Possible fix for bizzare problem?

H

HTPC Rookie

Gawd
Joined
Dec 24, 2004
Messages
588
I have a brand new mn31n mobo, and can't get a peep out if soundwise. The on-board sound is dead, I tried plugging a SB Audigy PCI in it, it won't make a sound, tried a generic ESS PCI card, it won't make a sound, even tried the SPDIF on the mb and it won't output anything. Tried a couple pairs of speakers, a set of headphones, a couple sound cables, even plugged the CD audio output directly into the PCI sound cards. It just won't make noise! Very bizzare, a new one on me for sure.

So, I'm figuring either there is a major bad on the motherboard, or somewhere along the line I did something to screw it up.

Would anyone know whether buying and using a external USB sound setup, like one of the SoundBlaster jobs, would be affected by whatever it is that's killing sound now? I bought the mobo on ebay, and now my only option to RMA it is to send it back to Taiwan.
I'll go Newegg next time for sure, but this time looks like I have to either bit-bucket the mobo, or find a way to use it anyways.

Also, does anyone have experience using a external USB unit with the SPDIF on the external unit? I read a review on the USB 1.1 Soundblaster that said the sound was "blocky" meaning it cut in and out b/c the USB bus couldn't keep up with it. That wouldn't be too good for any kind of home theater.

Thanks in advance for any help!
 
Heh...talking to myself. :p

After putting the mobo on the bench out of the Aria, then getting pissed off thinking the mobo was totally dead because I was too STUPID to hook up the 4-wire from the PS, I did some playing.

The on-board sound is still totally dead. But, if I put the SB PCI card in the PCI slot closest to the AGP slot, I get sound! But, ONLY if it's in that slot, putting it in the other two slots (this is a MN31/N mobo) it makes no sound, not even static. The other two slots do work, I use a 2 port serial card in one of them, works fine. I did the CMOS reset too, made no difference.

Pretty happy I don't have to scrap the mobo now!

Strange? Or has anyone else seen this problem on a mobo?
 
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