T60 speaker audio stopped ... until I plug/unplug headphones!

[cacophony]

Just yesterday I started having an audio issue with my T60p. There's no sound coming from the speakers. I haven't changed anything. Rebooting doesn't help.

If I plug in headphones I get audio, and then when I remove the headphones the audio starts playing through the speakers! But if I put the machine to sleep (or perhaps just wait a bit) audio stops playing through the speakers again. Of course I can fix it again using the same headphone method.

While no sound is coming through the speakers the "Sound" utility shows a single possible playback device: "Speakers". It has a checkmark and the level meter is bouncing up and down. Windows volume control is all the way up. The Device Manager shows "SoundMAX Integrated Digital HD Audio" with "The device is working properly" and a driver by AnalogDevices version 6.10.1.7255 from 5/18/2009. I didn't install this driver, Windows 7 did. I tried "Uninstall", and after rebooting it was back, but the issue wasn't resolved.

Not sure it's related but in the last week or so I've gotten two BSODs which I still haven't figured out. See http://www.sevenforums.com/bsod-help-su ... -t60p.html

Any help appreciated!

[cacophony]

I booted into an old Linux Mint 14 CD I had and saw the same issue... no audio through speakers till I inserted/removed headphones.

So I guess that confirms a hardware issue, right? Which means a defect in the motherboard?

[RealBlackStuff]

Rather a fault in the audio socket.
Check it for dirt or corrosion.

[cacophony]

Rather a fault in the audio socket.
Check it for dirt or corrosion.

I think you might have called it. I didn't see any noticeable dirt on inspection, but I blew some compressed air in the headphone port and following a restart the problem seems to have gone away. Haven't experienced it once over the last few days.

[cage]

I had the exact same issue today.

No audio until I plugged in the headphone jack. Once headphones removed the audio from the speakers came back.

Strange.

[dr_st]

If there is some dirt or debris in the headphones socket, it can create a short, making the laptop think something is plugged in there, thus muting the speakers. Actually plugging in the headphones can often push whatever it is out of the way, and the problem goes away, at least for a while.

[cage]

This seems to be temporary as this has happened twice more today.

[rkawakami]

All of the analog headphone jacks that I know of are based on the principle of having a built-in switch that disconnects the speaker(s) whenever a plug is inserted. Said switch is simply two pieces of flat metal that normally are in contact with each other (no plug inserted). That contact allows the audio signal to get to the speakers. When a proper plug is inserted, it moves one of the pieces of metal out of the way, breaking the electrical connection and cutting off the speakers.

Having foreign matter inside the jack that interrupts the sound going to the speakers does NOT "short" anything out. Quite the opposite. The dust / dirt / food / etc. manages to lodge itself in between the two pieces of metal and acts as an insulator. Alternately, the metal may have oxidized and the connection is no longer 0 ohms. Furthermore, if one of those metal pieces gets bent out of shape (think: torquing the plug up/down/left/right when inside the jack), then there's no connection to allow the speakers to operate. If it's foreign matter/oxidation sometimes you can spray some electrical contact cleaner and clear up the problem. If it's a bent contact, you usually have to replace the jack (it's too hard to get inside the jack and re-bend the metal).