Need help with sound issue

[Bill43mx]

I'm hoping one of you computer guys (or girls) can help me out with this. My son in college has a Systemax computer we got from Tiger Direct. It has developed a problem with the audio, some crackling or buzzing and then totally cutting out. Over the phone tech support determined that the problem is with the motherboard audio and are willing to replace it under warranty. The problem is, being a college student, my son can't afford to lose the use of his computer for the length of time it would take to send it in for repair. I'm thinking that it would be wothwhile to throw a cheap soundcard into it rather than send it back but I don't know if doing that will solve the problem. If you add a soundcard does it bypass the motherboard audio section or does it add to it?? Thanks!

Bill

 

[_SAi_]

I think some motherboards have either a jumper on the mobo or a setting in the BIOS you can use to disable onboard peripherals. You might wanna check out the mobo manual or search for the manufacturer's website and find the product's page on it.

 

[Bill Preston]

Had a similar problem a while back. Short version ---mobo sound circuit was conflicting with an add on sound card---result, little or no sound. Tech support decided that only one could work at a time. The fix was to go into the BIOS and enable tha add on card only---and disable the mobo sound setup.
This may work for your son's 'puter.

The operative word here is "may".

bill preston

 

[Techman]

id get the new motherboard.. No doubt.. if the sound channel is going bad,, then anoher channel could go too.

 

[gvgraphics]

id get the new motherboard.. No doubt.. if the sound channel is going bad,, then anoher channel could go too.

I second that. But a sound card will maybe prolong the life till you can get it fixed.

 

[Bill43mx]

Thanks for all the input guys! I did add a sound card and went into the bios and disabled onboard sound. Thought I was all set only to find out that the Intel motherboard used "Intel Sound Studio" which would not work with the Diamond card and was set to not be removable. Argh! After a few hours of searching the net......how the heck did we get anything done before the internet anyway?:Big Laugh......I figured out how to edit the registry to allow the removal of the Intel Sound Studio. Once I removed it the new sound card worked perfectly! It turned into a much bigger project than I had thought it would be but I'm a hero to my son so it was worth the 4 hours.