No Audio

jumpingjuniper

Audio stopped working on my Acer Aspire E 15/ E5-575-33BM.  I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the audio driver from Realtak, have tried several 3rd-party applications to update the audio driver, and still nothing.  In researching the problem, I have found out this is a common problem with this Acer model, and that the problem is likely with a faulty motherboard.  Any other suggestions before I throw this thing in the garbage and have to buy another laptop?  This machine is less than a year old, so it's aggravating, obviously, that it crapped out so soon.

JackE

Before I answer each question, I just want you to look at these two control panel "restore point" images. Does your restore point images look anything like these images with the small "show more restore points" box unchecked and checked? If not, just move on to your questions below. 

>>>(1) If I try the reset and it doesn't work, have I voided the remaining time on the 1-year warranty with Acer?>>>
                       NO. You're really expected to do this to confirm a hardware failure before sending it in for repair.

>>>(2) I have read that some people with this same problem were able to recover audio by using a w/l bluetooth speaker, and some by using an external USB Sound Card.  Do you think either is at all a possibility?>>>

                       YES. But a hardware issue still exists with either the audio card or its speaker amplifier if the reset (1) doesn't work.  

>>>(3) If in fact it's a hardware issue, and I buy a motherboard on-line and have somebody install it, will that solve the problem?  In other words, will a new motherboard have the audio drivers and speakers that are apparently corrupt on this laptop?  This might cost me $250 vs having to buy a new laptop.>>>

                       YES but only if the "somebody" is ACER warranty service. If you have a non-ACER authorised somebody else do it (like some shop in SA), I seriously doubt ACER will guarantee it. It'll more likely void the remaining time on the ACER warranty. Plus the audio card drivers have nothing to do with the audio card and speaker hardware other than being the system software to drive them or make them work if they're not physically dead.

                         From your description so far, I'd hafta guess your audio & speaker hardware are NOT dead --- yet. So if were mine, I'd try the ALT+F10 coldboot reset to restore the factory-delivered Win10 software system pronto to see if I guessed right.

Jack E/NJ

JackE

If it's less than a year old it's still under warranty. But it's more likely due to a recent Win10update which in some cases causing much worse issues for different mfrs. Check for restore points in control panel. If you know the approximate date that you lost audio, it might be possible to restore the machine to the way it was before the restore point date. Short of that, we can always try resetting the machine to factory-fresh. Jack E/NJ

jumpingjuniper

May 1, 2017 I bought this on Amazon.  Problem is, I am currently out of the country and will be returning Dec. 15 through Jan. 3 and will be leaving again for South America.  I'd be very surprised if you tell me that under the warranty, I could ship this laptop to you, have it repaired, and then returned to me before I leave again on Jan. 3.  What really aggravates me is that the consensus I get from researching this problem is that it is a hardware problem that is nearly impossible to repair, and then when I research top-rated laptops -- on the assumption that I will now have to buy a new laptop -- this same model is ranked as one of the most reliable.  After reading of all the reports of the same problem, I find that recommendation hard to believe. 

JackE

Do you want to try to reset the system to rule in or rule out a hardware issue? Or do you want to see if there's a restore point in control panel that might pre-date when the audio was lost? Jack E/NJ 

jumpingjuniper

Yes, I have finished backing up all my pics, music and documents and attempted to do the restore point.  The day the music died was Nov. 21, but system recovery gives me only the option of Nov, 23, 25 and 29.  Is there a way to go back to Nov. 20?  And if this doesn't work I guess I'll have no other option but the system reset, right?  But I'll do it if that's the last resort.

JackE

There might be a little box to check for showing more restore points. Jack E/NJ

jumpingjuniper

I can go into control panel - system and security - security and maintanence - recovery - configure system restore - system properties - create a restore point, then it asks me to put in a description, and I typed Nov. 21, 2017 12:15 P.M.  After about a minute I get a message that I have succesfully created the restore point.  I close the box, restart the computer, go back into restore and it still has Nov. 25 as the furthest back date, and I need Nov. 21.

