal speakers. I was able to use the headphone jack for probably 30-40m yesterday without issue.
I also note there doesn't seem to be any correlation to the volume level and the amount of time before audio stops.

Good to know, Arturius. Many thanks.

T410s, speakers randomly cut out

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