XPost: alt.os.linux.mint, alt.comp.os.windows-10   
   From: java@evij.com.invalid   
      
   On 2025-02-07 17:04, Java Jive wrote:   
   >   
   > If absolutely no OS, Windows or Linux, can get any sound at all, that   
   > seems like a hardware problem.   
      
   One last chance, what happens when you run the Dell Diagnostics?   
   Formerly these were runnable from a CD, whence you could copy them to a   
   bootable USB, nowadays usually available via a boot option similar to   
    taking you into the BIOS  -  I'm not sure what actual key it would   
   be, but you should be able to find out from the Dell site, especially as   
   you have the laptop's service tag.   
      
   If you get no sound via the Diagnostics, then the sound is dead.  I have   
   an Inspiron model here, but it's a different model and Dells are   
   horribly confusing in that radically different hardware can share the   
   same model line name, so it wouldn't really be worth my while suggesting   
   anything based on this one, and I'm not familiar with yours at all.   
      
   What I'm getting around to suggesting is that you obtain a service   
   manual for the laptop and try to find out where the audio hardware is   
   located.  If it's on the mainboard then you'd have to swap the mainboard   
   to fix it, probably not worth while, but if it's on a daughterboard,   
   then that may be worth the effort.   
      
   A lot will also depend on how easy it is to dismantle the laptop to   
   repair, because the same brand names can vary a lot.  Of the ones I have   
   here, the Inspiron is the worst of all, but I mainly have Precisions,   
   and, of those, the M6300s are nearly but not quite as bad as the   
   Inspiron, whereas with the M6700s and M6800s you just remove the bottom   
   plage, two screws, and maybe the keyboard, a few more, and almost   
   everything is accessible, a huge improvement on previous models.   
      
   So, if you're minded to investigate further, try the Dell Diagnostics   
   first, and if you can't hear any sound there, try to obtain a service   
   manual to get a sense of how difficult or easy (chance would be a fine   
   thing) it might be to repair with a used part from eBay.   
      
   NB:  With Dells, the 'service' manuals are often called something that   
   sounds more like a manual instructing use rather than dismantling or   
   repair, for example, my Inspiron's Service Manual is simply called the   
   "Owner's Manual".  You'll have to download everything you can and open   
   each up to find which one is what you want.   
      
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