Sound stopped working, no audio devices in Device Manager

[angrynerdrock]

Working on an Asus X555LA laptop. Specs here: https://www.cnet.com/products/asus-x555la-hi31103j-15-6-core-i3-5020u-4-gb-ram-1-tb-hdd/ . Sound has been working fine on this machine, but recently it stopped working and Im trying to tell if its something I can repair. Checking in device manager, there are no audio devices, neither for the Realtek drivers, or Intel HD Audio from the processor. Ive tried restarting, ive tried reinstalling drivers, neither worked. I do have a Ubuntu USB so i booted into a live session, and from the settings window, it didnt have any sound devices either. If anyone knows the terminal command to check device details, id be glad to check that too.
I looked in the BIOS, and its VERY limited what can be changed in there and none of those options had anything to do with audio. Im stumped, is sound on this laptop just permabroke unless i use a USB soundcard? Would Realtek AND Intel audio both break at the same time?

 

[jana519]

What OS? Are you using the drivers off Asus's website or somewhere else?

I was going to suggest deleting the device altogether, then enabling it and see if Windows generic drivers work. But you said you don't see a sound device in the Manager, so that's a bit odd.

 

[angrynerdrock]

What OS? Are you using the drivers off Asus's website or somewhere else?

I was going to suggest deleting the device altogether, then enabling it and see if Windows generic drivers work. But you said you don't see a sound device in the Manager, so that's a bit odd.

Windows 10, drivers from Asus, from Microsoft, and from Realtek. None have made a difference. Still no sound, and no device in Device Manager.

 

[angrynerdrock]

Did some further troubleshooting. HDMI/Intel audio DOES work. As soon as I plug in an HDMI cable and connect to a TV the sound device shows up. So, it seems down to the internal Realtek audio.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Is there a hotkey to disable the audio, like there is for the wifi? (Maybe the same key disables both?)

 

[angrynerdrock]

Is there a hotkey to disable the audio, like there is for the wifi? (Maybe the same key disables both?)

No, just a mute hotkey, which does nothing since there is no sound device. I looked all around the machine and all the keyboard fn keys and there isnt anything hardware wise to disable/enable sound (or wifi for that matter)

 

[VirtualLarry]

Checked Device Manager? Nothing disabled or errored under Sound Devices? Nothing showing up as an Unknown Device? Maybe it simply "went bad". Possibly, could be a BIOS/firmware/CMOS setting issue. Try re-flashing the BIOS, if all else fails. That fixed my wifi card in a Lenovo, when it "disappeared".

 

[angrynerdrock]

Checked Device Manager? Nothing disabled or errored under Sound Devices? Nothing showing up as an Unknown Device? Maybe it simply "went bad". Possibly, could be a BIOS/firmware/CMOS setting issue. Try re-flashing the BIOS, if all else fails. That fixed my wifi card in a Lenovo, when it "disappeared".

Yes, checked Device Manager, nothing in there. No unknown devices. Maybe ill flash the bios. Im beginning to think the chip is dead, i tried live USBs of both Ubuntu and Mint Linux and no sound on either of those either, just dummy outputs. From everything ive read, if it doesnt work in Linux its likely broken :-( Too bad there is no way to use intel audio for the internal speakers and headphone jack

 

[VirtualLarry]

Get a BT (BlueTooth) speaker?

 

[jana519]

Have you actually tried the headphone jack?

If you're running Windows 10, and there's no generic sound, seems the card is bad. You can try booting in safe mode and see if maybe there's something out of whack with the drivers. Try using both speakers and headphones in safe mode.

 

[angrynerdrock]

Have you actually tried the headphone jack?

If you're running Windows 10, and there's no generic sound, seems the card is bad. You can try booting in safe mode and see if maybe there's something out of whack with the drivers. Try using both speakers and headphones in safe mode.

Ive tried the headphone jack, yes. Nada. Have tried safe mode too. I gave up on it, laptops used like a desktop anyway connected to monitors on the desk. Realized the wireless receiver for the Arctis 7 headphones have a line out on them and a little built in. Using that as sound for now as I think the chip is broken, and short of replacing the motherboard theres no fixing that

 

[VirtualLarry]

If you can bring up the "Classic" sound control panel widget, you can try seeing if those outputs are Disabled, and re-Enable them. Although, even if disabled, I don't think that they disappear from Device Manager, so I don't have a lot of hope for that idea.

 

[fire400]

to save time, launch Linux from flash drive, it will load generic Linux drivers on the Linux OS, try to play audio through the Internet, and you'll be able to see/hear if it's really an internal hardware issue/Windows issue or not.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I had something similar happen to me today. My onboard Intel LAN on my B450-F ROG STRIX Gaming ATX mobo went out. Like, completely out, not showing up in Device Manager at all. (And I showed ghosted devices, deleted them all, and re-detected, still not there.)

Now, I did also recently swap both GPUs out, AND I upgraded from 2x8GB to 4x8GB of the same DDR4-3600 RAM.

I also upgraded the BIOS, a few days ago, to the 1.0.0.3ABB AGESA version. But before I swapped the GPUs, the extra RAM and the onboard LAN was all working.

So, I might have stretched the ethernet cable in the jack, or my PSU (though basically new, might have been slightly DOA, and was in storage for a year or two or three), and the +5V or +3.3V, whichever the LAN uses, might be bunk. Been having trouble with USB 3 devices, when booting Windows 10 too, although they work in the BIOS.

Some sort of weird PnP problems with Win10 1903?