JackE

No. I meant on the existing "restore points" shown by control panel with the Nov, 23, 25 and 29 dates that you mentioned earlier. If you enter "restore point" in control panel search, there should be a link to restore system files/settings from a restore point or some verbiage to that effect. In the popup, there might (or might not) be a small box on that screen to checkmark in order to show more restore points than the 3 you mentioned. Jack E/NJ  

jumpingjuniper

No, I can go into "create restore point" in system properties, type in Nov. 21 2017, 1:15 P.M., a minute later it tells me I have successfully created a restore point, I go back toestore system files and settings" and the same dates are there, nothing further back than Nov. 23.

jumpingjuniper

No way can I get it to accept a restore point prior to Nov. 23.  I guess the next step is a factory reset

JackE

>>> I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the audio driver from Realtak>>>

One last thing before pulling the trigger. Does Device Manager show an option to rollback to an earlier Realtek driver? Jack E/NJ

jumpingjuniper

Good idea, but the Realteks aren't there I uninstalled and reinstalled a couple times.  I'll install again.

JackE

Yeah, I know you did. But still check to see if there might be a rollback option and try that. If not, then pull the trigger and follow this video. Good luck!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuljT0a8F7I

Jack E/NJ 

jumpingjuniper

Thanks for your help.  Before I do the reset, let me ask you a few questions.

(1) If I try the reset and it doesn't work, have I voided the remaining time on the 1-year warranty with Acer?

(2) I have read that some people with this same problem were able to recover audio by using a w/l bluetooth speaker, and some by using an external USB Sound Card.  Do you think either is at all a possibility?

(3) If in fact it's a hardware issue, and I buy a motherboard on-line and have somebody install it, will that solve the problem?  In other words, will a new motherboard have the audio drivers and speakers that are apparently corrupt on this laptop?  This might cost me $250 vs having to buy a new laptop.

Thanks again for your help

JackE

Before I answer each question, I just want you to look at these two control panel "restore point" images. Does your restore point images look anything like these images with the small "show more restore points" box unchecked and checked? If not, just move on to your questions below. 

>>>(1) If I try the reset and it doesn't work, have I voided the remaining time on the 1-year warranty with Acer?>>>
                       NO. You're really expected to do this to confirm a hardware failure before sending it in for repair.

>>>(2) I have read that some people with this same problem were able to recover audio by using a w/l bluetooth speaker, and some by using an external USB Sound Card.  Do you think either is at all a possibility?>>>

                       YES. But a hardware issue still exists with either the audio card or its speaker amplifier if the reset (1) doesn't work.  

>>>(3) If in fact it's a hardware issue, and I buy a motherboard on-line and have somebody install it, will that solve the problem?  In other words, will a new motherboard have the audio drivers and speakers that are apparently corrupt on this laptop?  This might cost me $250 vs having to buy a new laptop.>>>

                       YES but only if the "somebody" is ACER warranty service. If you have a non-ACER authorised somebody else do it (like some shop in SA), I seriously doubt ACER will guarantee it. It'll more likely void the remaining time on the ACER warranty. Plus the audio card drivers have nothing to do with the audio card and speaker hardware other than being the system software to drive them or make them work if they're not physically dead.

                         From your description so far, I'd hafta guess your audio & speaker hardware are NOT dead --- yet. So if were mine, I'd try the ALT+F10 coldboot reset to restore the factory-delivered Win10 software system pronto to see if I guessed right.

Jack E/NJ

jumpingjuniper

Yes, I saw that screen and it gives me one more date, but still not as far back to the day before I lost sound.  I remember a previous laptopI had, a Toshiba I think, allowed me to enter any date I wanted.  I won't have the repair done here, I'll be back in the states in a couple weeks and will deal with it then.

JackE

Does this mean you already tried the ALT+F10 coldboot reset and it didn't work? Or you just don't have the machine in hand right now to try it? If somebody else has access to the machine, you maybe could ask them try resetting it. The procedure is fairly simple. Here's the howto youtube video link  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuljT0a8F7I   Jack E/NJ

   

jumpingjuniper

No, I haven't done it yet, been traveling and wanted to wait till I got home, I'll do it first thing in the morning.