mic plug stck in hole

[icy]

hey.. my kid snapped the tip of my microphne plug of in the hole of my comp.   is there anyway to get in ti the back or something to get it out??

[soybean]

Is this onboard sound? The best thing I can suggest is opening your computer and carefully examining that plug socket area on your motherboard or sound card to try to determine whether there's any way to pry that plug out. 

Perhaps you take it to a repair shop rather than attempt it yourself.  Another option is to disable onboard sound, if that's what you're using, and install an add-on sound card or, if already using an add-on sound card, replace it.

[Dilbert]

Well, if you have a little bit of the plug sticking out you can try pliers, but I don't think you do if you're asking us. Unfortunately, I've thought of several methods, but all of them involve damage to, at the very least, the port in question. Worse, the motherboard or yourself. I mean, technically yes, you COULD get it out, and you might not damage the system, but I promise, the jack won't work properly again (at the least, keeping it plugged in would be problematic, as the only real way to remove the thing would be to widen the hole.

To be honest, I'd be on the safe side and purchase a new sound card (it's not too expensive; a good one can run about $30-$50, depending on whether you're using Surround Sound or not) and a new microphone.

[icy]

blah. this sounds expensive.... it's a tiny little piece about a cm long and it's way in the pink port at the front of the comp.   If i put the vaccum to it it moves up and out a bit.. but not enough to grab with anything.    Is it possible to purchase a headset and just use the other port ( the green one next to it for head phones) or one of the 6 ports in the back..or will it being in there affect it?

[drmsucks]

Try a locksmith. They do this sort of thing all of the time.

EDIT: If you try to recover the broken piece yourself, I highly recommend that you turn off the computer and unplug it so that you don't inadvertently short something.

[Dilbert]

You're using the front port? In that case, I'd get a new mic, and an extension cable for... whatever the technical name for microphone/headphone cables is... and use the back port. It shouldn't affect anything that the piece is still wedged in the front one (though I may be wrong about that).

Either way, you're gonna have to buy a new mic.

[icy]

cool.. mics are cheap.. as long as i can still use a port somewhere for vent I am happy.  I'll try it hopefully thurdsay.

[soybean]

If that doesn't work because your motherboard thinks you've got two mics plugged in, a solution might be to disconnect the front port from the motherboard.  It can probably be disconnected by removing small wires connecting the port to pins on the motherboard from the pins on the motherboard.

[BC_Programmer]

I can't recall what metal they make phono jacks out of, but if it's magnetic, try a magnet.

[drmsucks]

I can't recall what metal they make phono jacks out of, but if it's magnetic, try a magnet.

I'd be leery of a magnet...

[BC_Programmer]

true, but given the position of the microphone plug (front rather then the back) it's likely farther away from any magnetically sensitive devices. Personally I use a magnetized screwdriver when working inside my PC, because screws have a habit of hopping into the nether regions between motherboard and metal case. Either that, or they fly into the carpet, where only bare feet can find them reliably.

[drmsucks]

true, but given the position of the microphone plug (front rather then the back) it's likely farther away from any magnetically sensitive devices.

Probably - but it's his computer, not mine; he could have a flash drive next to the mic port and scramble it (actually, believe it or not - I HATE hypotheticals )

Bottom line for me - I might do something on my system that I wouldn't recommend to someone else because it's potentially harmful (or dangerous).

[alexma]

Just a thought here, the broken mic jack is probably hollow, & a very fine woodscew or self tapper could be gently screwed into it then you would have the purchase to pull it out. Worth a try (Switch off first though!!) I seem to recall reading that if a jack is in the front socket it disables the back one & vica versa? Good Luck

[Dias de verano]

he could have a flash drive next to the mic port and scramble it

You can't "scramble" a flash drive with a magnet. Or anything else data related except a floppy disk.

[BC_Programmer]

he could have a flash drive next to the mic port and scramble it

You can't "scramble" a flash drive with a magnet. Or anything else data related except a floppy disk.

Ha! I got you now Dias! What about Hard Disks , you saying it's safe to use my powerful magnet to hold my previous backup hard drive to my refrigerator?

[drmsucks]

he could have a flash drive next to the mic port and scramble it

You can't "scramble" a flash drive with a magnet. Or anything else data related except a floppy disk.

Dias - Thanks!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/116572/busting_the_biggest_pc_myths.html

[Dias de verano]

Yes, I am saying that. It would be a powerful electromagnet and not a permanent magnet you'd need, as you see below:

No.1 in PC World Magazine's Top 20 PC Myths:

Magnets zap your data.

For venerable floppies, this statement holds true. We placed a 99-cent magnet on a 3.5-inch floppy for a few seconds. The magnet stuck to the disk and ruined its data.

Fortunately, most modern storage devices, such as SD and CompactFlash memory cards, are immune to magnetic fields. "There's nothing magnetic in flash memory, so [a magnet] won't do anything," says Bill Frank, executive director of the CompactFlash Association. "A magnet powerful enough to disturb the electrons in flash would be powerful enough to suck the iron out of your blood cells," says Frank.

The same goes for hard drives. The only magnets powerful enough to scrub data from a drive platter are laboratory degaussers or those used by government agencies to wipe bits off media. "In the real world, people are not losing data from magnets," says Bill Rudock, a tech-support engineer with hard-drive maker Seagate. "In every disk," notes Rudock, "there's one heck of a magnet that swings the head."

Want to erase data from a hard drive you plan to toss? Don't bother with a magnet.

[BC_Programmer]

blast! foiled again!

[Dilbert]

Yay! Someone else got the sting of being wrong, besides me!

(I've been wrong on the last 3 topics I posted in. I'm glad to see it's not just me. )

[BC_Programmer]

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

[patio]

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

1988 wasn't it ? ?

[drmsucks]

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

1988 wasn't it ? ?

No...you're mistaken.

[icy]

Just an update.. the bit is still stuck in the hole.. the "techs" at future shop laughed at me and periodically itll shifft and tell me its been plugged/unplugged.   Other then that I have plugged a head set in to the back ports which work fine.   still sucks though ..lol