Sound only works in one Headphone..Please Help

[Wingflier]

As the title says, I am having a major issue with my sound card/drivers. Sound only comes out of the left headphone. I know that it's not my headphones because I have tried multiple headphones with the same results.

My computer is a Dell Dimension E521
My Sound Card is a Sigmatel STAC92XX C-Major HD Audio Card

You see, ever since I uninstalled the virus Windows Vista from my computer and installed Windows XP onto my computer, the sound has been working fine. However, recently I started having mic troubles, which led me to uninstall and reinstall my sound drivers several times in an attempt to fix it. It turned out that my actual mic was the problem, not the hardware, but it was too late by then. Ever since I messed with the audio drivers, I've only been getting sound out of one ear.

In a desperate attempt to fix things, I even used System Restore to a time before I had messed with the sound drivers, to no avail.

I have checked the sound options on my computer and am 100% sure that the right "speaker" is not manually disabled on my computer. Windows claims that all of the sound drivers "are functioning properly." Obviously not.

A solution some sites have is to check and see if the audio card is seated properly. I've only had this computer for about a month now, and there is an audio jack in both the front and the back of the computer. Both of them have the same effect. In addition, I haven't dropped or even moved my computer since I bought it - AND - the problems just "coincidentally" starting occuring after I started tweaking my sound drivers. I highly doubt this is a hardware problem..

In the attempt to get my mic working, I actually went under the Windows Device Manager, went under the sound devices, and manually uninstalled the "Sigmatel High Definition Audio Codec" and the "Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device". Then reinstalled the driver that Dell gave me on a back-up disk with the computer. I'm almost positive that manually uninstalling the driver and then reinstalling it caused this. But I have no idea why, or how to fix it now..

I wouldn't be bothering you guys if this wasn't a significant problem, but obviously, having sound only come out of one ear is a very big deal. It makes all music sound like trash and ruins most video games with sound.

If anybody has any suggestions or solutions, I'm "all ears".

Wing

[CCT]

Go through the 'sticky' in the start of this category and especially check speaker playback settings. If you have standard desktop speakers (2) then you should be hooked into the rear light-green jack.

[Wingflier]

I've checked and re-checked all of the guidelines and options available in that "sticky". I am at a complete loss about this problem. I've never seen or heard anything like it before. Why is it doing this?

[CCT]

Can you try those headphones on another comp?

edit "I know that it's not my headphones because I have tried multiple headphones with the same results."

Yes, you did say that didn't you!


So that brings it down to a wiring or audio chip problem.

[Wingflier]

Ugh...I mean I guess it could be but man...I just bought this thing. And like I said I've barely moved it. To top it off it only started happening after I messed with the sound drivers.

Should I try to reseat the card? I mean Dell screwed it in there good. And I'm almost positive my sound chip is connected my mobo..

[Wingflier]

Fixed it.

It turns out that both my, and my roommates headphones (which are both expensive headphones), don't work in the right ear.

After seeing that I wasn't getting any sound in mine, I used his, which apparently had the exact same problem. What are the chances?

My computer is fine lol.

Thanks for all the help CCT!

Wing