No Front Audio

[yrralrellim]

I am pursuing my hobby & refurbishing an old unit with a core 2 quad and a new MSI G31TM-P21 motherboard.  I cannot find any indication of case model or manufacturer. My unknown generic case has front panel audio (mic\headphones) with a proprietary cable attached.  The proprietary cable has two different ends. At one end is an 8-pin plug with seven connected wires.  It is plugged into the circuit board which "powers" the front audio jacks. The other end is 10-pin with seven wires.  My MSI mobo has JAUD1, a 10-pin header that mates with this 10-pin plug. The rear audio jacks are functioning as they should be whether this cable is connected or not connected. I found no BIOS setting related to audio. The front audio (mic\headphones) is dead when I connect to JAUD1. I am wondering if there is specific cable wiring I could confirm (or maybe modify) to enable the front audio jacks to function properly? Windows 7 Home Premium installed.

[DaveLembke]

Did you install the full audio driver package or are you using the generic default that the OS selected as the driver? Many of the newer audio chipsets have a jack detection in them where it will sense that a device was plugged into them and then it will question you whether it was a headset or stereo speakers etc and until the selection is made there is no output in some cases. Its usually part of a HD Audio Package that goes with the sound card / integrated sound. The motherboard that was installed should have come with a CD with all of the drivers including the correct one for the jack activity sense.

There sometimes has to be a loop or jumper connection for the front audio to be functional. Either on board jumper on older style boards or its a loop that is seen at the plug end of the audio cable that plugs into the motherboard from the front panel audio.

Have you looked in the manual to confirm that if there are any specific jumper settings for sound that they are set correctly?

*** Also is it possible that the front audio jack is damaged as for it sounds like your using an old case...

[patio]

Look up the pin assingments at the case manuf. site...then compare them to the pin assingments from the MBoard manuf. site...
Unfortunately with front headers somehow this is something that never got standardised...

PS.  There's always the possibility it may be the cord is damaged as well...

[yrralrellim]

Thank you both. First I will check on the DVD driver package that came with the motherboard. Then I will check pin wiring. The case and cable are new (purchased in the 2009 date range) but I have no documentation on it and no clue of the manufacturer or model number. Searching with numbers, etc. from the front audio circuit board yielded nothing. No matter, new cables, new cases can always be bad from the start. If pin wiring is correct I might try making a new cable if a driver package is available and does not correct my malfunction.Thanks again!

[patio]

Make sure to look on all inside/outside surfaces of the case...there's a sticker and/or a stamped Part # on it somewhere...

I f you by chance you paid for it by credit card there's the tedious option of looking at 2009 purchases...

[yrralrellim]

    Installed Realtek driver from MSI DVD to replace generic Windows driver and Voila! Thanks for the tips or rather should I say reminders. STML! (short term memory loss) I knew better -- just goofed.

[patio]

Glad to hear you're fixed up...and Welcome Aboard !