Help why have I got bo sound on my laptop?

[UnSerpentQuiCourt]

DD was watching a dvd through headphones on my work laptop when she suddenly decided to leap off the sofa and rip the headphones out of the socket. Now there is no sound at all on my laptop. Any ideas?

When you plug in headphones into a socket the idea is to cut out the speaker(s) on the device, so some contacts will be pushed apart.

There's a better explanation here on Dell's site (under Older Laptops with AC97 Audio on the System Board item number 1) along with suggestion of trying a Q-tip.

If the socket is built onto the motherboard then it might need opening up the laptop case and replacing that socket but it may be difficult to get one if they are made only for that laptop firm.

There are some USB options (but you have to consider how much you want to spend, and whether sound is vital or not).

Oh dear. See it is a work laptop. I would claim ignorance (unless you have to use it on a regular basis for Skype or similar) and act like you have never tried the sound, or just turned it off via the 'volume control' in Windows. If there is any part of the headphone socket inside the laptop, however, it is a bit more awkward to get away with it!

Yes, thanks for the ideas - there was a part of the headphone socket stuck there out of sight. When DH was very carefully trying to remove it with a tiny screwdriver out of a Christmas cracker , DD gave it a whack and the bit ended up inside the laptop. Boarding school looms, if she's not careful. Still, sound is back on.

How old is DD ? Giving things a 'whack' might get her a whack if she goes off to boarding school and the item belongs to someone else :)

Piece ending up inside the laptop could mean it shorts something out.... If your laptop is reasonably modern, then (sometimes when DD is unable to interrupt/ interfere) get a suitable screwdriver (probably crosspoint aka 'Philips') and remove any access hatches on the back, and see if the laptop 'rattles' (do not try rattling when powered up).

If you do get a rattle for missing piece, see if you can manoeuvre it to rattle near one of the hatches and possibly fall out of the laptop... at least you can protect against it blowing the machine power supply or damaging CPU or other circuits. Obviously you need a large flat area where you can remove the hatches and keep screws with them, and some suitable (eg plain hite/ brown) paper to cover surface to catch the broken piece if it falls out...

OK, good idea, will try that when she is at nursery tomorrow. Hadn't thought of possible future problems; just out of sight, out of mind.

Thank you sooo much for your help! Laptop did rattle, I followed your instructions and opened various hatches, gave it a shake ... and a bit fell out. I successfully replaced the hatches and the laptop still works. I now feel like an IT technician!

Ha ha .... well done you. At least there is slightly less chance of that bit causing some problem weeks/months down the line for you ...

I could not be sure you'd have any joy, but so glad you got it out, if only to tell DD not to do that again ...

[in a fairly nice way, of course ...] :)